Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-12-18


Of yesterdays operations was to put
all four defendants in apparent good
spirits. They laughed frequently
during the examination of the eX-
pertS, particularly when their attor-
neys would endeavor to secure state
ments from the witnesses tending to
support the theory that Shepard died
from natural causes. The defendants,
their counsel and their friends, who
were present in considerable num-
Der yesterday, were in high good
humor at the close of the session,
states case would fall to ma
no Claim Crandall Poisoned
Among the features developing yes
terday was the indication that the
state will claim that Fred Crandall.
nephew of Shepard, was given dose
Of bichloride of mercury dissolved IN
whisky; that he was taken seriously
i'll as the result and showed symp-
toms of mercurial poisoning. IeSSl-
mony to this effect was given by IT;
M, S. Brown, who attended Cranoail
during the illness in question, Whicn
is said to have occurred on the oay
Following Crandall's trip to Macon TO
bring Shepard to the Macon hospQtai;
DR.. Brown testified that Cranaall
was "gloriously happy" In Macon,
and that on returning 10 forl s1lioS
he was i'll for several days, showing
sfricken with mercurial poisoning'
ernest Hopson, one of the deLenu
ants, was with CrandaL In NgaGu l
on that occasion, SAID Or. e, "a
Fred Crandall himself is TO ps cai14 %
to the WitEess STAND, accolulhe
the solicitor general ard
Although Judge John H. Ross anu
General Walter A. Harris, counSei
for the defense. sought tc haye 1ne
experts admit that the conuleiio 1h1
found in shep psrad Nv vlse alcohoi or
naHe the witnesses denied that
fhis could have been the case. Iney
also maintained that they had ne 5ied
heard of a case where patleht uISt
from mercurial poisoning ptou t7n ~,
on by the medicinal ao1nlAle u '''ioA-
Of calomel. ..
DR.. Brown, who was the last VII,
ness yesterday afternoon concluoeu
his testimony shortly pei before he Se had
been practicing medicine for thirty y
Years, that he had known Sheparo
for several years and that he had
attended his father. the late Dr' Al
fred Shepard, DR.. Brown tolo Nov Nov
n bv DR.. A. M. Orr. for the purpose
Of consultation. He said that, Shep-
ard was unconscious. evidently IN
great pain and that his limbs were
drawn up as though in CONFUSION,
the abdomen rigid and he n, patient
had been administered to relleve
him. After noting the symptoms,
DIR. Brown said he agreed win Or;
Orr that it was case OF locheu
bowels and advised an n op pfght IN
which was performed tnat hlsh1 III
tha Macon hospital.
The operation disclosed no LOCK
ing of the bowels. DR.. Brown De
clared, but showed the, natient SUI
f the Whole alimentary canal, with
great irritation of the peritoneum'
but no perforations Of the mites
tines or other organs. No disease
except locked bowels could have
caused this condition. said the wit
rosive poison might have brought it
about. None of the physicians sus-
pected poison at that stage, DR..
Brown declared, although he eX-
pressed the opinion that In ba view 6s
lieved Shepard died from bichloride
of mercury poisoning.
The witness then told Of the first
and second exhuma tions of Shep-
ards body on November Z and II, re-
spectively. describing how he, re-
turned them over to Dr. Evehardt,
the chemist, and DR.. Funke, the
pathologist, for analysis. He then
described Fred CrandalPs condition
after the Macon trip, saying that Sc
we're abdominal pains. nausea and
dysentery, such as were experienced
by Crandall for several days, are the
first symptoms Of mercurial poison
ing.
"Have you ever heard of a death
from the excessive use of calomel?"
asked Judge Ross, cross examining
the witness.
''I can't say that I ever have" re-
piled DR.. Brown.
"In your medical practice, what is
the largest dose of calomel you ever
administrator" was the next ques-
&, ton.
\ six grains said the witness.
did you repeat the dose?"
'It wasn't necessary answered
DR.. Brown.
Says cranda1l was Drinking
The witness said he did not see
Fred Crandall drink any liquor on
the trip to Macon, but that the young
man had evidently been indulging
while the operation was going on.
as he showed the effects when ready
to return to Fort Valley Ernest
Hopson, who accompanied the party
to Macon, was sober, said DR.. Brown.
In answer to questions by General
Harris. the witness said that Shep-
ard was i1dulgent toward Ernest
Hopson and that he (Brown) had
never seen Shepard drink liquor. At
the time he was called into consul
tation with DR.. Orr, the witness said.
he did not know that calomel had
been administered, although this
fact developed later.
"In view of all circumstances, in
Guiding my observations and the re-
suit of the investigation, I am con-
WINGED that Shepard died from hi
chloride of mercury poisoning" he
declared in answer to a question by
General Harris. This concluded the
davis session