The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1869-10-07

She did not know Brewster, had never
heard the name but, after urgent plead
ing, confessed that her daughter had left
home with man named Sclby, that she
had written to her declaring that she was
had heard of her. described the appear
ancc of Selby, and the mother recognized
it instantly. 1t was that of Brewster.
Light seemed breaking on this affair in
new way. What if this Brewster, who
was lcgitimatcly married man, had found
hims If hampcred with Miss Goodwin,
perhaps, illegally, married to her, and
consequently had taken advantage of
Charlcy's mistakc-fOr it was clear that he
had discovered it in time to save her if he
had tried or at least that was the conclu-
sion Sanford and had come to! This,
indeed, was the defence we had designed
to offer on the trial, bringing in medical
evidence to support it. What if thiswerc
so, and we could bring it against Brewster
on the trial, or, better still, get him to
abscond for fear of the revelation "Alls
fair, etc." as l said before.
Mrs. Goodwin went to the room of the
poor, dead girl, which was opened for the
first time since her death. There was no
mistake. Everything was rccognizcd; and
the poor, brOken-hcartcd mother was in
agony. l had sent for Sanford, and he
had arrived, and was shown directly to
the room. Mrs. Bramblc took the
mother away to comfort her, and the law
yer and l discussed the situation In the
centre of the room was table, one of
those old-fashioncd, wax-polished, mahog-
any tables, seen only once in a while On
the farther side of this sat Sanford, be-
tween myself and the window. While l
was talking l glanced at the table and
presently my eye rested upon some
scratches. Why l noticed them, indis-
tinct as they were, cannot tell; but my
eyes would not leave them until at last 1
bent down Close and saw that they were
the marks made by the sharp point of
hard pencil, through thin paper, and the
very marks made by Brcwster's prescrip-
ton on the night of Miss Goo Twins death.
The wax-rubbed table had taken the i'm
preston plainly; and there l read while
Sanford looked at me wondcringly, not
only the prescription, now in the hands of
the law, but the impression of another,
almost identical, only substituting the
word atropia for assafetida. l was thun-
side of the table He read it, and we
looked in each others faces. The whole
thing was as clear to me as day.
l called up Mrs Bramble and Mrs. Good
win, and both read the marks Quick
work should now he made of the whole
thing. The room was closed, but not until
l had made most accurate copies of both
prescriptions. Sanford went to police
headquarters, and brought one of their
principal men, while Mrs. Bramblc, in her
own name, sent off for Brewster to come
directly to her on a matter of Importance.
He arrived just before Sanford's return
with the minister of the law, and seemed
very much taken aback by meeting me-
whom he remembered, at the inquest, as
friend of Charley's. l said to him: "Doc-
tor, there are some matters connected with
the death of that lady upstairs, which l
want cleared up, and induced Mrs. Bram-
bic to send for you, satisfied that you could
enlightcn me-"
"Enlightcn you!" he sneered "What
have you to do with it at all ,"
"Oh!" | said, carclessly, al have taken
an interest in Miss Goodwin's death, as
have in Mr. brakes life"
The name of Goodwin staggered him,
and he turned livid
"GoOdwinw he muttercd, Il don't
know any Miss Goodwin"
Perhaps you would not know her
MOTHER" said, as that lady entered the
room with Mrs. Bramble. Brewster stag
gered toward the window; jumped be-
tween him and it, for thought he int end
cd to throw himself out
perhaps, doctor, you don't recognize
these two prescriptions" l continued,
showing the copies / had made. Here is
the one calling for atropia, which you ex-
changed for the other, when you called at
the drug g-stOre of Marcclin, and asked
Drake to show you the original. The
very same, doctor"
"That's le" he hisscd; ~ destroyed
that"
ooh did you? Well, you sec it has
come to life again. However, Pm glad
you've confessed that you tried to destroy
it. And now, doctor, my advice to you is
to make . clean breast of this thing, and
throw yourself on my mercy"
He caught at this like a cowardly wretch,
and, as Sanford came in, he knew him, but
did not know the man with him. lie told
the whole story He had begrliled Miss
was bigamy, and was in daily dread Of de-
lection. He had plotted her death, and
this plan had occurred to him the very
evening of its execution. He knew the
working of Marceln's store, and that, by
changing the prescription, Charley could
be made the victim, and himself exoncr
atcd. And then, as he finished, he said;
"And now, gentlemen, l have done !;
what do you intend to do with me ?"
"Have you hanged" / said calmly.
"Is that your mercy l threw myself
on"
"Thats too much mercy for villain
like you. There's your man, officer.
Well go with you till We see him safe un-
dor lock. We don't want TO take any
chances on that fellow"
And that was my first case, and my
first arrest The next morning was sent
for by the authorities, and cOolly informed
that Brewster hand hanged himself the
night before in his cell, 50 you see l only
erred by pronOuncing who should hang
him. Asto Charley, the district attorney
arranged his business in few hours, and
he was free man. Marcelin was very
anxious to have him back; but obtained
for him a better place, in larger store,
with less work, more sleep, and larger
pay.
AS to myself, few days afterward was
sent for by the President of the B.
Bank, who, having apologized for his
strange proposal, told me that he had
heard from Sanford the whole story of my
amateur detective business, and he felt
satisfied that if would take in hand the
matter of the robbery of their bank-ii
had lost eighty thousand dollars some
weeks before-which the regular detect
ives could do nothing with, he was satisfied
l could make something out of it. At al
events, on his recommendation, the board
of directors had told him to offer me five
hundred dollars to try, whether / succeed
cd or not, and fifteen per cent. on all the
money l recovered, if l succeeded.
laughed at the idea, and listened. Fiv,
hundred dollars was great deal of money
to begin on. 1t would be a long time be
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