Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-11-02
S. h. CUNNINGHAM HELD
RESPONSIBLE FOR DEATH
Coroner's Jury Declares Hydrocyanic
Acid Gas Was Fatal to Miss
g Mary L. Roberts.
Disinfectant Used by Defendant in
Cordova Apartment House-Case
Goes to Grand Jury.

Finding that Miss Mary Louise Rob-
erts, who died late Saturday night. had
come to her death from hydrocyanic
acid gas poisoning, the coroner's jury.
following an inquest at the District
morgue yesterday afternoon, ordered
that Samuel H. Cunningham be held,
saying: I'VE believe the said Samuel
H. Cunningham to be responsible for
this death and hold him for the action
of the grand jury"
, Cunningham was Immediately placed
under arrest by Detective Sergt. Law
renee O'Dea. On advice of his counsel
Cunningham did not testify at the in
quest He was released later under
$4,000 bonds.
The jury's verdict set forth: MARY
Louise Roberts came to her death
October 80. 1915, at the Cordova apart
ment, Washington, D. c., from hydro
cyanic acid gas poisoning caused by
inhaling said gas at the above place
October 80 1915, during the disinfec-
ton of some rooms in the baseman of
the said apartment by Samuel H. Gun
bingham"
Statements of Witnesses.
Mrs. Maria Baldwin, the first witness
placed on the stand. testified as to the
character of Miss Roberts Illness and
her own, she having been partly over
come by the gas. Mrs. Baldwin said
both she and Miss Roberts had felt,
peculiar sensation in the throat and
both had later become nauseated.
DR.. Ira Dennison, the first physician
to be called, told of the condition of
the patient and said further that he
had noticed faint odor when he ar
rived. He called this to the attention
of Mrs. Nancy Boston. friend of Mrs.
Baldwin, who had come in to assist
with the sick women. Later DR.. Dem
nison himself was partially overcome
and Mrs. Boston was compelled to go
to the door a number of times for air.
Dr. Dennison described the treatment
given the women He said that hypo-
dermic injections and artificial respira-
ton were tried with Miss Roberts.
Other physicians, including DR.. Arthur
NJ. Whaley. U. s A; Dr.. peane :. HOW
retired, and DIR. Robert F. Mason. also
gave testimony.
Joseph n. Clark. for nine years jan
itor at the apartment. said he had not
given warning to occupants Of the
apartment that fumigating was being
carried on. He said that Mr.. Cunning
ham had told him not to enter the
rooms. as it would poison him II re
did so. He was not told of the danger
of the gas getting into other rooms,
however, he testified.
Had Acted Without License.
Dr.. william c. Fowler. chief medical
INSPECTOR of the health department, tes-
titled that Cunningham had not pro-
cured license to fumigate as required
by the law. Under the law all persons
engaged in commercial fumigating are
required to have a permit. In addition
to this any person who uses this deadly
gas IN fumigating is required to OBJ
tain a special permit for each time
Neither permit had ever been procured
by Mr.. Cunningham, according to DR.
Fowler IS
1t developed yesterday that this law
was passed, going into effect May
last, following the mysterious death OF
a person in another apartment house
Fumigating had been carried on in the
apartment below and~at that time 1t
was suspected the fumigating gas had
been responsible for the death, but not
enough evidence could be obtained, 1t
was said, to open the case.
DIR. w. B. Carr. deputy coroner, who
conducted the autopsy. and DR.. Lester
Neuman of Emergency Hospital, who
made the blood tests, told of the condi-
tion of the lungs. heart and blood. No
traces Of acid were found in the blood.
but DR.. Neuman explained the tests
cases where the person had died from
inhalation. DR.. Carr gave evidence
that the lungs showed the result of
hydrocyanic acid gas poisoning.
Says the Gas Is Very Dangerous.
DR.. Charles H. Popenoe, expert from
the Department of Agriculture. testi-
fed as to the extreme deadliness of
hydrocyanic gas. He quoted from a
bulletin issued by the Department of
Agriculture November 20, 1912. in
which great caution was urged in the
use of this gas. This bulletin held that
1t was undesirable to fumigate single
apartments and that in cases where
houses were separated only by party
walls the occupants of adjoining
houses should leave them during the
fumigation process. He had discussed