Preble County Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1857-1859, 1857-02-19
(From the Boston Traveller
Another Fearful Mystcry--PrOb-
able Murder.

able Murder.
Rumors of a painful and most mystic
riOus nature have been circulated rela
tive to the death of the late Hosea j
Gardner, Postmaster at bingham, WE
have taken pains to ascertain the fact:
in the case, and lay before our reader:
the particulars, as far as we have beer
able to obtain them.
The family of Mr.. Gardner consisted
of HIMSELF his wife-a woman about his
WI age-one son and Il daughter, and
the mother of Mr.. G., who, during his
last illness, acted in the capacity Of
nurse. Mr.. Gardner had been afflicted
for several years with a diseased leg,
which required dressing several times a
day. On the 9th of December he ac-
'cidentally fell upon a stone step, stri-
king upon the hip of the diseased side.
The accident occasioned much pain, and
his family physician was called, who ex-
amined the injured limb, but found no
fracture, dislocation or evidence of in
,tcrnal injury.
On the "Wednesday preceding the
death of Mr.. Gardner, his physician or
'dered him to take a dose of salts. This
was attended with some nausea on
Thursday morning, but as it WAS not
great, it was thought to proceed from the
action of the medicine.
On Thursday night the mother was
watching at his bedside as usual, when
the wife Of Mr.. G. told her to go to bed,
as there was no necessity for Il watch
But although she insisted strongly upon
it, the mother did not go. The wife
then put. out all the fires, and the room
growing cold, the old lady was compell-
cd to retire. Between one and two
O'Clock in the morning she was called
up by Mr.. Gardner, who was taken with
vomiting and other alarming symptoms,
which induced her to send for the ply
;sician. On arriving he found his pa
tent sitting up in bed retching violent
ly, and complaining Of severe pain in the
stomach and bowels. This was not like
common nausea, but an in expressiblc
feeling, as Mr.. G.. remarked.
1t WIS now for the first time ascertain
ed that the salts he had taken had not
operated, or but very slightly, although
the wife hid affirmed to the contrary
The burning sensation in the stomach
and bowels was extremely painful. Mr..
Gardner said to his mother, L believe
my wife has poisoned me, and she Will
poison you!'
Previous to the arrival of the physi-
clan, the deceased had vomited Il guam
t:ty of dark fluid, attended with great
distress. He then told his mother to
preserve it for tie Doctors inspection.
The wife objected, and Notwithstanding
the cxpostulations of her daughter, son
and husband, and the earnest sO,icita-
tons Of the mother of Mr.. G., who told
her that an examination Of the contents
ofthc bowl might throw sone light upon
the case, she emptied the contents of it
into u slop pail, exclaiming, THAT if the
Doctor wants it, he'll have to dig it out
of that!'
Mr.. G. continued to suffer very much
through the afternoon of FridIy. with
the same symptoms above alluded to-
and gradually declined until Sunday
morniny about hllf-past one, when he
died in great distress.
The deceased had been heard to express
the fear that his wife woald destroy
linn, and on one occasion communicated
to Il confidential friend certain state
ments that give increased force to the
supposition that he has been foully dealt
with.
The Journal of wednesday adds the
following particulars:
DIR. Jackson analysed the contents of
the stomach and bowels, and discovered
a large quantity of arsenic.
ACoroner's Jury met on the 4th, and
DIR. Stephenson, the physician of Mr.
Gardner, detailed his treatment. He
wanted to make a p~ost-norten cxamina-
ton, but the widow positively refused.