Year: 1869

sons Why the Law Should Take It's Course.


The New YORK World publishes the following com
muncauon concerning the case OF Dr. Paul
Schoeppe, now awaiting execution at Carlsle:-


PHILADELPHIA, Nov. n. - Slr:-Your editorial
article to-day upon the subject OF the conviction for
murder and sentence OF DR.. Paul Schoeppe, OF Car
Isle, is so papaby unjust to Governor Geary that
am persuaded you have not seen the report of the
Acknowledgement, Hon. f. Carroll Brewster, to
whom this subject was referred by the Governor for
his official examination.


The friends OF the doomed man, who are among
our most respectable German citizens together with
two or three prominent German societies. have been
unwearying in their efforts to have the medical tes-
tmony reviewed, and contradcted, If possible
They have succeeded in doing what is never very
difficult to do-to nnd one set OF chemical expert
mentasts who will naty contradict the theories of
another set. But the Hon. Attorney General after
carefully considering the chemical testimony, finds
that the one side Offsets the other and advises the
Governor, the court did the jury in the charge to
the jury that the question the preponderance OF
testimony was question for the jury alone, that the
court could do more than recite to the Jury the
diverse opinions OF the various medical experts and
that the Court had further charged that if the Jury
found themselves embarrassed by the conflict OF SCI
entc testimony, they must then set aside entirely
this class OF testimony, and look at that which was
clear, unimpeachable, and unContradcted. The
Attorney General then recites the points which
seemed beyond dispute-that the accused had been
proven to have purchased prussic acid at two differ
ent places within fifteen days prior to the death Of
Miss Steinecke: that the unfortunate lady whose
death is laid at the door of DR. SchOeppe was anna
rently in sound health the day before the prisoner
is known TO have prescribed for her; that she had
walked to the bank and had drawn the money thence
on her check. On the next day. about tea-tme, she
was heard to say that "the doctor (Schoeppe) had
given her something to make her sleep"
The next day she was unable to leave her
bed, and within twenty-four hours after her tea
table declaration she was corpse! The day after
her death check was presented at the bank where
she kept her account, by the prisoner. which
palpable forgery that payment was refused; and,
lastly, after death, will was found reversing the
already wel-known disposition OF her effects in
favor OF the prisoner, Paul Schoeppe, which was
witnessed only by the father of the prisoner, and
was pronounced by those familiar with her sig
nature also forgery IheSe factS quoted
by the AttoTney-General for the guidance OF the
Governor and it is impossible to believe that the
FXecutiye was infiuenced by ANYTHING else. AS a
political opponent OF Governor Geary, l have
found his record during his first term, so
damaging to him by reason OF his numerous and
most unaCcountable pardOns Of notorious criminals,
that feel it incumbent all to do him, in this case
the justice to state, as have thus done, the naked
facts in the The true interests of society de-
mand that the Governor should be upheld in the
faithful discharge of his sworn duty, and anything
like partisanship, under the circumstances, should
be disCOnntenanced. JUSTITIA


N B.-I have neglected to state that 1t appeared
in evidence that when the remark OF Miss STEM
necke about his giving her a seepng-potion was
repeated to DR.. schoeppe, he coored and became
confused and presently remarked 81 did not give
her anything to put her to Sleep"


Prisoners Behalf


The following letters have been forwarded to
Governor Geary from New York.


NEW YORK, Nov. 8O.-Hs Excellency John W.
Geary, Governor of the State OF Pennsylvanh-My
Dear sir:nI commend to your most earnest Gonsi- %
and Horsford in relation to the testimony which
is said to have warranted the conviction of DIR.
Schoeppe for the crime OF murder


The gentlemen who sign this letter have no supe-
riors in their profession as chemists. They have
examined the evidence upon which the conviction
was based, simply from a scientific point of view,
and without any interest in the case other than such
as is creditabe to their humanity, and to their
gard for scientific truth. Our German friends in
this city all take deep interest in this matter, and
they desire that there should be conveyed to you
expression, from scientific persons in this city, OF
their judgment as to the weight to be given to the
testimony upon which conviction was based.


1 am, with great respect, your obedient servant


NEW YORK Nov 30.-IIs Excelency Governor j.
w. Geary Harrisburg, Pa 1.-The undersigned
chemists by profession have read in the papers that
your ExcellenCy has issued your warrant for the
execution of Dr. Schoeppe for the alleged crime of
murder by poison.


We have examined with care the chemical testi-
mony upon which such conviction was had. Crimi-
nal act is alleged to have been proved by the evil
dence OF a chemist, who testified to having dis
covered in the deceased indications Of prussic acid
The scientific witness slated with precision the eX-
periments upon his opinion based These
experiments were conducted in such way that they
would have gvenevde OF the presence OF prussic
acid in any ordinary healthy stomach.


The first step in the examination that Of treating the
stomach with sulphurc acid precluded the possibility
acid claimed to have been discovered existed in the
stomach as such or resulted from the action OF tie
sulphurc acid on the nervous fluids which must
have lined the interior OF that organ.


In view of these considerations, in the interest OF
scientific truth, and in the interest of wise admin
istratiOn of justice, we have thought II duty,
though personally unacquainted with DR.. Schoeppe,
to express to you this our opinion that the evidence
of the presence OF prussic acid such in the sto-
mach upon which he was adjudged guilty, is insult


f. N HoRsFoRD,
r. OGDEN DoREMus, NJ. D.,
Professor OF Chemistry and ToXicology, New York
Bellevue Hospital Medical college.