The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-09-13
SHOWS
POISON IN STOMACH
DIR. TAILOR MAKES REPORT on
DEATH OF WEALTHY ROCK
INGHAM MAN.
NONE IN THE COFFEE
THEORY THAT MURDER WAS CARE
FULLY PLANNED STRENGTH
ENED ny RESULT OF IN
vESTIGATI0N.

-SeFehef- William Taylor has
completed his analysis of the stomach
of George NJ. Nicholas. the wealthy
Rockingham county farmer who died
under suspicious circumstances five
weeks ago. and renders an opinion
that Nicholas was poisoned by the
administration OF arse.ic.
The chemist found no arsenic in the
coffee grounds remaining in the pot
from which Nicholas drank, strength
ening the theory that poison was in
tentionaIly administered and the
murder carefully planned. rhe re-
port was received Wednesday by
Coroner Biedler, of Rockingham
county, and was read to the four sur
viving brothers of the dead man
Charles H, William s.. Jefferson and
Frank J.. Nicholas.
The case remains shrouded In mys-
terry and no arrests have yet been
made. There IS a reward of $3.50
outstanding, offered by county and
State, for the conviction of the guilty
person
DIR. Taylor's Report.
Coroner Taylor's report on the
case. which fixes absolutely the cause
of Nicholas death. follows:
Dear Sir,--I have now completed
my analysis Of the materials submitted
to me In connection with the death
of Mr.. George NJ. Nicholas. compris-
Ing his stomach and it's contents and
the portion of roasted and ground
coffee.
T have found arsenic in both the
stomach and in its contents. but have
not found any in the coffee
I n Vt ah hn rf Nv
of arsenic. In making the analysis IN
the character Of this kind 1t ia not
judicious to work on all the material
at once and /, therefore, used one
fifth OF the stomach and one-haf of
the contents. Assuming that the
poison is uniformly distributed, find
that the stomach contains arsenic
equivalent to about ne-elevent1h
grains, and the contents to about one
third grain OF white arsenic, which
is the variety Of the poison almost
universally employed by prisoners
The total quantity thus found is about
two-fifth grains.
Impossible to Find AL
This quantity is small. but it must
be kept In mind that the quantity
found is not criterion for deter
mining the quantity swallowed. This
might DC very IdTRe ana yet nearly
and even quite all OF it might get
beyond the reach of the chemist
through loss by vomiting and purging.
and by absorption and diffusion
throughout the body. Moreover that
which in this case has been found.
particularly that in the contents is
what has been left over not having
entered the circulation. The arsenic
that killed has been scattered hither
and thither throughout the body and
is still in 1t. After all, the important
fact Is this, no arsenic whatever,
either In large or In small amounts.
properly belongs to the human stom-
ach and if any whatever Is found in
It, it is 81 foreign substance and has
been introduced either Intentionally
or accidentally. Arsenic has been
found In Mr.. Nicholas stomach. How
1t got there I am not in a position to
say. but judging from the symptoms
of his last illness. as you have re-
lated them to me. and from the fact
that other nersons suffered In like
ma annex at the same time. together
with the highly significant -eirnam--
sta nee. and the discovery of arsenic
IN his stomach and lis contents. l am
Of OPINION thnt arSen'c poisoning was
+he censa er bic death
shall he elad to give any addi-
tiNoa' explanation" or ct'nion in my
4,ay+.r Eers- .nuISsa vor,rs
WILLIAM " TAYLOR. ". n.