Evening star., 1925-04-09
SEEK RARE POISON
IN IHOMAN DEATH
Chemical Tests Are Negative,
But Coroner's Office Is
Not Satisfied.

Although exhaustive chemical tests,
completed today. have failed to sus-
tain charges that the late Samuel P.
c. Thoman was poisoned on his sick
bed a year ago, Deputy Coroner Her
bert E. Martyr; in charge of the au-
topsy, announced today that he is not
yet in a position to assert the charges
are without foundation.
DIR. T. NJ. Price. Health Department
ch enlist. turned over to DR.. Martyr to-
day his complete negative" report on
tests for metallic and alkaloid pofsons.
Not Yet Satisfied.
AT the same time however. DIR. Mar
tyn made ii plain that he is not satis-
fed that this report proves there was
nothing unusual about Mr.. Thoman' s
death.
The autopsy is by no means COM
plete"s the deputy coroner said. The
pathological examination of the dead
mans organs Is a very important
phase of the autopsy. and this exami-
nation will not be finished before to-
night or tomorrow.
"I have just conferred with DR..
Hunter, in charge of the pathological
examination regarding the possibility
! ministered in such a way that
chemically it would not show up so
long after the mans death. yet
virulent enough as to cause teH-tale
| LESSONS of the tissues.
only a careful. microscopic study
of the tissues will settle that point.
Certain poisons alter. structurally. the
tissues of the body. and any such
alteration should show up under the
microscope.
Seek Subtler Drug.
"Of course. If any of the so-called
popular poisons, such as the average
person is familiar with in household
| or sickroom, were given Mr.. Ihoman,
| they probably would have shown
under chemical analyses. But there
are rarer. less commonly known,
poisons that might have been ad-
ministered. and that might have dis
sipated so as not to reveal themselves
| to a chemist. 1 believe, however, that
! DR.. Hunter would be able to ascertain
their effect on the tissues
InHamm m alton i'm Brain.
"Dr. Hunter" is Prof. Oscar B. Hun
ter, assistant dean OF George w ash-
ington University Medical School he
said today he would continue his ex-
he is satisfied there is nothing un-
natural about the appearance of the
tissues. SO far he has been unable to
note anything that might not be- at
tributable to a natural affection. Elk
animation of the lungs has SHOWN
traces of lung disease and the brain
shows evidence of Inflammation OF the
brain.
-fo fnc
| "encephalitis following la grippe.
Tells Of "White Powder"
| The examination of the body was
! requested by the police last Monday
| following a secret investigation OF an
attack on Mr.. Thoman's daughter
Mrs Fleta Motherwen of 1905
street northeast. Mrs. Motherweli ex-
pressed the opinion that the un
| known persons" who blndfoloed
| gagged and bound her in her home
| two weeks ago, were after an ineriIn'
| mating letter naming certain per
son as having given to her sick rather
| "whtte powder" mixed in drink, The
| letter, signed, is now in the hanos o,
| the police.
| Mrs. John J. Bell. remarked widow
| of Mr.. Thoman, voluntarily stated te
newspaper men that Mrs. Motherwei
was accusing her of having written
! the letter.
| IF | did write such ridiculous let
ter, it was because l was in such q
] wrought-up state because OF theil
| nagging me about Mr. Thoman hav'
| ing been poisoned, that l didn't know
what / was writing" Mrs. Bell told
Star reporter. She explained that she
| was supposed" to have written thu
letter at the time of an attempt a
| suicide she made last November.