Western Reserve Chronicle and Weekly Transcript of the Times, 1855-04-04

say decidedly tnat they were caused by strychnine, though they certainly look something like it; It might, possibly:, be that they were caused by some disease; he had been sick so long, that it would be nothing strange if new symtoms came up in his case. ( Crott Examination.) I have known Mr. Leet about SO years, and have attended him some daring- that period ; I have lived in his- neighborhood several years, 15 perhaps; when 1 first knew bin, be was a dyspeptic, with ten dency to despondency ol mind ; J would not like to say his symptoms were caused by strychnine, but it is difficult to ac account - count account for them in any other way ; I should suspect strychnine ; the symptoms might be accounted for, except the sensitiveness to the touch; I never saw a case of Te Tetanus; - tanus; Tetanus; I know but little of strychnine ; It is a medicine I am afraid of; It is con considered - sidered considered a kind of last resort in extreme cases ; lo cases of death from convulsion, spasms of the respiratory muscles prevent breathing, and so stop the circulation by preventing the blood from flowing into the heart . . '. , Prof ettor John L. CatteU.l reside in Cleveland, and am Professor of Ma. teria Medics and Botany in the Cleveland Medical College. Doctor Moore brought me a bottle and a human stomach on the 1 1th of December; I examined the bottle first ; It was about full of a muddy l q q-uid, - uid, q-uid, and by holding it to light there ap appeared - peared appeared a white sediment ; I shook por portion - tion portion of it, and guided by the symptoms described by Dr. Moore,' I tested it for strychnine ; I did this, because otherwise I might go on for a week without a satis satisfactory - factory satisfactory conclusion ; I added acid to make it more soluble; strychnine is not very soluble in water alone ; I first tried it by Nitric acid, which gives a bright red col color - or color ; this is, strictly speaking, the test for Brucine ; Our Strychnine of commerce is made up of both ; their properties 1 are nearly the same ; I afterward tested it for strychnine proper ; I took about one hun hundred - dred hundred parts of sulphuric acid to one ef nitric acid ; On using this test upon: - the liquid, no change of color is given, but by adding the peroxide of lead, it gives first blue, then violet, and afterwards settles down into a beautiful green ; this m a test to which no other know snbstsnce an answers - swers answers ; I then took the stomach ; this ex examination - amination examination was so late, being 4 days af after - ter after the death, that I could not depend much upon the appearance of the organ itself ; I took its contents, washed them out, evaporated by' distillation, filtered the liquid thus obtained several times, and then tried the same teste as with the li liquid - quid liquid in the bottle, with the same results ; I had no doubt that strychnine was found in both bottle and stomach, and gave a certificate to that effect- I tried, for the sake of certainty, the same experi experiments - ments experiments with strychnine which I knew to be pure, and found precisely the same re results. - sults. results. Strychnine is generally of a dark grayish white. The grayish tinge is owing to the presence of coloring mat matter. - ter. matter. It is usually about the color of buckwheat meal. From my examination I could not tell the quantity of strychnine; the fact of finding strychnine in the stom stomach, - ach, stomach, together with the symptoms told by Dr. Moore, I considered very strong evi evidence - dence evidence of the death of the patient by strych strychnine - nine strychnine ; If she had not died trom its effects, the probability is that none would be found in the stomach ; If a person should take strychnine for some time as a med medicine, - icine, medicine, and then should die from some other cause, it would be very unlikety that any should, be found in the stomach, for it is taken in such minute doses that it would be absorbed into the system ; I have never seen a person under the poisoous effects of strychnine ; those who take it as modi, cine have not uniform symptoms ; diflerent individuals are differently affected. The first evidences generally are a peculiar sensation in the lower limbs, which the patient describes as pricking, as if small animals were crawling under the skis. Next comes a peculiar spasmodic actioo, like a crick in the neck ; Physicians would stop here ; but if the doses were further increased, so as to become poia. inous, I should expect these symptoms' to go on till rigidity of the whole system should ensue ; the brain would be affected, the face and neck becomes swolen and livid, and the pupils of the eyes dilated. The intellect is not generally affected till the spasms, after frequeot returns, bring on an asphyxiated slate in which the patient dies. From what I have heardof the eymp. toms here, and from the presence of strychnine in the stomach, I should think the yonng woman died from strychnine ; there is a differenca between what has been described as shocks in the muscles and a tetanio rigidity ; the redness of the tongue proceeds from irritation of' thai stomach, and may proceed from innno- merable causes ; the tetanic action seldom arises from any cause except an injury of some tendon or of the muscular system. If you suppose a case of rigidity of the mu-cles frothing at the mouth, such x-

to be particular about his medicine, and to take charge of it At a subse subsequent - quent subsequent period I changed directions, and told Elsie to take charge of it. I remov removed - ed removed him to my house; he stayed there two days and nights; his home was south of tho center; after leaving my hou-e, he went north to his brother's, and I visited him there; he was away from home about two weeks, and continued to improve front the time of moving him, and soon began to attend to Lis business; I have not known of his having spasms since; he has ap applied - plied applied for medicine occasionally, and has seemed to want something to guard a a-gainst - gainst a-gainst the return of such spasms; he had the first of the spasms that I know of, about the 3d of August; the last was not fur from the 20th of August; I removed him to my house about the 27th of Au August; - gust; August; I think Bollin generally came for me ' when his father had these spells -The family consisted of the old gentle . man, Elsie, Rollin, and a little girl about 7 years old; I should think Mr. Leet had the severe epasms I have mentioned, about once a week; I think I twice noti noticed - ced noticed a slight frothing at the mouth; ho seemed very anxious to get well. ( Crost examination.) I was called shortly after the 29th of July; he was at my office on the 28th of July; my brother saw him then; the first time rnything was said ol the suspicious circumstances of his sickness, was some where in the neighborhood of the 10th of August; 1 think it was at the second spa-m I was called to see, that I was con consulted - sulted consulted by my brother with regard to it. The consultation with Dr. Beebe was previous to this. I was not at home at that consultation; I. think I had never visited Mr. Leet as a physician previous to this. I have been in Vienna as a phy physician - sician physician two years last October; I had prac practised - tised practised some in his family; I had prescri prescribed - bed prescribed for his wife; they had some pref-T-ence for my brother as a physician; I pre prescribed - scribed prescribed for Elsie perhapshalf adozen times before her fathers sickness; I gave her once something for tooth-ache, and onco for acidity of the stomach. After her father was moved up north, she was ta ken sick with fever; something like chol chol-eia - eia chol-eia morbus, followed by fever; the fever seemed to result from the irritation fol following - lowing following cholera morbus; Bollin was sick in a similar way. I visited Elsie every day for three or four days; she was quite sick; I gave her brandy and loaf sugar freely at firt, and afterwards put her on an a nti-phlogistic treatment. I do not leioember all the medicines I gave her. The symptons which are peculiar to Strychnine, and that alone, it would l3 very dtfficult to state. I know of no di sease, except poist.ning from strychine, which will produced the same symptons just as they were exhibited there. In the ease of the old gentleman, the spasms would come on by the opening of (he door, or the least touch upon the skin. These spasms universally subsided to a greater or less extent in about two hours; that is, the worst was over by that time. At first, there was not that changs in the pulse we should expectin inflammation of of the brain. We examined the brain and spine, but could find no difficulty there. Previous to the attack, he would seem to be getting better, but when they cams on we would find him with a very red tongue. The spasms in Tetanus are similar to those resulting from strych strychnine - nine strychnine ; the redness of the tongue is pres present - ent present in both, and it is noticeable in all cases of great inflammation of the stomach. In Tetanus, the symptoms are continuous ; in strychnine they are intermitting. This last was the case with Mr. Leet. We find spasms in cases of Hysteria similai in some respects to those from strych strychnine. - nine. strychnine. If, when I called to see Miss El El-si.', - si.', El-si.', I had known that she had stepped on a rusty nail, which might have pro produced - duced produced Tetanus, I should have called i! Tetanus. But the development of such symptoms in the absence of any known cause, I naturally attributed to strychnine. Under all the circumstances as they really were, I should not attrib attribute - ute attribute the symptoms to Tetanus. In the actions of strychnine there ia a sort of electric shock, and very short spasms seem to pass through the muscles. I have never seen any cases of strych strychnine - nine strychnine poisoning in the human system un unless - less unless these be such. I have used strvch strvch-nine - nine strvch-nine in my practice but very little. I give it in djses from one sixteenth to one twelth of a grain. It acts as a ton e. I hive never seen any marked effects. It is used by physici ins; I cannot say how much. My knowledge of its effects is mostly from books. I h ive read Wat Watson, - son, Watson, Wood, Hill, and Taylor. Wood and Watson are among the most prom prominent - inent prominent authorises. I had read all of these except Taylor before the post mortem examination. In general Hysteria, puer puer-pal - pal puer-pal convulsions, wounds and injuries of the spine, would all produce spasmodic action. In cases of children, where the e areforeigu substances ii th.Qsto n-

charged with strychnine; the stomach was cut open, its contents boiled down and filtered, then distilled water was ap applied, - plied, applied, and the same tests applied; the results were the same as with the con contents - tents contents of the b ittle and of the strychnine from the vial; the bottle and stomach were left with Prof. Cassels; there was . strychnine detected both in the bottle and stomach; we believed there was sufficient Strvchninetoaccountforher death found in her ttomach; after the death of Elsie, with Mr. Squires, 1 went toinvite the Doc- tors for the examination, and he to tell Bol lin that his sister was dead; Shannon resided at the center of Vienna before his removal to Hartford : it was a little short of ten miles. I went first to Dr. Bebee's and secur secured - ed secured his attendance, and then came down to where Mr. Squires was, at Mr. Shan Shannon's; - non's; Shannon's; passed into the room; saw Bollin and shook hands with him; sat down a few moments; I made a remark as I was going out; I said, "Bollin, we have rath er hard news for you;" he appeared to feel bad when I shook hands with him; we got into the sleigh; myself and Mr. Squires sat in the back, Bollin just be before - fore before us. We rode some distunce before there was nnything said as to Miss Leet's case; I then said to Bollin, "I suppose your uncle has told you the circumstan circumstances;" - ces;" circumstances;" he made no reply; I thought he did not hear me, as there was bells on the horse. I repeated the remark, and he said his uncle had related the facts. I then renarked that his sister had died very suddenly; that when she went home her father gave her some medicine. He made the expression, "you don't think the medicine poisoned her, do you?" I think that was the expression; it was something about poison; it might have been, " you don't think there was poison in the medicine?" We went to BrookfiVld, and went to ree Dr. Stewart, and then came home ; this was all the conversation I had with him at the time; nothing had been said about poison when Bollin made the re remark - mark remark I have given. I thnk he was told that she seemed to die in a fit; I said that she had spasms, I avoided answer answering - ing answering in relation to the cause of her death; I have no recollection of any conversa conversation - tion conversation since, except one after the trial be; fore the magistrate. After the trial was over, and while the bonds were being made, and his father was there, I told him I wanted to speak with him. I said lo him that I believed he was not alone in the matter, and that it was my advice to his father's and go to work. I said I thought some one had advised him, and referred to his age, fcc. I said he must not submit to ill and evil advisers. He replied that he had had no advice in the matter; said he, "if I have done it, I have done it alone," then there was a pause, and he spoke again, "I am alone in this matter." I think we stept out of the Justice's Office into another room to have this conversation. I was called two or three times be between - tween between the 29th of July and the 17th of August, to see Homer M. Leet; I was called with my brother; I found him sev sev-eral - eral sev-eral times in spasms, with a full flushed face, red tongue, and in such a condi condition - tion condition that if touched, or a fly lit on his face, or a door suddenly opened, he would go into a spasm. I saw him at in intervals - tervals intervals between the spasms, and he ap appeared - peared appeared to be doing well, but I did not have the charge of him. About the 17th of August, the case came into my hands; he had a spasm a few days before. We examined the spine, head, and nervous system, and tried to account for the ppasms; we then stated to each other and believed that he had been taking strych strychnine. - nine. strychnine. After the 17th, a few days, he appear appeared - ed appeared tobe improving and I thoughthe was get getting - ting getting better. The redness was disappearing from his tongue, his mouth getting moist, and his appetite returning. I told Miss Elsie L-et one day, that her father was getting better, and went along home, leiving his medicine as usual. Very soon a messenger came for me in great haste; I went, and found him in a spasm sucb as he had when I called with my brother before. I freely administered Chloroform and left Bom's fr him to use. I sat with him nearly the whole night, and du'ing that time he would frequently have these sp isms. The pupils of his eyes dilated, an 1 he was so c mscious of everything around him that any little thing threw him into a spasm. 'There,' said he, in one instance, when he had been in a spasm, "that fly di 1 that." 1 notice I that his tongue was very red, and soon became dry an 1 glossy. After a fe days this began to disappear, aid his tonme became mois. I became satisfied that all was not righ, and determined to move him. Elsie was taking care of him. I have already said I b. lieved he was taking Strychnine. At o ie time preio;is to the convuls'on ab;ut the 20th of August, I told Ro&n

!in health; I saw there vast state of I snpsms- T A&lif d hpr what Jiilpd liAr? ithfl ! made no reply; I tried to give her bran dy and Chloroform, but she cou d not swallow; I put about half an ounce of Chloroform upon a handkerchief, and she inhaled it and seemed a little easier. bu it helped her very little; her feet were a good deal mor- concave than usual; about this time I became satisfied what ailed her; she kept calling for Chlo Chloroform, - roform, Chloroform, and as I was afraid of getting out of it, I sent for more; she still called for it; she said "I shall be dead In a f w minutes," and still called for Chloro form. In a few minutes the same was repeat ed ; during this time she had spasms, which seemed to throw the whole system into a state of rigidity, and the pupils of the eyes dilated and were set, and yet she seemed conscious; when the Chloroform failed, she said some tiling about an emet emetic; - ic; emetic; perhaps she said she felt like vomit ing, or ought to vomit; I cannot tell her exact words; I saw one tooth gone, and endeavoreJ to make her swallow some something - thing something there; there seemed t3be adifficul y in her throat, that effectually prevented her from swallowing; these spasms seemed to grow harder, and continued at inter intervals; - vals; intervals; when the person returned with the medicine, I dispatched another messenger for my brother, who is practicing medi medicine - cine medicine with me; we used friction and warm applications, but without success; she bad anoih-rspasm, which drew her head back, brought hereyes o;en and left her body in a state of rigidity, and the nev er Irrath d aain; his wasubout 3 o'cl.ck; we after this, and as quick as it could be prep ired, put her into a warm bath, and tried to resiore her, without success. Any person touching her, or the wind blowing upon her, would produce spasms; she could not bear to be touched; I could not detect the condition of her tongue, except by ths edges, which were quite reJ; I saw tnat by luting one ot Her Ret, botn were lifted; Bhe might have laid across my hand extended, coulJ I have sup ported her in such a position, S3 rigid was her body; it was myudgement, (I expressd it then) that she had taken poi poison; - son; poison; and that that poison was strychnine; I said these were the symptoms, and I could account for her appearance on no other ground; it was that conviction that led to the other sty ps taken; we asked for the bottle of Mr. Leet, and he got us a bottle; myself and bi other stood by the 6tove; c took the bottle home; the bot tle purported to contain Hoofland's Ger German - man German Bitters; it was some medicine I had prescribed for Mr. Leet when he was re recovering; - covering; recovering; the bottle was about half full of medicine, perhaps not quite; I do not know how to get the matter before you exactly; I put the bottle in the hands of my brother at the time; I saw it again the next day; it was at my house; I put it in aiin trunk and locked it up; I put the trunk up in another chest and locked it up; I took it to Cleveland on Sabbath day, about 4 o'clock. Elsie's death occurred on Thuisday evening; on Saturday a post-mortem ex amination was held; Dr. Beach of Fow Fowler, - ler, Fowler, Dr. Bebee of Hartford, Dr. Stewart ofBrookfield, my brother and myself. were present, the examination was held about ll o'clock; we examined the heart, lungs, stomach and liver, and found the heart to contain about three ounces, in the two ventricles, of liquid blood; dark fluid blood; found the lungs engorged with quit dark bl ocd, so that on cutting them, they proved to be full of it; found the stomach, which e dii not opiu; we ted two string-( firmly around each end, so as to prevent anything f om escaping or going into it, and put it into a trunk with the bottle; I discovered no in lication of disease, except what I have mentioned; everything appeared to be i:i good health except the app arances Ihaveinentioned; I believe s rychnine was the cause of her dea h; Nux Vomica, or some preparation of it; I could no: account fcr the appear appearance - ance appearance of things cm any other ground; the examination was made at mine and my brother's instance; I tok the stomach and locked it up with the bottle of bit bitters - ters bitters on Saturday; on Sabbith day, after the funeral, I took the stomach and bot bottle - tle bottle of bitters, in company with Mr. Squires, lo Cleveland; I saw that no one touched it but myself, and put it into the hands of Prof. St. John, in Cleveland, but as he could n it attend to it, I then put it into the han Is of Prof. Cassels ; we took out the stomach, and saw the effects of w hat was tried with i'; the ef effects - fects effects producid by the application of tests of strychnine were tho same as those which appeared when they were applied to the contents of that bottle; a smll quanti y was in a tumbler, and by apply ing the tests, acids, a bright scarlet color was produced; the same results were found in the case of s rychnin; taken from a vial, as well as the substance iake from the stoma jh; it seemed that Jhe matter, in th bottle was highlj

(slight shocks as it were, which were quickly gone; his feet were put into hot water and he went to bed feeling better. The following day the same symptoms occured in a more marked de degree. - gree. degree. They continued for a short time and then subsided and he was comfort comfortable. - able. comfortable. I felt at a loss to know what could cause his complaint From four days to a week from the first call he had another much more violent attack. At this last I thought the symptons were those referred to strychnine in medical books. One thin? that cade me think so was that after an attack he would ap apparently - parently apparently convalesce for a few days, and then suddenly the spasms would return. After the spasms the tongue was red, and showed symptoms of gastric irritation. During the days of apparent convales convalescence - cence convalescence the tongue would lose its redness, and his appetite would return, and then would come another spasm. I noticed in particular that the red tongue never preceded the spasm, but always at the time or immediately after; they came on generally in the day time. I do not remember any at night I think the worst one was in the afternoon ; usu usually - ally usually Bollin would come after me, but not always. I did little or no other business but attend to Mr. Leet for sometime; I spent most of my time; I sometimes stayed there several days without going home. I gave no directions to Bollin about ad administering - ministering administering medicine. I should think he was removed to my brother's house about the last of August I did not hear of his having any spasm after he left home. These spasms continued from an honr, for the lightest, to eight hours in the case of the most severe one, which I thought would be fatal During that one I administered chloraform, and ap applied - plied applied eold water to his head, in which, he seemed to have pain. He complain ed first of his extremities. There was a tendency to involuntary muscular con contraction - traction contraction in these. In the bad spasms the contractions extended to the whole mus muscular - cular muscular system. He sometimes was in ex extreme - treme extreme pain in the stomach, which I at attributed - tributed attributed to spasm of the diaphragm and muscles of the chest ; attempts to move him would throw him into convulsions ; a hand applied to his face would do so. His extremities would sometime fly up from the bed as if the poles of a battery had been applied to his feet A fly light lighting - ing lighting on his face, or a spoon touching his lips or teeth, would do it It was during the most severe paroxysm there was so much determination of blood to the head. After the spasms, the tongue would assume a fiery red appearance, with symptoms of gastric irritation, which extended to the bowels. The lon longer - ger longer the interval afterward, the better would be the appearance of the tongue, till after a day or two, it would resume its natural appearance. I cannot say bow much Bollin was there ; probably half the time ; not so much at night aa during the day. He was quite attentive when there. I could not say where Bollin was when away. Once his horse broke away at the center ; I caught it. and took it near to Mr. Shannon's, and sent it to Mr. Shannon's house where I was informed he was. I have attended Mr. Leet's family some, and doctored Mrs. Leet in her last sickness. When I stayed night and day at Mr. Leet's, he did not have a spasm; they invariably came on when I was ab absent - sent absent Some of the time I remember be being - ing being away not more than an hour or two and leaving him apparently doing well, and then would then be called back be because - cause because he was in a spam. (Crott Examination.) On the 29th July the symptoms were not the same as on the day before when ho was at my house. I did not suspect anything then, but it is now my opinion that he was la laboring - boring laboring under the same symptoms, al although - though although under a milder f jrm. Sometimes he had the spasms every day, and some sometimes - times sometimes there would be an interval of three or four days. I cannot state how many he had. During them, it was difficult to put anything in his mouth, on account of the touch of the spoon bringing on the spasms. Mr. Leet had consulted me before these attacks, as to his health, but I had given him lit little - tle little if any medicine. When he first con consulted - sulted consulted me, I suppose he labored under indigestion, lack of tone in the stomash, and torpiJ liver. It was probably with within - in within a week from the time I first saw him in spasms, that I suspected strychnine. Dr. H. Beach. reside in Fowler; have been practicing medicine for the last twenty five years ; I was at tho post mortem examination of ELsio Leet ; I can corroborate what has been stated as to her appearance. (Anatomical detcription tame at that already given ) From what 1 discovered, I should think her death was caused by puisoniig with strychnine. As to the cause of the sy mtoms of Ho Homer - mer Homer M. Le t, I wojII r.ot be willing to

sxhj we find spasms sometimes. I know of nothing but strychnine that will pro- duce such sensitiveness that a fly would throw a man into spasms. We get great sensitiveness in nervous fevers and brain affections, but not to such an extent. The taking of the stomach and medi medicine - cine medicine to Cleveland for analysis, was at the instance of the board of physicians who made the post mortem examination. 1 think Dr. Beach was the first to propose it. I became responsible for the fees of the analysis ; Mr. Belden has since paid them ; the Professer told me how the thing was usually done. At the post mortem examination we did not examine the brain or spine ; the examination teemed to be satisfactory to thosA who were present The intention was to see if anything was in the stomach ; we suspected that such was the case ; we wanted to know whether she came to her death by poison. I know nothing of the composition of Hoofland's Bitters; it claims to be a ton tonic - ic tonic alterative; I believe it is claimed that there is no alcohol in it If the solvent were all water, I cannot say how much strychnine it would hold in solution ; I think it requires 6667 ptrts of water to hold one of strychnine. Strychnine is a preparation from Nux Vomica or Dog Button. The least dose of strychnine I ever heard of causing death was one half a grain, and still patients have been known to take a grain without producing death. In ordinary cases, death occurs in half an hour to two and a half hours. I think there has been cases in which death has occurred in fifteen minutes. The Hoofland Bitters are of a dark brown color, muddy when shukeu np; I observ observed - ed observed a sediment in the bottle I brought trom Mr. Leet's. By holdiug it up to the liht, I could see a dark sediment with considerable white powder in it. If the solvent of the medicine were water, and strychnine were put into it, and a half ounce taken as soon as the strychnine settled, it might not kill, but if it stood long, or were shaken np, I should great greatly - ly greatly hate to take much of it After Mr. Leet's spasm, I administer ed mild remedies, such as mucilages of Slippery Elm, Sassafras, and Flax seed. During the violent attacks, I used more Chloroform than in all my other practice. I told Elsie what I used the Chloroform for in her father's case. (Direct resumed.) In cases of Tetanus, at first sight the symptoms are very similar to those from Strychnine, but on further inquiring into the case we should expect to find the cause, and in the outcome some consi considerable - derable considerable degree of certainty might be reached. In Tetanus it may be weeks and it may be only a few days or hours before death ensues. Dr. Amzi Moore. I reside in Vienna; Have practiced medicine . about eight years ; I was quite well acquainted with Elsie Leet On the night of her death, I was called to see her, about ten or eleven o'clock. I had retired for the night; it was on the 7th of December. She had been dead some two hours when I arrived. Her face was livid and ap appeared - peared appeared swollen; so was her neck, and her whole muscular system appeared in a state of spasm, her limbs rigid and the pupils of her eye dilated; a little bloody froth issued from her mouth. I took a bottle from Mr. Leet containing medicine; I gave a small quantity of it to a cat on the following morning, and it died with with-a - a with-a minute; it fell upon the floor in less than a minute, and soon stopped breath breathing. - ing. breathing. The cat got about half a teaspoon teaspoon-ful - ful teaspoon-ful of the medicine. I was at the post-mortem examina examination. - tion. examination. We found the lungs engorged with blood and congested. The caidi caidi-ac - ac caidi-ac orifice of the stomach was injected. We place ligatures at the extremities, and after carefully tying them, removed the stomach. I give the bottle to my brother. He had the stomach in his possession. From the appearance of the body after death, I should be of the opinion that site died from poison, and that that poison was strychine. I did not sen her while living, but I know of nothing else which would produce such an appearance after death, unless it were idiopathic tetanus, but I see no reason to believe she was affected by that She died too so in for Tetanus, according to our authorities, for that is rarely fatal in less than three or four days, and fre frequently - quently frequently it is a we-. k or longer. I atten attended - ded attended upon Homer M. Leet from the 29th of July to the 18th or 19th of August He came to my h ms; on the 28th day of July, the day be fore I first visited him ; I had some previous knowledge of his health, and supposed it was an old attack of indigestion, bnt thought, and now think, he h id some strange symp symptoms - toms symptoms to be attributed to ind gestion. He referred to some strange symptoms in his limbs. This was whil ) he was at my house. . The next morning he sent for me. His symptoms commcced with

-Smith Scovill, (tworn) I used to be acquainted with Elsie A. Leet; I saw her last in health the day before she died, before sun down; I saw her at the center of Vienna; she was at my store; she was buying seme few good?i she appeared to he as well as I ever saw her; it was about half past four o'clock in the afternoon of the 7th day of December last ( J o crott examination.) ; - Henry Leet. I am acquainted with the defendant; I was north of the center one day when bis father was there, when he was .getting better afier he had been rick; I said to him, (the defendant,) his father would like to see him before he went away; He would not go in; he said he diJ not wish his father any harm, but be did not wish to see his face ; I cannot recollect the time it was when his father was up north after he had been sick, and was getting better; he ssid he was going to Cleveland; he did not know what he would go at, and said he meant to go in into - to into business in Cleveland. I do not know whether he went; he went away, and told ne after he came back thai he had been there ; he did not go in to see his father; he was gone to Cleveland two or three days and did not succeed in getting business; we were in the road in fr nt ol the house where I lire at; Mr. Leet was north about half a mile from home ; he did not seem to want to see his father; I had no business there, but went up with him thinking he would go in may be and see his father; he was saying he was thinking of going away; I 6aid he had better go up and see his father, but he did not seem to want to go in; I got him into the buggy and drove up there, but he would not go in, and s.iJ he did not wish him any harm, but he would not go in; he had hold of the lines; we came back again; I told him one time that I thought if he would stay at home, his father would do well by him; he did not seem to think he was well used; I told him at the time his father was sick, if he would stay at home, and not be going evenings so much, folks would think bet better - ter better ot him; he said he was not gone so much as folks thought he was; I told him if he would stay at home and go to work, his father would do well by him ; he said he had tried ii, and his father had promised lii-.n what he would do, but he said, it makes no difference after all for his latiier would not do what was right; I know I have seen him some at Shannon's I never saw him tliere very frequently, fjr I have never been where I have had a chance to; I have seen him there occasionally; that is the most I know about it, except that I have seen some intimacy between him and Shan Shannon; - non; Shannon; I once overtook Shannon in the road, when Bollin was with me, and he got in and talked with Bollin andmr; he rode down with me, and stayed there a while, and had some talk with Bol in. So trot examination. "' Dr. Milton Moore. I reside at Vienna Center; I practice medicine; I have prac practiced - ticed practiced about four years; I was called up upon - on upon on the 7lh day of December last, to visit Elsie Ltet, at Vienna; I saw her about 5 o'clock previous to being called to 6ee her; I had been at Smi h Scovill's store, and met her on the stoie step; I had been acquainted1 with her about two years; I had tome conversation at the stare; her little sitter was with h r; 1 said, how do you do, Elsie? She smiled and said, I am well, quite well, or I should not be here; I should think I nev er km w her health b tt- r; I think I was called 10 visit her about half past six o'clock; I went home from the s:ore, and was doing soo:e chores; Isjac Woodford ca led me, and said Elie was in a fit, or was dying; my horse was lame, and Mr. Woodford loaned me his horse, and I went down as soon as I could; on the way I met another messenger; as I enter entered - ed entered the ddor I saw a number of individu al there; 1 heard her voice, the first of any, before I saw her; she said; "Doc "Doctor - tor "Doctor Chloroform;" these words Bhe re peated several times; I would like to get the form of the room before the minds of the jury; I came in at the south door; the stove was on the e&4 si )e; she lay with her feet toard me as I entered; 1 found her lying on her back, with her feet toward the stove, and seemed to be incompetent to move; a little froth at the mouth; her neek and throat seemed lobe swollen, ,and her wtojj chest a a state of rigidity; as soon as I could get off my overcoat,'1 1 felt ber pulse and found X a 1 ttle accelerated and not quite o full