The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-11-03
STATE PLANS TO
INFECTION
FATAL TO GIRL
DR.. Moon TestifieS Poison
Other Than Mercury
Caused Death.
roo LONG, CLAIM
Neighbor Testifies Screams
Came From Garage.
Times Staff Correspondents

the testimony Monday afternoon or
DR.. Virgil H. Moon. professor Of pa
thology at the Indiana University
| School of Medicine, the States actual
theory as to cause of the death no
longer is in doubt.
Death took place after the deleter-
ious effects of mercuric poisoning
had been coun~teracted and resulted
from blood poisoning which had been
spread through the body from the
numerous bruises and decorations, al
legged to have been inflicted by
human teeth, according to DR.. Moon.
Record Set
In all the available history Of
mercuric poisoning. DR.. Moon said,
there is not a single case recorded
where the patient lived more than
twenty-five days after taking The
poison and then died. Miss Ober-
holtzer lived thirty days.
was death caused from the
poison or from some other f~actor??"
DIR. Moon was asked by Charles E..
Cox, the O~berholtzer family attorney.
IT would say that some factor,
other that mercuric poisoning, en-
tered into the case" was the
physicians answer.
Defense Plan
Selling on the States theory. Ste
phenson's attorneys nodded from the
facts obtained what vas regarded
as the best defense that has been
constructed thus far.
The defense's theory, as disclosed
by the brief cross-examination Mon
day afternoon, is that Miss ODER
holtzer died from an overdose Of mer-
curic chloride administered in the
form Of a prophylactic. The numer-
Gus bruises and decorations, the de-
Tense will try to convince the jury,
were inflicted by the girls W
hands when the poison burned her.
Former IrvingtOn neighbOrs Of
Stephenson testified against him
late Monday.
Mrs. Josephine Loves, 5452 Uni
versity Ave., said she heard fran
tic of a woman in. distress
come from the Stephenson garage
around midnight, March 16.
Mrs. Leila Hadley, 5406 Univer-
sity Ave-, living next door to the
former Stephenson home, testified
she saw a large closed automobile
being washed early on the morning
Of March IT. She said that a fellew
she heard called Shorty washed
the car and she said that the cush-
ions were removed and washed, too.
Miss OberhOlter charged In her
dying statement she was driven
home from Hammond I'm an auto,
and kept a prisoner in the Ste
phenson garage until the morn
ing Of March II.
Mrs. Loves, who lives in the
rear of the Stephenson residence,
said~she was awakened shortly after
midnight, by the screaming and by
the barking of Stephenson's police
dogs at the garage. Eph Inman,
chief counsel for the defense, asked
her IL it could not have been some
Butler students yelling and scream
ing on a party or having a good
time but the witness was positive
such was not the case.
Are you acquainted with the To-
cation of the residence Of D. C.
Stephenson" Prosecutor William H.
Remy asked.
yes"
where was his garage?"
His garage is right lear the rail-
road, and about 800 feet from my
house"
Were you home the night of
March Is. and do you recall that
night?" asked Remy.
yes"
state what time at night you re-
tired"
well, it was after H."
After you went to sleep that
night did you awaken"
Yes"
About what time was that?"
After Midnight
After midnight, 1 Judge" replied
Mrs. Loves, a small, elderly woman.
who was somewhat awed by the
large crowd.
What awakened your"
"a terrible screaming"
From what direction did the
screaming conner"
The defense objected, saying it
would be the opinion Of the witness.
eff you have an opinion as to
the direction the screams came
from just tell the jury" directed
Judge Will NJ. Sparks In a kindly
tone of voice.
From a southwest direction" said
the witness.
What direction from your house
is Mr.. S~tephenson's garage?" asked
Remy.
"In that direction"
WAS it a man or a woman"
ut was a woman"
"Was il loud or weak?"
Loud" said the witness.
Describe it," urged the prose
cutor.
"Oh, it would be impossible 1t
was so terrible"
Now, Your Honor. we move to
strike that from the record, crleo
the defense attorneys. The remark
was cut from the record.
"At that time did Mr.. Stephf son
own any dogs?"
He did, some large police gs."
After this screaming WI oc'
CURED If anything, In con ction
with the dogs?"
Dogs Bark