Cincinnati Daily Press

Conclusion of the Greble Poisoning Case.
On Saturday afternoon, in the Police Court, the trial of Joseph Greble, for poisoning his wife, was concluded. On the part of the prosecution Mrs. Broom, sister of Mrs. Greble, was first examined. She testified that she tasted the glass of water mentioned by the preceding witness, Dr. Richardson, that it was very bitter, and when the patient complained of being unable to drink it, Greble at once offered to get another, which was as bad, if not worse than the other. In reference to the bottle of medicine which was found to contain arsenic, witness testified that when she received it from the hand of the accused, who brought it from the druggist, he had a piece of newspaper in his hand with which he was wiping the bottle, saying that some of the medicine had spilled.

John H. Gerhard sworn-Keep a drug store-sold the bottle of medicine; it contained no poisonous properties. Witness corroborated the testimony of Dr. Richardson. Cross-examined: Had given to Mr. Broom a bottle of salve for the patient, containing beeswax, extract of belladonna, and oil. Belladonna was a rank poison, soluble in water. The salve by external application would not poison, taken internally might. Witness was careful and obeyed the law regulating the sale of poisons; had not sold any arsenic for a year; did not sell it to the accused.

Sarah Martin, mother of Mrs Greble, sworn-Corroborated the testimony of preceding witnesses as to the ice water, the bottle of medicine, finding the paper of arsenic, &c.; testified also to finding two small sticks of nitrate of silver in the watch pocket of Mr. Greble's vest which he wore on Sundays. It was on Sunday the ice water was prepared which was found to contain nitrate of silver. No one was in the house besides herself, Mrs. Broom and the accused who could have given poison.

Dr. Richardson recalled-Testified that the effects of belladonna, as a poison, were directly opposite to those of arsenic and directly opposite to the symptoms manifested by the patient. Dr. Gordon and brother, and Dr. Foote, corroborated previous testimony to receiving and analyzing the water and medicine; tests perfectly satisfactory and developed the poison with certainty.

In defense, Thos. Gilpin, the employer of the accused. J. F. Wellington, foreman in the mill, John Spencer, Benjamin Laipe, Thos. Morgan, Rev. Samuel Mease, his pastor, J. P. Foggy and John Fogleman, were called, who testified to an intimate acquaintance with Greble for periods varying from two to twelve years; that he had always borne a good character for honesty, sobriety, integrity, &c.; that he had always appeared to have an affectionate fondness for his wife and child, never abusing them, but always kind and indulgent, and that he had been a frequent attendant at church.

After arguments of Mr. Powers, the Prosecuting Attorney, and A. J. Pruden, Esq., counsel for the defense, Judge Saffin summed up the evidence and held the accused for trial in the Court of Common Pleas under bail of $1,000.

Seldom or never before in the annals of crime has such an act been perpetrated by any human being, without the appearance of even the slightest semblance of a motive for the deed.