Arizona republican., 1921-10-06
POISON CAUSED MEYER'S DEATH DOCTOR SAYS ON
 WITNESS STAND
Mrs. Southard, on Trial For Murder of Fourth Illus band, Hears Evidence Without Emotion
TRepublican A. p. Leased wlre1

TWIN FALLS. Idaho, Oct. 5.-That the Vidal test for typhoid was reli- able and that specimens Of the blood taken. from the body of Meyer 30 hours prior to his death reacted posi- lively to the test, was drawn from Dr. J. F. Coughlin, witness for the state in the case of Lyda Meyer Southard, charged with the murder of her for mer husband. Edwin F. Meyer.
 Dr. Coughlin occupied the witness stand during the greater part of the day and told lengthy story of his connection with the case from the time he was first called until the death Of Meyer on Sept. ', 1920. Dr. Coughlin had previously stated that in his opinion ptomaine poisoning was responsible for Meyers death, but in explanation of signing of the death certificate which attributed death to typhoid declared he was guided by the tests made by the pathologist of the Twin Falls county hospital, which tests showed positive reaction indi- eating Meyer was suffering from typhoid.
 In his own Judgment, he declared upon the witness stand, death was due to the presence of some factor other than the germs of typhoid, prob ably ptomaine poisoning.
 The hospital record of E. w. Meyer, from the time of his admission as a patient until his death on Sept. ' of last year, formed the basis of the tes- timony occupying the bulk of the morning session.
 Made Big Purchase of Poison Meyers temperature was at all times sub-normal and he grew steadily weaker until death ensued hn 1e-4 rln n,-f nTxe l. free access to his room and spent considerable time there, the record showed, and on one occasion she stated that she Knew her husband could not>get better" according to ons of the witnesses.
 The drug clerk who said he had solc the insect exterminator to the de- | fendant in August last year testified that the purchase was of an unusua amount and that at the time he sait to the defendant, What in the world are you going to do with it aIl?" TC which the defendant replied that il was to go to a ranch. The witnes. fixed the date of the purchase a. upon Aug. 13, or immediately after last year.
 Resuming his testimony after tht noon recess, Dr. Ceughlin said that or | the afternoon of Sept. 6, the day priol | to Meyers death, the witness dis cussed with Meyer and the defendan the advisability of dispensing witt
 the services of the special nurse here tofore in charge of the case. He sai, Meyer was taken violently i'll, all tn old symptoms reasserted themselve and the patient grew steadily wors luntil death ensued the following da
 about half past g o'clock.
 j Describes Post Mortem Examination
 Dr. Hal Bieler, hospital pathologis
 was called into consultation by Dl
 Coughlin to make blood tests. Upo
 the result of these tests Dr. Coughli
 testified he based his finding as se Il forth in the death certificate that tn
 deceased came to his death throug typhoid fever.
 The two post mortem examination
 were described by the witness i
 minute detail. The witness declare i that he was dissatisfied with D
 Bieler's findings and with his ow
 I diagnosis of the case and for thes = reasons asked Mir. Meyers permissio
 to examine the remains
 . Asked upon cross examination t he had ever administered a poisonol
 drug sometimes used in insecticid, I to the patient, he declared he hs
 not. The symptoms in the case wei compatible with ptomaine poisonin