Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Mass.) 1828-1830, 1828-09-30

INC man was regarded with considerable
degree OF suspicion. At the burial of the
wife her relations attended. To those the
husband had always cherished a great
hostility; but on this occasion he was
particularly urgent that they would return
with him after the funeral, to partake of
meal at his table. They were ill-disposed
70 DO this, both on account of their recol-
lection of the treatment of his WIFI b;s
uniform hostility to them, and the yery
suspicious manner of the wife's death.
lie continued to urge them to return to
MS house and partake of the entertain
ment with so much earnestness, that after
resisting for long while, they fonnd that
they could refuse no longer. gg.he meal
was placed before them, at which dish
of baked beans was abundansIv served
and OF which they were urged to partake
Literally. Much time had not elapsed be-
tore every individual of the party was
taken sick, and some were so violently
affected that their lives were despaired Of.
These very suspicious circumstances de-
termned the neighbours to. have the man
arrested, and this was accordingly done.
Inc house was searched, and a quantity
OF arsenick found, of which it was after
wards ascertained, that he had bought
considerable quantity of an apothecary. a
short time before the death of his wife.
Another corroborating circumstance was.
that the accused had ON the day on which
his wife died, carried to her, while at work
in the field, a glass of liquor, an act of
courtesy, which, such were the terms on
which they lived, twas quite out of Gus
tom to proffer. The man was placed in
custody, and preparations were made for
his trial. The physician who attended
the deceased was satisfied that the death
was from poison, and would give his evil
dence to that effect. Publick opinion was
highly excited on the subject, and the
conviction Of the individual was confident
ly anticipated at the approaching session
of the court.
Things being thus circumstanced, the
physician, whose evidence as we have re-
lated, was decided on the point of the
death being occasioned by poison, happen
ed to be on visit to the town of B.
The circumstance being generally known,
DIR. M, who was personal friend to this
physician sought an interview with him,
and inquired Of him il he had examined
the body internally after death, and on
being answered in the negative, he placed
before him in a strong manner the stu
ton in which he would find himself when
called on before court and jury for evil
dence Of his assertion that the death was
by poison. 1t was soon decided that a
disinterment and examination of the body
should Immediately be made, and DR.. NJ.
with another medical friend accompanied
the first named physician to the place of
the presumed murder. The people ofthe
vicinity expressed great satisfaction at
knowing ofthis intention, and were eager
to assist in the disinterment, and assured
that it would only add confirmation to
their belief in the guilt of the accused.
The body was quickly removed from the
earth.
A question then arose where the exami-
nation should take place; for as it had
been buried three weeks no one was will
ling that it should be brought into his
house neighbouring barn was first pro-
posed, but to this the physicians objected
on account of the want of sufficient light.
The Westinghouse was then named, and
thither the body was carried. 1t was
placed on the table in the centre aisle, and
the examination commenced in the pre-
sence of the assembled and eager multi
tude, who filled the pews and the gale
ries.
DIR. M. prepared to open the abdomen,
and the gentleman who accompanied him
undertook, in the mean time, the examl-
nation of the head. To the former of
course the attention of all was directed.
The opening Of the head, however, adj
vanced more rapidly than that OF the abb
domen, and the opening of the Uranium
discovered to the surprise of the operators
and the spectators, a suffusion of blood in
the organ. and all the unequivocal marks
of apoplexy, while the stomach and the
other digestive organs were found not to
exhibit the slightest indications of the
presence of any poisonous substance
The surprise-and probability IN their
excited state of mind against the suppos-
ed criminal-the disappointment OF the
spectators was extreme. The result OF
the examination was however irresistible
in proof that the death was oceasloned by
apoplexy. and not by poison, and the
ra.n,s lie was sayed-for it is scarce to
he doubted that jury would have convict
ed him upon the evidence of the circum-
e,ances which we have enumerated.
It will be asked, how is the clrcum-
stance of the sickness OF the "lle fe,a-
80 - ,uas evidently caused by the