South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-12-15
MRS. SUHL' STATE
SOON TO Be GIVEN
INTO JURY'S HANDS
Closing Arguments Are Made
by Counsel in Poison Case
Which Has Occupied Circuit
Court for Weeks.

Popular interest continued through
the last day of the Suhl trial when
Tuesday a large crowd remained in
The circuit court room To hear the
closing arguments in the case which
was to go to the jury Tuesday after
noon. Court did not open until 10
O'Clock, the first hour being occupied
Gy the Judge in other work in con-
nection with the trial.
c. a. Hagerty opened in argument
tor the defense, speaking for 40 min
utes. He was followed 10y Judge Far
abaugh soon after II o'clock. The
latter spoke for nearly two hours
Hagerty declared the state had
made a great mistake in not having
had other organs of the body of Mr.
Suhl analyzed than the stomach lie
maintained that this could have been
done after the stomach had been ana
lyZed. but that the state had not cared
to have it done
The speaker called attention TO what
he held TO be the Irihing manner in
which the autopsy had been held and
also in the lax way in which the
stomach had been handled from the
time it was sent To Indianapolis until
the analysis was made.
In referring To She various witness
rs for the state the speaker attacked
the testimony of Jim Trail as un-
worthy OF credence. Passing attention
was given to Mrs. Emberlin who the
speaker intimated, had been pro-
fessiOnal fortune teller and in the
habit of having dreams" and of con
Versing with spirits"
Point Out Inconsistencies.
1t was the contention in this ar
gument that if Mrs. Suhl had been the
clever criminal which some thought
her to be she would not have pur-
chased arsenic from .. druggist liV-
ing near her home but sne would have
gone to "a distant part of the city.
Also she would not have given her
husband a large enough dose tO Kill
a dozen men, but she would rather
have administered it to him slowly 50
as to have developed a chronic case
OF arsenical poisoning He pointed
out Furthermore that if the woman
had been guilty Of poisoning her hus-
band she would not have been able 10
remain by his side during the lone
some hours of the morning on which
he died.
Mention was made of many other
points of tentimOny and to witnesses
put on by the state. Particular at
tentiOn was called 10 the fact that the
defense had put on DR.. Webster OF
Chicago who, 1t was pointed out, was
the only man qualified as an expert 10
give conclusive statements in regard
to poisoning. This man had been
paid a large sum Of money. il was ad-
mitted, but his visit had been made
largely because of his interest in the
scientific side OF the case.
Judge Farabaugh laid much stress
during his opening remarks 10 the
probability Of arsenic having been in
the emDalming fluid used in the prep
aration Of Mr.. SuhTs body. He dweIt
al length on other features of the de-
tense, not completing his argument
until . o'clock. Pros. Montgomery
followed in the closing arguments for
John B. McClaren of Chicago.
chemist for the L. :. Chemical Co,
was placed on the witness stand Mon
day afternoon by the defense in re-
buttal in the trial Of Mrs. Suhl. Nc
Claren has charge of the manufac-
the brand which was used in the
preparation OF the body Of Mr.. Suhl.
The witness testified that there was
no arsenic in these brands of en-
banning preparations.
John :. Kuespert. chief Of detec-
tives. and Dr Swantz, county coro-
ner were also on the stand. Each
rebutted the testimony Of Mrs.
Thomas Coffeen. daughter Of Mrs
not remember having intimated that
she could give Information concern
ing the suspected poisoning kues-
pert said also that ne had not been
a party to procuring Mr.. Emb berlin.
neigh Dor TO Mrs. Suhl. To- saw any
thing about dreaming that she had
seen Mrs. Suhl give her husband
poison.
This completed the evidence i'm the
case. which with Monday had been
before the circuit court Tor 10 days
The instruction 10 the jury were
drawn up and then Pros Montgom-
cry reviewed the evidence TOR the
jury. lie spoke for 40 minutes. Each
side has been allowed three hours for
arguments This morning G. A Hag-
erty viii speak first and ne viii be
followed hy Judge Farabaugh Pros
Montgomery viii close for the state.
II there are nG delays the case VIII
go 10 the jury soon after ( o'clock
this afternoon