The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1847-06-25
THE MONOMANlAC.*
ny MRS. Z. T. ELLET.

A MORNING IN the year 1913 witnessed al
extraordinary excitement among the inhab
itanis of a small town in one of the western
counties of England. The large paror o.
"The Clown" the best inn in the place, could
not contain the multitudes crowdng the en-.
trance. A constable, with his official staff
was employed in making room for the coro.
ner and his jury, about to examine the body
OF a stranger, found dead that morning in a
house occupied by person resident but q
short time near the village.
Upon a rudely constructed table lay the
corpse, on which all eyes were fixed. In the
provinces remote from the capital, the Gus.
tom in those days was no. merely for the iu.
ry to examine the dead body and then ad
journ for consultation to another apartment
On the contrary, the whole business was
conducted with the corpse, lightly covered,
lying before them. On this occasion the
covering had been raised several times,
to CRAFTY the curiosity of lovers of the horri-
Bile. AT length the jury, after exchanging
solutions with their acquantances, took their
seats round table. They were chiefly ar.
,isans from the village, or farmers from the
neighborhood, with the exception Of two or
three more distinguished in society One of
the last was man of about seventy years
of age, who had formerly been engaged in
mercantile business at Liverpool; and now
found pleasure in active usefulness in his ma
tive place. He was foreman sfthe grand jury
at the assizes; twice he had filled the office of
overseer of the poor, besides being church
warden. Notwithstanding the inirmties of
age, he was unwilling 10 decline public
service.
The Jury were waiting the arrival of the
coroner. AT last murmur among the spec
tators announced that he had entered the
room, accompA MED by the landlord. Mr.
Green Chat was his nancy entered at once
upon his business; the oath was administer
ed. and the cloth removed from .he body
Ii was covered with dark blue spots, that
seemed To indicate death by cholera; there
were marks already ofthe commencement of
decay; but the flesh was firm and elastic un-
der pressure. The head and face were
frighlfully swollen, SO that they retained
scarce semblance of humanity. Mr.. Parr,
the old man above mentioned, had not before
seen the corpse. When informed, few
minutes previous, Of the general conclusion,
viz, that ,he deceased had died by strong
poison, he had related singular case of
poisoning which had come TO his knowledge |
some five and twenty years before. The
person who had employed the poison--dif- |
ferentin its effects from any yet known-was
supposed 10 have obtained it from sailor be-
longing to slave ship in Liverpool.
1t was somewhat remarkable that this old
man, who had several times before oi1iciated
as coroner's iuryman, seemed overcome with
emotion at the first glance at the present VIC
tim. He stood pale and trembling; he grasp.
ed the table for support, and had he not been
assisted by his companions, would have fall
len to the ground.
Amid exclamations of "Poor Mr.. Parr!"
'"Poor old mani" "Carry him oute' "Loose
his neckcloth!" and other expression ofalarm
and sympathy, he was borne from the apart
men, while Mr.. Green sullenly remarked
|sthat old men were no better than old wom-
en-, and should give up public business."-l
But before choice could be made of another,
Mr. Parr came back. He looked very pale,
and his step was unsteady; but as he advan-
ced to the table, he apologsed for the dis
turbance he had caused, and declared him
self ready 10 proceed.
The first witness called was Sarah Hodge,
an elderly woman, and servant TO Mr.. Nor
ton, in whose house the corpse had been
found. She deposed that she had lived six
months with her master, man ofsome prop
erty, who lived secluded life in house not
far from the town, and had besides her one
servant-James. She did not know his 9th
er name. Her masters health was very bad,
and she believed him somewhat disturbed in
,mind. She saw him but seldom, for her du-
ty was only to put the house in order, and do
the cooking. james waited upon Mr.. Nor
ton, and slept in chamber adjoining his, to
he at hand in case his services were requir-
ed. On the morning preceding the fatal
night, James had told her he had leave of
absence to visit friend. To the natural
question of the witness, how Mr.. Morton
could do without him, James had answered,
that his master was much better, and could
spare him for some days; adding that Sarah
must make his bed, and wait upon him till
his return.
The witness further stated that she was
sent out towards evening on an errand, and
on her return saw her master in the dining
room. He said James had gone, and he
should not need her any longer, for he was
going 10 bed About midnight or little
later, he swas awakened by shrek from the
apartment of Mr.. Morton; supposing him to
be taken suddenly i'll, she fastened to his as
Stance, but found the door of his dressing
room locked. From the bedchamber behind
that, she heard her masters voice, apparent