The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-12
DEFENSE SCORES IN
 POISONING CASE Testimony of State Witnesses Aids the Defendant EFFECTS OF POISONS Physician Testifies to Difference In Poisons as Applied to Case of John o. schenI<, Husband
 of Defendant
 
EFFECTS OF POISONS

Wheeling, W. Va, January 1.-The de-
 fense scored heavily today in the case
 of Laura Farnsworth Schenk. charged
 with having attempted to poison her hus-
 band, John O. Schenk, the millionaire
 pork packer.
 Dr. Frank Lemoyne Hupp, who report ed the alleged poisoning to the authori- ties and who was considered the star wit ness for the state, was under cross-exam- ination at the hands of Attorney J. P OBrien nearly all day. He displayed an
 unexpected knowledge of the medicine.
 which came as a surprise to the states attorneys and the witness alike
 Among other things admitted by Dr.
 Hupp, after the sharp attack of Attor-
 ney OBrien, was the fact that he was not sure the symptoms exhibited by John
 o. Schenk, even after the removal of
 the latter to the hospital, were due to
 arsenical poisoning until mineral wa
 ter used by Schenk was analysed by
 experts at the University of Virginia and
 Johns Hopkins university; that the dis coloration of the patients gums was prob
 ably due to diseased condition of the
 gums and the fact that "Schenk did not
 use a tooth brush" rather than to lead poisoning and that the millionaire packer was at no time, either before or after his removal to the hospital actually confined to his bed at all times.
 The defense apparently laid the founda- tion for probable claim of conspiracy.
 For the first time during the trial the
 name of Albert Schenk. brother of John O. Schenk. and head of the wealthy fam fly. was brought into the case. Did not Mrs. Schenk complain to you
 that Albert Schenk had gone to the hos pital and secured Johns signature to certain papers which would make Albert executor of Johns estate If the latter
 should die suddenly?" was asked T do not remember all of that con- versation,' was the reply.
 Much of the testimony was of tech
 nical nature, Attorney OBrien bringing out various facts In relation to the med icines prescribed for Schenk during his his illness. It was admitted during the examination that hyomel-quinine. one of the compounds taken by MT. Schenk con-
 tained arsenic in small quantities. 'I do not want this jury confused,'' said O'Bren. "as to organic and inorganic poi soning. Lead and arsenic produce inor- ganic poisoning?"
 That is so' replied Dr. Hupp. Well. cholera morbus and malarial poisoning would be organic poisoning
 would it not?"
 ''Yes, that is so, MT. O'Brien." These questions were put because at the morning session Dr. Hupp had as-
 serted that malarial poisoning was inor-
 ganic and not organic poisoning. While attorneys for the defense were jubilant over the outcome of their efforts | today the prosecuting attorney claims | that the states case against the wife was not injured in any way. $ -t . Following the examination Prosecutor l Handlan again had the witness for a | few moments On redirect examination l Dr. Hupp stated that Schenk was removed l from his home to the hospital not so
 much because of the fact that he was in a dangerous condition, but because he had suspicious that the packer was be- ing poisoned. He said those suspicious
 were based on the fact that Schenk be-
 came violently Ill each time that he drank
 from certain bottle of mineral water, the analysis of which, 1t is claimed,
 showed that it was heavily charged with arsenic.
 Mrs. Schenk appeared In better spirits today than at any time during the trial, laughed frequently and entered into ani-
 mated whispered conference with her att torneyS,