The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-10-13
POISON TRIAL
DEFENSE HARD
HIT BY EXPERT.
Capsules in Sandwiches for
Hours Before Picnic,
Dr.. Harger Says.
BLOW AT MRS. SIMMONS
ToxiCologiSt Tells of His
Extensive Tests With
Murder Evidence.
BY STAFF CORRESPONDENT


LEBANON, Ind, Oct. ia
strychnine capsule imbedded in a
chicken sandwich taken to the fatal
Simmons-Pollard picnic had been
there between four and eight hours.
DR.. r. N. Harger, expert on poisons,
testified today in the murder trial
of Mrs. Carrie w. Simmons.
His testimony as a state witness
gave first definite support to the
prosecutions allegation that Mrs.
Simmons inserted the capsules in
the sandwiches before she lett her
home near Greenfield.
According to states attorneys,
Harger's testimony revealed that
the dissolution process of the gela-
tin capsuls took place in the heat
of the day while the food packages
were in automobiles en- route from
Hancock county to the Pollard
home and the picnic grounds.
Druggist Faces Quiz
With the state preparing to close
its case against Mrs. Simmons to-
day, the defense will cross examine
Charles w. Friedman, Indianapolis
druggist, again this afternoon.
Spectators were tense as the
druggist, who has testified Mrs.
Simmons bought sixty grains of
strychnine from him three days be-
fore the tragic picnic, took the
stand.
Just what line OF questioning the
defense will follow was kept under
cover, but the courtroom responded
to the mystery air and awaited
Friedman's words.
Friedman was brought forward by
The Times after he had identified
Mrs. Simmons in the county jail
He says she paid 25 cents for the
strychnine which the state charges
she used to murder her daughters,
Alice Jean and Virginia, at the pic
mic June 81.
Husband Is Absent
For the first time since The Grlal
started, John w. Simmons and his
son Dale were not in the courtroom.
Although defense attorneys refused
to reveal their whereabouts, it was
reported they were gathering addi-
tional evidence in behalf of the wife
and mother.
Verbal clashes of attorneys
marked the testimony of Harger,
who is toxicologist at the Indiana
university school of medicine He
occupied the witness chair through
out the entire morning and told of
his examination of the picnic cap
sule, of the organs of the dead
children, and of capsules with which
ne experimental.
1.-THE capsule that was in the
sandH+eh had been there four to
eight hours" Harger told the jury.
Tells of Experiments
Previously he had outlined his
experiments, telling of various stages
of dissolution reached by the gelatin
capsules in sandwiches similar to
the ones laid on the picnic tables
and prepared by him.
He said the degree OF dissolution
of the picnic capsule revealed the
length of it's period in the sand
wich. He said the single layer of
the capsule was mostly dissolved"
Defense attorneys switched to the
amount Harger would be paid for
his testimony and he said he has
received $125 for his report on the
case and probably would get 500 a
day for his testimony.
do you know how much Charles
Tindall. defense lawyer is receiv-
ing?" Roy Adney, special prosecutor,
asked Harger.
mo- Harger replied.
That's all" Adney said.
Attorneys Swap Repartee
During a hull in questioning by
the state, Tindall turned to Adney
and said:
May I ask the witness question
while you're thinking up one?"
IF you do any thinking, it will
surprise me-" Adney retorted.
Mrs. Simmons today had regained
some of the compoSure she lost
Monday when Friedman accused
her of buying poison at his store
at 1902 South Meridian street. She
stared ahead, then talked with her