The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-01-20
First Witness for Mrs. Schenk
Is a Doctor.
Prosecuting Attorney HandIan
Has Been Subpoenaed.
TO TELL HER STORY.
The Defendant Probably Will
Go on the Stand
when the Case Is Taken Up
Next Monday.

HHeeIlnS, an. 20.-Prosecutino A.
torney j. B. Handlan of Ohio county
VINO mas been conducting for the state
tne trlai OF Mrs. Laura Farnsworfh
Schenk, who is charged with +ba
poisoning of her husband. has been
suopoenaed by the defense and will be-
put on the stand some time todav
II was lntlmated during the court
session yesterday that such move
would be made by the attornevs fo,. t,,S
accused but little credence was placed
in the rumor Po
DR.. j. ]. Osborne. who was the first
witness for the defense when it began
- present lts side of the case yesterday
ana VINO was on the stand at adjourn
ment OF court last night, will be ca1Ie5
again to complete his testimony Ha
aeciared he had treated and examined
Schenk and found no traces of arsen-
ioal poison. Fifteen other doctors arc
among the witnesses called Nv Mrs
Schenk'S counsel
Attorney O'Brien expects now 70
complete his case in three davs. in
which event it is expected Mrs. Schenk
VIII take the stand Monday afternoon.
from her t is expected to bring out
an alleged conspiracy of the Schenl
family against her. from the time
her marriage with John o. Schenk was
made public
The opening of the afternoon session
found many doctors summoned by the
defense to show if possible where Mrs
| Schenk had bought poison, in court
DR.. Reed Baird was the first witness
| called. Prosecutor Handlan objected.
Attorney Boyce argued that unless the
jury heard every physician in the CITY
deny he had sold Mrs. Schenk poison it
would infer she had obtained it
such procedure is incompetent"
said Judge Jordan, "and I will not per
init the question to be putt
ird
borne was summoned. He said he saw
John o. Schenk November Is at the
hospital when he, with DR.. Japason, ex-
anined him.
This woman has been giving her
husband arsenic since June FL" was
! the statement witness said DR.. Hump
made to them.
State Sums Up.
The state completed its evidence
The defense attempted to put in
! evidence the affidavit of Alice Thomas,
| secretary of a Pittsburg detective
agency, to bring out conspiracy against
the accused. This was ruled out.
In presenting the case to the Jury
after the state closed, Mr.. HandIan
declared that the state had shown
that Schenk was in good health on his
return from Europe; that the state
| had shown by competent physicians
that the husband was suffering from
| both lead and arsenic poison and that
analysis of mineral water and medi-
cines he had taken showed that thew
contained arsenic and sugar of lead:
| that Mrs. Schenk was Indifferent to
her husband, preferring another man.
and had predicted Mr.. Schenk's death.
speaking of the kind of funeral he
would have; that the accused offered
detecitve-nurse $1,000 to administer
poison to John Schenk; that she had
been indiscreet with another man. as
testified to by her chauffeur. and that
she mad procured sugar of lead from
DIR. ]: w. Myers, asking him also for
| arsenic.
! While 200 witnesses were summoned
by the defense, Mr.. OBrien said in his
opening statement that not all would
| be put on. and it was hoped that all
evidence would be in in three days.
The state had eighteen witnesses and
used ten days. 1t is almost assure ed
that the defendant will take the stand
in her own behalf
DIR. Osborn, the first witness called
by the defense, said that he had at
tended many cases of arSenical poison
ing He had visited Schenk with DR..
Hupp, the attending physician and DR..
5. l.. JepSon. There were no symp-
toms of arsenical poisoning. he de-
| clared
DR.. Osborn testified that If an ounce
Of sugar Of lead had been placed in a
bottle of Quinine elixir, the lead would
have been precfpitated and would have
had little effect on the person taking
the medicine. He said further that
the amount and quantity of food given
Schenk would indicate that he had not
been a very sick man. Mr.. Schenk
might have been suffering from can
Ger of the stomach, he testified.
DR.. Osborne Resumes.
At the opening of the second day
of the defense DIR. j. ]. Osborne, one
of the experts for the. defense, went
back on the stand and Prosecuting
ATTORNEY Handlan resumed his cross
examination
DR.. Osborne is one of the physicians
bsent by Mrs. Schenk's lawyers to the
hospital to examine Mr.. Schenk. The
doctor testified that Mr.. Schenk's
symptoms did not agree with the his
tory of the case as to lead or arsenic
poisoning, but he admitted that the
symptoms as described by other ply
sicians were Indicative of the poisons
He further admitted that hiz visit was
some time after the rem oval of Schenk
! to the hospital and that as soon as
the source of supply of poisoning was
removed the patient would recover
Mrs. Schenk appeared in court this
morning seemingly much refreshed
and fully recovered from her slight
illness which her attorneys assert was
no breakdown under the strain of her
trial.
Prosecutor Handlan insists he will
show where the woman procured the
poison when he introduces testimony
in rebuttal.
, IT is likely that night sessions will
be held from now on to bring the trial
to a close at the earliest dat possible
Cross Examination.
Prosecutor Handlan in cross-exafnI-
! nation took up many phases of arsenic
and lead poisoning and for two hours
had DR.. Osborn on the grill. He admit
ted several points brought out by the
physicians for the state.