Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-11-07
COULD SEGREGATE
ARSENIC IN CAKE
impossible to Know How Much
Poison Would Cause Death,
Chemist Says
PRoBERs TRACING CLUE

It would be impossible for q person
% know the exact amount Of arsenic
that might be eaten without causing
death, according to DR.. Charles II. La
Wall. chemist, who discussed poisoning
today.
DR.. La Wall made the analyses ct
the specimens in the case of w. w.
Sterrett Of Devon, who died after eat
ing poisoned cake sent to him mysteri-
ously through the mails. His wife. who
also ate the cake, became seriously i'll.
The tolerance Of each person sys-
tenn to various amounts or arsenic. DR..
La Wall pointed out. would prevent any
certain knowledge Of where the fatal
danger point might lie for each indi-
vidual. Physicians themselves. he ex-
plained, in administering small doses
had to study the tolerance Of the patient
carefully before risking this sort OF
medication.
There have been. however, Or. La
Wall said. in foreign countries such as
India, persons known AS arsenic eaters.
BY beginning with very small doses OF
the poison, natives have been abe grad
ually TO increase the dose until an i'm
munity has been established and the
taking of arsenic into the system would
no longer cause death.
Poison Virtually Tasteless
Arsenic in the iuso'uhle form gen.
erally used is n wh!tish powder re-
semblins 20 a great extent powdered
sugar. ,. ~
La Wall explained, ''hut any slight
taste 1t might have would be COM
pletely disguised with sugar. as in the
cake sent to the Stcrretts.'
When asked If it would he possible
for the poison 70 he segregated in
q certain side of the cake, Dr. la
Wall answered that this could only he
done If n marble cake had been used
that Is. two different 5atters. The
poison cake that is mystifyinC post
office and county authorities was OF the
sort known as devils food.
The arsenic, however. could have
been segregated IN certain part Of
the frosting because Of its iNso'u1i i'v.
In the Sterrett case however, the poi
son must have been distributed through
out the frosting. rs both Mr.. and Mrs.
Sterrett were affected. Mrs. Sterrett
was made violently Ill.
Heat does not change the action Of
arsenic.
Investigators OF the poisoned cake
mystery returned TO the city this
ing a new clue to the mystery.
"Something must happen very soon,
said Major w. Butler Windle, District
Attorney of Chester County. There
should be an arrest within the next few
Secrecy surrounds the trip the in.
veetigators made, but they are believed
to have gone to New Jersey and to have
spent most of the night in grilling 4
Il
poisoned cake to Mr.. and Mrs. S'errrtr
Postal INSPECTOR 4. NJ. Simpson. witt
Major Winde. his assistant, II. Il
McGowan; Detective William Mullen
and State Trooper \. r. Fox were il
the party which left the city yesterda!
afternoon after Il lengthy conference ir
the Federal Building. They went in ar
automobile and did not return unit
daybreak this morning.
Before departing, postal inspectors
said they believed they knew who sen
the poisoned cuke and added that the,
were working on the most important
clue unearthed yet. Much depends upor
the way the clue is handled. however
they said. =,
"We are working on It TO the limit. y
Inspector Hawkcsworth said. IT re.
eerd It as the most important lead since
the crime"
Mrs. Sterrett is still in Bryn Nav,
Hospital. Her condition was described
by Major Windle today as being very
good. She Is permitted to walk about
the room. he said. and reads great
deal.
Expect Developments Today
Although Inspector Hawkeswortl
said he cannot Mt this time say that
Mrs. Sterrett has been eliminated from
suspicion. Detective Mullen said sh,
has been definitely eliminated. How
ever, Investigators of the murder con
tinue 70 visit her daily and spend from,
one to three hours questioning the
woman. 1t IS said that her mind Il
perfectly clear and that she has Amos,
completely recovered from the effect:
Of the arsenic contained in the cake.
The investigators working on the
new clue say they will follow K Up nm
til they either get results or prove II IA
be worthless. With information gath
cred on the mysterious trip out Of town
last night. they expect 10 accomplish
much today toward clearing up the
mystery.
UlIMMY" WAS ROPRE0