The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-01-19
Testimony for the State in the
Schenk Trial
LIS About All in Says the Prose-
cutting Attorney.
COLLAPSES IN COURT.
The Defendant Breaks Down
and Is Removed.
Defense to Call Every Doctor i'm
the District.

Wheeling, Jan. 19.-Todav is ex-
pected to see the last of the testiro,,,,
OF the prosecution in the trial of Mrs
Laura f. Schenk, who is charged with
poisoning her husband, John q.
Schenk. This announcement wos a.
oy prosecutor Handlan last night Sew
eral witnesses are to he ca1Io5 -, a..
state today, among them, it was said
being one or two that have +as+taS5
on the direct examination. The de-
IenSe is expected to open TODAY or +o
morrow. VI To-
Mrs. Schenk collapsed under the. ~
oeai OF the trial Wednesday afternoon
fn an nour pe1ore the usual time for ad-
Journment she had to be led to har
room IN the Jail, unable to Withstand
the strain. Court took a recess ana
the trial was temporarily SUSPENDED
Ihroughout the trial and since Mrs.
Sohenk arrest on November 8, she
mas displayed remarkable calm
When apparently damaging testimony
was De1ng offered against her it failed
10 disturb her beyond a slight exhib-
ft1on of nervousness
Inere was nothing of a startling ma
ture Drought out Mrs. Schenk did not
appear to be well when she en+ered
the courtroom. Suddenly toward the
cioslng hour, she leaned over TO Frank
O-Br1en, one of her attorneys. and ask
ed Tor glass of water 1t was but
rev minutes later that she said to an
otner or her counsel: For Gods sake
ger rev minutes recess
ne request was granted and Mrs.
oGhehk was taken to the county iaiI
Mnere she became violently ill and
showed symptoms of fainting. A physi-
clan was summoned and it was is min
uteS before she was able to return, 70
the court ROOM -
attorney O'Brien announced before
adjournment that every physician in
the Wheeling district viii he sI1noroo,ad
by the defense. 1t is the purnose of +t,a
Mrs. Schenk -
when court convened for the after
noon session Mrs. Schenk was the only
ans order. Deputy sheriffs had some
| women out
DR.. Drinkard was called to corrobor-
ate the testimony of DR.. Ackerman. He
said Schenk was suffering from lead
poisoning -S''0
| LlIndy Wilson Recalled.
Chauffeur Lundy Wilson. recalled,
testified to the alleged visit to the
residence of DR.. Myers. He said he
was ordered by Mrs. Schenk to stop
the car at bend in the road at which
dence.
why did you not inform Mr. Schenk
as to what was going on?''
1T was no business of mine"
Anna Evans, the nurse, when re-
called was asked:
Did Mrs Schenk talk TO Won con-
corning her gentlemen friends %
Yes One day I was in the parlor
with her when she showed me flower
basket and told me she appreciated it
highly. 1t had been given her, with
violets, she said, by a man friend"
a mir iv,f1
used by John o. Schenk?''
mo, SIR
Did you ever put lead into his
medicine?"
Did Mrs. Schenk narrate improper
stories as to herself and other men?"
! "She did, but the witness refused 70
tell them to the jury. The prosecutor
then said he had completed his case
with the exception of the cross-exani-
nation of DR.. Best and DR.. Baer.
During a recess the defense had "a
subpoenas issued for the first lot OF
! doctors which Attorney O'Brien will
summon to find whether Mrs. Schenk
bought poison in Wheeling.
When DR.. D. H. Best took the stand
he said he examined Schenk in October
| and concluded he was suffering from
Bright'S disease and stomach trouble.
He prescribed bismuth and codine to
deaden pain. Schenk improved and was
able to go to work. Schenk then show
ed no signs of lead or arsenic poison
ing.
Judge Jordan adjourned court until
afternoon.
1t was stated by the defense that the
first witness to be called this after
noon would be Prosecutor Handlan.
who will be asked where he got $4,000
to 1000 which he is alleged to have
spent in preparing the Schenk case for
trial
In West Virginia the prosecutor is not
allowed money for the preparation OF
a criminal case.