Evening star., 1926-05-02
VERDICT WITHHELD
IN DEATHOF Smith
Scientific Data Awaited by
Coroner's Jury in Case of
Navy Pharmacist.

After hearing. which lasted nearly
Two hours, coroner's jury yesterday
afternoon withheld Il verdict to await
further scientific information to the
cause of death of Chief Pharmacist
Kenneth NJ. Smith, L. s. ~, who
died Thursday after eating fried
oysters.
The result of examinations to be
made of the intestincs. under the SUI
pervision of DIR. John Harper. medical
officer of the United States Navy, and
pathologist at the Naval Hospital. are
10 be awaited. DIR. Harper told the
jury yesterday that it would take
about seven days to complete the eX
aminationS.
Smith died Thursday night. and two
OF his companions. Chief Carpenter
Ellis +. BerkStresSer and Chief Boat
swain James G. LegG, became violent
~ Ill just after eating fried oysters in
IIarVey'S restaurant. Three other
naval warrant officers, who also ate
at Ilarvey's, but did not partake Of
fried oysters, We're not affected.
Fails TO Uphold Theory.
In the meanwhile, investigation by
tho District Health Department into
Smiths death has failed thus far to
uphold the theory that ptomalne
poisoning from oysters was re
snonsiblo officials OF the department
said yesterday.
Or. Rowland II. Ford. assistant
health officer said that liquor from
oysters from the same container as
those eaten by the naval pharmacists
la been fe 10 guinea pigs by at
taches of the Health Department and
that they had shown no harmful eff
fectS from the food.
"Ordinarily, if ptomaine poisons
were present in the food given the
guinea pigs" declared DIR. Ford, they
would show symptoms at once and
would die probably within "a hours,
surely within As hours. Not only was
the behavior of the animals normal
after feeding with the oyster juice,
but there was not the slightest varia-
ton in their temperature.
The Health Department is still wait
ing for the Naval Hospital to turn
Smiths stomach over to it for a chem
zeal analysis of its contents. Health
officer William G. Fowler complained
Yesterday because the stomach of the
dead man was given to the Naval Hos
pital instead of to his department.
Health Department chemists are
continuing their examination of crack
er dust in which the oysters eaten by
Smith had been fried, but have been
unable so far to find any trace of
poison.
Testimony by Chef.
Testimony at the inquest by II. Rey
noldS, colored. chef at HarVey's. show
ed that the last Of a can of oysters
was used in filling the order for the
three men Thursday afternoon, and
that a new can was then opened to
complete the order. oysters out of
hn n hy-
car Hunter, pathologist at George
Washington University, who said he
had given them To some animals,
which suffered no i'll effects. There
were no oysters out OF the first can to
test, however. it was brought out.
Edgar W. Brown. colored, waiter at
HarveyS, who served the men, said
he ate one of the oysters after they
left the restaurant and failed to feel
any i'll effects. However it was not
determined whether the oyster eaten
by Brown was out of the first or sec
ond can.
A detailed account of the move
inents of the men, who arrived in
Washington Wednesday, and a de-
scription Of the food eaten by them
since their arrival was given by MI
Berkstresser. He told of his Illness,
and his story was SO complete that
ME-. LeS6 WAS SACuScu HUN testify
ing.
Dr. Harper told of a marked stiffen-
ing of Smiths muscles, and said that
he had found no evidence of alcoholic
content in the stomach or intestines.
He stated also, in answer to a ques-
ton of attorney for Harvey's, that
Mr.. Smith did not have d normal
heart for a man 3S years old
Doctors Visits.
DR.. Charles w. Hyde, who treated
AIR. Smith at the Raleigh Hotel, told
of the treatment and stated that Mr..
Smiths heart action was good at the
time he first examined him in the
afternoon. He also told of his second
and third visits to the hotel, and of
pronouncing Mr.. Smith dead when ne
arrived the last time.
Morris Simon and Stanley II. Fish
er, counsel for Harveys, asked the
doctors several questions regarding
the heart action of Mr.. Smith. DIR.
Hyde stated that he had administered
no medicine that he would not have
given had he known of the condition
of Mr.. Smiths heart as brought out
by Dr. Harper'S testimony.
Smiths body was taken last night
20 San Francisco, where his family re-
sides.