The Portland daily press., 1865-05-25
The Piece Of Toasted Cheese. sss. s:ss.s
A True Story of Circamstantial Eoidence.

A@esSOA0 WilO udtC bCdA CuSQ lnLO YVES
India records, is as yet we believe, entirely
new to the American public. The details
however, might never have been laid befor,
them, had not the original papers been recent
~ discovered in the Provost Marshals Office
In Barbados, and copied and forwarded tx
the writer. Besides the intrinsic interest at
tached to the story itself as mere anecdote
there is the object of adding another instance
TO the list OF executions carried out upon the
evidence of circumstances alone, and OF ex-
hioiting some OF the strong as well as the
weak points which characterize this peculiar
| form OF judgment. Perhaps close and care
full comparison of numerous instances of cir
cumstantial evidence might assist in moulding
into something like system The various and
sometimes almost contradictory inferences de-
duced during trials of this character, and in
bringing them under legal form which might
be applied when similar occasions required
At present it is we'll known that the law Of
circumstantial evidence is very uncertain,
and the story before us is conspicuous in
stance.
In the year 1924, Michael Harvey Peter
s Willis Henry D'Egville, resident in the island
of Barbados, West Indies. dancing master,
was brought up before the local June Sessions
charged with having caused the death of his
vile by administering to her poison in the
form of arsenic.
The name Of D'Egville has always been fa-
nous as the title OF a family of dancing mas
ters and mistresses; there were some OF the
family, l believe, in Cheltenham when / was a
boySand l was certainly instructed in that art
by D'Egville, though whether the name was
assumed as a recommendation or not, can
not say. The unhappy man of whom write
mad, though Frenchman, migrated to Barba-
does, with the view of teaching dancing, and
was, 1t Is reported, very successful. After
long residence in the island, he married lady
whose family name was LeweIyn, though
whether maid or widow at the time OF her un-
ion with D'Egvilie is not shown. 5S
Inc Frenchman was not a man of good
character; he was addicted to debauched So,
cety and TO drink. In many of his tipsy fits
he was wont to strike and ill-use his wife,
though he never seemed to cherish the least
ill-feeling towards her. He was not, there
fore, malicious, though he was quarrelsome in
his cups Still, his ill-usage of Mrs. D'Egvile
was SO continuous and excessive, that the
long-suffering wife determined upon separa-
ton. This was effected without any scene OF
violence or recrimination between the parties;
and while the dissolute husband pursued at
uncertain intervals his profession of dancing
master, the relieved wife lived at some dis
lance, out of his and harms way, as was sup
posed. amasr er ASH m
1t is TO be particularly noticed that, though
separated from each other, no i'll, feeling was
to be discovered between Mr.. and Mrs. d Egg
vile. On the contrary, the wife was in the
habit OF sending TO her depraved partner little
attentions in the form of dainties, such as he
was attached to, as for instance, fruit, soup,
rare fish, etc. ft6g
b D'Egville recognized these attentions, and
occasionally returned them, though the fuc-
tuation of his gains at times prohibited an
p0uiValnnt infnrahanuo of rift
vile was aware that his wife had not only sig
nifed her intention of leaving to him sum
OF money at her death, but had actually exc
cuted the instrument by which he was to be
entitled at her demise to a bequest of 9600
old Barbados currency, !. e., about $3.50 ster-
ling. a29sa e- ,ssssm ss
II was proved that d D'Egville had bought ar
senic some few days previously at a druggists
shop, and being asked If it was required for
rats, said, Eyes; and shouldn't care much
If they tcere tao0-legged ones" Observe, that
TO be in possession OF arsenic was nothing of
itself, for there generally was supply in ev-
cry home in the island, for the determination
OF rats and wood ants indeed, can vouch
for the fact Of my grandfather keeping a very
large quantity in the medicine chest for peri
odical poisoning OF woodlands which infested
one of the mills on his estates, so that no
stress can be laid on the mere purchase Of
the arsenic. II 5 ,8s13.a aSa4ia aeH
Mrs. DEgville was particularly fond of
toasted cheese, and at times of the year cheese
was a scarce article on the island. However,
things had been prosperous with the French
man Of late; for he purchased piece, had it
prepared, and sent 1t to his wife by the hands
OF a little mulatto boy with these instructions:
Tell her to eat it herse!f, and not give any of
it to Miss dLlewelyH.n This was Mrs. DEG
ville's sister, who lived in the same house with
her. 1850 q
Mrs. D'EgviIle was found dead in her bed
next morning; Miss Llewelyn was dead also,
and two or three of the negro servants were
i'll, though they ultimately recovered. a
An inquest was Immediately held, and DIR.
Cutting tested the contents OF the stomachs
of the deceased; the rejected matter from the
negroes who were suffering at the same time,
and the remainder OF the cheese which was
left in the dish. In all arsenic was found,
D'Egviile was arrested, and brought up at
the June Sessions in 1924. 1t was the inter-
i'm between the death of the late Attorney
General Beckles and the appointment of his
ney general) prosecuted. Mr.. Kinds defend
ed the prisoner, resting his defence on the fact
that link in the chain of evidence was want
ing. This meant Of course the little mulatto
boy who carried the cheese to Mrs. D'Egville,
for negro evidence could not be received In
not1rf 4 fhaf fiuoo 9A4tasisaa+ etta
The iury nv sftar % 4 lono CONSULTATION ca,na
-no JulJi 1asoI iuhs consueation, ca.ne
that thew could avar agrss :, n;ns os tha;r nuy,
ber haiso for an scon;ttsi and three for var.
dict If aGui1tv M ), - fhav wera d,scbarosd
ulcS 81 1l 1uily ~ tney we're oiscnargeo
s;o au sno Man,; SansaI ;ads " Sut
sloIs. nnaS I mus "aS ~ppoin'
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tSe Ji III. - uvu elr " dS R.SS.' ~ ~
snS srouna =. ~ nass nn1aaS nn
Mr SoI;o;tor ~ '1e oaarsI Gr;ts;th The ;prv
were ennsna,,sd 4S. .Sa av;danoa a,d sIl o,ha, sy
rr;ad sao ~, s.s tSa Lost
liberation they brought in a verdict of "Guil-
V;mn u.Ela. =,
Inc common plecautlon OF inquiry into the