El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-01-03

Cases Against Dead Mans
Wife and Physician Nolle
Pressed by the Court.
NOTED MISSOURI
CASE rs UNHEARD

-@O'A-Oc-<9
placing on trial in judge Nat NJ Shell
tons court here Monday of Mrs Alma
Proctor Vaughn and Dr. James r. Hull,
Jointly charged with the poisoning of
Mrs. vaughns husband, professor John
4. Vaughn. came the end of one of the
most famous poisoning mysteries in
AIissourrs history
Both were freed of the charges
against them in the circuit court here
yesterday. Their cases were no1le
pressed by prosecuting attorney Rel
ger. of Adair county. after judge Shell
ton had lsfused 20 grant the further
continuance asked by the state.
The announcements was greeted with
applause by the friends of Mrs. Vaughn
and DR.. Hull, who crowded the court
room. The widow appeared unconcern-
ed when she understood that she was
no longer held on a murder charge.
The inability of DR.. Paul Schweitzer,
of the state university and the PROSE
cution's poison expert to be present
was the reason for the request for a
continuance. Prosecutor Reiger intro
duced affidavits to this effect and lr.
E. 3. Clements, of Macon who was a
member of the medical commission ap-
pointed in November to examine DR..
Schweitzer, testified that IA his judg-
ment the expert never would be in
eonditiop to take the stand
In refusing the continuance, Judge
Shelton said he believed DIR. Schweitzer
who is more than so years of age. new
er would be able to appear in court
Reiger's term as prosecutor expired
Monday and it is likely that nothing
more will be done in the case
Mrs Vaughn was accompanied to the
courtroom by her mother, her sister,
Mrs James Johnson, and Mrs Alice
BIodgett. of St. Louis.
Resume OF Case.
Professor Vaughn died in KirksviIle,
Mo-, suddenly on October IA, 1909. after
an interesting career as an educator
Prof Vaughn was not strong man.
frequently complaining of his poor
health and his wife says he was con-
stantly taking tablets from box
which he carried with him all the time.
He occupied the chair of American His
tory in the State Normal school at
kfrksville. Mo. The Vaughns had one
child, daughter. Winfield. aged T.
Mrs, Vaughn is a niece of DR.. Thorn
as Proctor, president of the Monroe
City bank. Her father. James NJ. Proc
tor. is said to be worth $500, 000 Prof.
Vaughn is said TO have left an estate
valued at about 100000.
According TO Mrs vaughn's story.
her husband felt badly all day. october
H. 1903, and when he came home at
o'clock in the afternoon said: "Oh,
I'm exhausted. I'm so tired" Mrs
Vaughn begged him 70 stay at home.
but he refused ard went out About
S:45 p. m he returned saying he was
feeling i'll and that his back and limbs |
ached. Vaughn went to the family I
medicine chest. made some pills from
bottle Mrs. Vaughn told him contain
ed quinine. swallowed them and then /
sat down to rest
PHYSICIANS False Report
Shortly afterwards Vaughn came up
stairs where his wife was. saying he
was sick at his stomach but had vom-
tied and felt better. He was suffering /
greatly. SO the family physician. DR.. |
J. ". Martin, was called Dr. Martin
afterwards told the grand jury that I
the symptoms were those of strych-
nine; that Vaughn suffered intensely /
and went from one CONFUSION into I
another, and died in one of these
spasms while unconscious. In his re-
port. however. Dr.. Martin, ascribed the
death to heart failure. Prof. John r
Kirk, president Of the State Normal I
school, close friend of Prof Vaughn
and sevral others. started a quiet in
vestigation into the death. suspicioning
that everything was not right, as DR..
Martin had said it resembied strych-
nine poisoning. Kirk says he has
known Vaughn intimately for seven
years and that during that time
Vaughn did not take any medicine and
that he was not an habitual user of
drugs.
The Wife Indicted.
A grand jury was called and investi- |
gated the death of Prof Vaughn. re
turning indictments against Mrs. +
Vaughn and Dr. Hull jointly on Feb
ruary rs. charging them with deliber-
ately administering strychinine to Prof.
Vaughn. which caused his death A
coroner's jury also inquired into the
death returning two verdicts The
first verdict was that Vaughn had come
to his death from natural cause. but
this verdict was nulIified, and second
----~------~-- --------@@