The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1861-10-12

as white as his own magnesia, burst out
as he hurried into the room where was
sitting: Here is a pretty kettle Of fish
Henry Rogers has been poisoned, and by
his wife!'
'Poisonedv
'Yes, poisoned; although thanks to
my being on the spot, think he will re-
cover. But must instantly TO DR.. Ed
wards; will tell you all when return.
The promised ALI was this; Morgan
was passing slowly by Jackson's house,
in the hope Of seeing either Mr.. or Mrs.
Rogers, when the servant woman, Jane
Riddet, ran out and begged him to come
in, as their l0dger had been taken sud
denly i'll. III indeed The surface Of
his body was as cold as death, and the
apothecary quickly discovered that he
had been poisoned with sulphuric acid
(oil of vitrol,) quantity of which he,
Morgan, had sold few days previously
to Mrs. Rogers, who. when purchasing it,
said Mr. jackson wanted it to apply to
some warts that annoyed him. Morgan
fortunately knew the proper remedy, and
desired jackson, who was in the room,
and seemingly very anxious and flurried,
to bring some soap instantly, n solution
of which he proposed to give Immediately
to the seemingly dying man. The woman
servant was gone to find Mrs. Rogers,
who had left about ten minutes before,
having first made the tea in which the
poison had been taken. Jackson hurried
out of the apartment, but was gone so
long that Morgan, becoming impatient,
scrapcd quantity of plaster off the wall,
and administered it with the best effect.
At last jackson came back, and said there
was unfortunately not particle Of soap
in the house. 4 few minutes afterwards
the young wife, alarmed at the woman.
servants titdings, flew into the room in
an agony of alarm and grief Simulated
alarm and crocodile grief Mr.. Morgan
said, for there could be no doubt, in his
opinion, that she had attempted to destroy
her husband. Mr.. jackson, on being ques-
toned, peremptOrily denied that he had
ever desired Mrs. Rogers to procure sui.
phuric acid for him, or had received any
from her--a statement which so cOnfOund-
ed the young woman that she instantly
fainted The upshOt was that Mrs. ROg-
ers was taken into custody and lodged in
prison.
This terrible news flew through Farm
ham like wild6re. In few minutes it
was on everybody's tongue; the hints Of
the quarrclSome life the young couple led,
artfully spread by Jackson, were recalled,
and no doubt appeared to be entertained
of the truth Of the dreadful charge. ] had
no doubt either but my conviction was
not that Of the Farnham folk. This, then.
was the solution OF the struggle I had seen
going on in JacksOn's mind this the re-
aliza;ion Of the dark thought which had
imperfectly read in the sinister glances Of
his restless eyes. He had intended to de-
StrOy both the husband and the wife-the
one by poison, and the other by the law !!
Doubtless, then, the el500 had been Oh
taincd, and this was the wretched mans
device for rctainingitl went over with
Morgan early the next morning to see the
patient, and found that, thanks to the
prompt antidOte administered, and Dr.
Edwards subsequent active Treatment, he
was rapidly recovering. The still suffer-
ing young man, was glad to find, would
not believe for a moment in his wife's
guilt. watched the looks and move
ments Of Jackson attentively-a scrutiny
which he, now aware of my vocation, by
no means appeared to relish.
Pray said suddenly addressing
Riddct the Oman-servAnt, ,-'pray, how
did it happen that you had no soap in
such house as this, yesterday evening ?
NO sOapl' echoed the woman with a
stare Of surprise. Why"
Mono soap, hastily broke in her
master, with loud and menacing empha-
sis. There was not a morsel in the
house. | bought some afterwards in
Farnham.'
The cowcd and bewIldered woman skunk
away. was more than satisfied and
judging by Jackson's cOnntcnance, which
changed beneath my look to the color Of
the lime.wasIied wall against which he
stood, he surmised what was.
My conviction, however, was not evil
drnce, and felt that should need even
more than my wonted good fortune to
bring the black crime home to the real
perpetrator. For the present at all events,
| must keep silcnce-a resolve ! found
hard to persist in ut the examination Of
the accused wife, an hour or two after
wards, before the county magistrate.
jackson had hardened himself to iron,
and gave his living evidence with ruthless
self possession. He mad not desired Mrs
Rogers to purchase sulphuric acid had
not received any from her. In addition
also to his testimony, that she and her
husband were always quarreling, it was
proved by respectable person that high
words had passed between them on the
evening previous to the day the criminal
offence was conMlitted, and that foolish,
passionate expressions had escaped her
about her wishing to he rid of such a
drunken wretch. This evidence, COM
bined with the medical testimony, ap-
peared so conclusive to the magiatrateS.
that, in spite of the unfortunate wOman's
wild prOtes;ations Of innocence, and the
rending agony which convulsed her
frame, and almost chOked her utterance,
she was remanded to prison till that day
week, when, the magistrates Informed
her, she would be again brought up for
merely formal completion Of the deposit
,ions and be then fully committed on the
capital charge.
was greatly disturbed, ana walked for
two or three hours about the neighbOr.
hood Of Farnham, revolving q hundred
fragments of schemes for bringing the
truth to light, without arriving at any
feasible conclusion. One only mode OF
procedure seemed to offer, and that but
dilnly, hope of success. 1t was, how
ever, the best could hit upon, and
directed my steps towards the Farnham
prison. Sarah PUrday had not yet i re-
membered, been removed to the county
ljail at Guildford.
is Sarah Purday, asked the turnkey,
more reconciled to her position than she
wasI' *'
She is just the same-bittcr as gall,
and as venOmous as viper
This woman, / should state, was q wo-
man of fierce will aud strong passions,
and in early life had been respectfully
situated.
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