Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1857-02-28

Mattcsou, and VIM. W. WEIGH"
ANOTHER MYSTERIOUS TRAGEDY
Hosea j. Gardner, postmaster OF Hing
ham, Mass, town some seventeen miles
southwest of Boston, died last week under
rather peculiar circumstances, and suspi.
cian has led 10 the arrest of his wife Tie
Boston Traveller has the following
The family of Mr. Gardner consisted o
himself, his wife, woman about his owi
Inge, one son, q daughter. and the mother o.
VI. g., wha during his last Illness, a.tce
Il the eapaeity Of nurse. Ir. Gardner has
5een afflicted for several years with Dis
aased les. which required dressing seycrai
lines a day. On the 9th of December, h
accidentally fell against u stone step. stri,
Ing upon the hip of the diseased size III,
accident oecasioned much pain. aud his fam.
lily physician was called, who examined the
injured limb, but found no fracture, dislo.
cation, or evidence OF internal injury.
GA thc Wednesday preceding the dcatf
Iot Nr. Gardner, his physician ordered hiu
30 lake dose Of salts. This was attentlct
with some nausea on Thursday morning but
as it WAS not great, it.wes thought to pro-
ceed from the action OF The medicine.
On Tuesday night the mother was watch
Ing at the bedside as usual, when the wifi
If Mr.. q. told her to 90 to bed, as there
was no necessity for watch. But although
she insisted strongly upon it, she did not
go. The wife then put out all the fires, and
the room growing cold, the old lady wa;
compelled 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 indu-
ced her to send for physician. On arriv-
ing he found his patient sitting up in bed
retehing violently, and complaining of Sc
we're pain in the stomach and bowels. This
was not like common nausea, but an mex
preside feeling, as Mr.. g. remarked.
1t is now for the first time ascertained
that the salts he had taken had not operat-
cd, or bu, very slightly, although the wife
had affirmed to the contrary. The burning
sensation in the stomach and bowels was ex-
tremely painful. Mr. Gardner said to his
mother, Il believe my wife has poisoned
me, aud she will poison you"
Previous to the arrival of the physician
the deceased had vo.nited u quantity Of dark
iiuid attended with great distress. He then
told has mother to preserve it for the doc
tors inspection. The wife objected, and
notwithstanding the expostulations of her
daughter, son and husband, and the earnes,
solicitations of the mother OF MIR. e.. who
told her that an examination of the contents
of the bowl might throw some light upon
the case, she enlpted the contents oft into
IA slop-pail, cNclaimng THAT il the doctor
wants 1t he'll have to dig it out of that.
Mr.. G. continued to suffer very much
through the afternoon Of Friday with the
SAME symptoms as above alluded to, and
gradually declined until Sunday morning a.
bout llaiI-past one, when he died in great
distress. The deceased had been heard t.
express the fear that his wife would destroy
aim, and on one occasion communicated u
a confidential friend certain Statements that
gave increased force to the supposition thai
he had been foully dealt with
The wife was not arrested until the ston-
ach of the deceased had been analyzed and
the arsenic found therein. The aifair has
created great excitement.