New-York tribune., 1911-01-21
T|LTS At SCHENK TRIAL
Defence Tries to Show Previous
Illness OF Pork Packer.
ATTACK DETECTIVE E-NURSE
Attempt to Stamp Her as a User
of Morphine Fails in the
Poisoning Case.

Wheeling, " Va, Jan 2o--Tha defence
in the trial OF Mrs. Laura Farnsworth
Schenk introduced testimony to-day 70
show that her husband. John c. Schenk.
the wealthy pork packer. whom she is
charged with poisoning had been III FOR a
long time before the time the state al
leges the woman administered poison 10
him To support this claim the lawyers
for Mrs. Schenk put on the stand Charles
T. Hughes, a railroad man. and Dr. A B.
Best the Schenk family physician
The afternoon session of the case was
snlivened by several .tilts between the at
torneys. The defence sought 10 put on
the stand DR. Robert E Sloppy, OF Pitts
burg, 70 inpeach the testimony Of Miss
Eleanor Zoeckler, or Mrs Klein" the de-
tective-nurse, who testified for the state
that Mrs. Schenk had offered her 81 900 20
administer poison pill 70 her husband.
Mr.. Boyce said that he wished 70 show
by this witness that the detective-nurse
was addicted 70 the use OF morphine. The
state objected and was sustained. the
court holding that this was not proper
contradictory evidence.
When the defence failed IN this attempt
they put on the stand Charles 3. Hughes,
a railroad man, who testified that long
before Mr. schenks trip 70 Europe he had
told the witness that he was suffering
from nausea and abdominal pains the same
symptoms the physicians for the state had
testified that schenk had been suffering
from when they attributed the cause 70 the
poisoning
a
Schenk for tons.llitis in September, 1903
and also had attended him on other oc-
casions. The doctor, answering the hypo-
thetical question for the state. was OF the
/ opinion regarding the symptoms described
that they were those Of lead and arsenic
I poisoning.
/ Sensational scenes between the attornev'
marked the first night session Of the trial
/ The defence introduced witnesses 10 i'm
peach the truth and veracity Of DR.. j. w
/ Myers, who testified for the state that Mrs
I Schenk had procured sugar Of lead from
/ him, and who also stated that he refused
/ 70 sell her Fowler's solution Of arsenu
when she applied 10 him for the poison.
/ The states attorney protested against
number Of questions and their form, an,
/ tnlS DrOlSnL on hNelN lllLs Del" cen the n
tOrneys II was necessary for the court q
rap hard with his gavel numerous times .
Quiet down the lawyers and the crowds II
| the courtroom.
! II has been decided by the defence ths
/ II will not place Mrs 5chenk on the stand
/ The court has asked for the instruction
/ from the lawyers tor tomorrow, but II /
/ likely that they will not be ready. tn
( lawyers for Mrs. Schenk say they may b
able TO finish up their side OF the case b.
SATURDAY
! Dr.. Z. 4 Hidreth and DR.. Samuel I
/ Gibbons. neighbors Of Or. J. ". Myers, wh
we're called 10 imreacn the testimony G
! Dr. Myers, could throw no light on hi
reputation. There was another wordy bat
/ t!e between all the counsel punctuated b
bangs Of the mallet by Judge Jordan an
the loud voices Of counsel
DIT G. L. Viewig. Or p J. Hersey an
Dr. James Gaydosn were then called an
testified against the reputation OF Or. Myer
on both direct and cross examination.
, There vas so much levity in the proceed
ing that the judge finally ordered the Shel
ir 10 arrest any one that laughed, sayinj
| "This is no circus"