The Trial of Lizzie Borden by Cara Robertson

Author:Cara Robertson [Robertson, Cara]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781501168376
Google: ereHDwAAQBAJ
Amazon: B07GNTCD8G
Goodreads: 40538605
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Published: 2019-03-12T00:00:00+00:00

THURSDAY, JUNE 15, 1893

* * *

Because of the poison cliffhanger, Thursday promised thrills for the aspiring spectator. The New Bedford Evening Standard reported: “At no time since the trial opened has there been any such rush for seats as there was this morning. At the stockade the officers in charge found it almost impossible to restrain the surging crowd, and several women who had taken up their positions near the entrance . . . were crushed until they screamed with pain.” For those fortunate enough to gain admittance, the extreme heat added to the tension in the room. Joe Howard declared: “The atmosphere is supercharged with humidity, and there is not a comfortable individual in town.” The judges had decided to allow the prosecution to present the evidence, but they insisted on hearing testimony about the uses of prussic acid out of the hearing of the jury. The jurors—“each armed with a palm leaf fan, and as full of iced water as human corporosities can be”—waited in another room as the prosecution called its witnesses.

The first witness, Charles Lawton, in partnership with his brother, owned two of the largest drugstores in New Bedford, with the “heaviest retail business in the city.” He had over thirty years’ experience in the trade, so he seemed well placed to know whether prussic acid might be obtained over the counter. Lawton said he kept the drug in stock. But when Knowlton asked him if prussic acid was ever sold in other than a diluted solution, Robinson objected. Knowlton tried another tack, inquiring if Lawton had ever sold prussic acid “other than as a medicine.” Robinson objected. “In your experience as a druggist,” Knowlton tried again, “Is that drug an article of commerce for any purpose other than as a medicine . . . or upon a prescription of a physician?” Robinson again objected. Knowlton rephrased the question: “Is the drug called prussic acid sold commercially for any other purpose than upon a prescription of a physician?” Robinson rose again to object. Knowlton added, “For medicinal purposes . . . ?” Robinson: “The same objection.”

And so it went until Knowlton finally asked, “Do you know of any use to which prussic acid is put other than the purposes of a medicine?” Lawton replied, “Not that I know of.” This was a tepid conclusion after all Knowlton’s efforts.

Unable to show that druggists did not sell prussic acid except by doctor’s prescription, Knowlton called two witnesses with practical and scientific expertise. The first, Henry Tillson, a New Bedford furrier, was prepared to swear that prussic acid was not used to clean furs. When queried on that point by Chief Judge Mason, Knowlton admitted that Tillson was not a scientist but had long practical experience. Knowlton asked: Based on his own experience, did he have “any knowledge of the effects of prussic acid on furs?”

Tillson replied: “Not at all.”

Knowlton attempted to follow up and ask whether he had ever heard of anyone using prussic acid on furs. But Robinson quickly objected and Chief Justice Mason disallowed the query.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.