, 1870-03-18
MYSTERIES AND HORRORS IN
MASSACHUSETTS,.

Sudden md Singular Deaths OF nm
Old and Wealthy Phyafcian and
his Wffc In Quiucy-AlIcRcd A.
tempt to Poison II Servant Girl,
eu:"ey. Aass tarsh ~ cs1s:r&e"e< ef sAs Ss''
Tha tranquility Of this quiet town has been
disturbed in an unusual manner during tho last
singular death Of An old and weu-known phyei-
cian and hin wife. and m Alleged attempt to
poison I servRnt girl who was employed in ths
family previous to their decease. AZ the gem
e1L story gees, old Dr: Ebenezer woodward,
about 50 years OF age, who Las been practising
declining q few months since, and knowing that
at moat his earthly career must be but brief.
be thought be would establish come young and
promising II. D. in his vacancy when he should
charitable feeling. he decided that his profess
sional mantle should fall upon young Eoston
physician, Dr.. Martyr Ogden, dashing md
Commanding Knight Of physic, OF about
80 years. The coming successor Of
his family, and soon after this the old doctor
died, the immediate cause Of his death being
then, Is now, attributed to old xgc, general
physical exhaustion, and othar natural causes.
Iha doctors horse and chAise, and Como other
little requirements for the comfort and con-
yenienee Of a rural physician, were transmitted
to the young Dr.. Ogden, and for tims
everything went along wen and p7osperuusIy.
The Doctors widow admired the talents Of her
late spouse's professional successor, and know
ing that she too must Soon 60 to that long,
lorg home, shs concluded to make her List viii
and testament, and in framing it she remem-
barred the young Doctor to the Amount of
Il Geo, which amount, however, was but =
small portion OF the whole amount she was to
leave behind when aho crussed over the dark
river. A few weeks later, for some reason not
get explained, new will was made, and on
ono OF the most inclemeut days Of the winter
season, when the snow Was almost binding, she
went into Boston With the young doctor: and
Thousand WAS increased to ten thousand dol
lars. A week, perhaps ten days later.
later, the old woman was taIen sud
denly and sinGnlarly IL, and in = day or two
her spirit had fed She WAS attended
by the young Doctor, and nurses aud neigh
bors were with her in her last moments. The
latter said that her symptoms indicated poi
son, and then the death Of the old Doctor, tho
changing Of tho will in Ogden's favor, and
stories, founded on these suspicions, have
been generously citculated ever eince-the
young Doctor remaining quiet aud silent dur
ing the whole gossip, and Of coutse, loeing ali
the patronage Which Promised so largo and re-
The change IN The VIII BY he Old laiy was not
generally known until the occasion Of the
funeral, and when the .fact was made known
to an elderly brother Of the deceased, he disre-
garded the eoleunities Of tho occa1on, and, in
spite Of entreaties by his friends, decl.red, in
most vehement manner, that the deaths Of
the Doctor and his widow were very strange
and suspicious. He wns finally quieted, md
the services orer the remains went On without
Interruption, nnd the rema;ns we're, in due
course Of ceremony, deposited IN thu village
| gossip which followed was, Of course, Increased
tenfoid by this demonstration 1T the funerals
but still the authorities did not move in the
matter, and public indignation toward tho
young Doctor Was II that came Of it.
But now comes another chapter-not less
strange, hut mora suspicious towaru him who
WIS before suspected OF being instrumental In
/ the eudden mortality in Dr.. Woodwatd's family
There Was servant girl employed there. young
and fresh, named A3gg:e Ef7klae. J. N'sh her
nally intimate, and it is said that Maggie her
! self does not deny this As result of their
improper conduct the doctor is said to have
! promised to lead her to the hFmenial altar;
Maggie, believing him unfaithfuf, Thought to
| test his conatancy By telling him that sae uaa
going to New York The Doctor did not ap-
| pear to feel very bad about this, and Magges
feelings were Of couree aggravated Sho told
the Doctor abe WIS going to New York that
for something to relieve it. The young VI. y.
thereupou wfota her prescription and told
her to have ii put up by some Boston druggist,
and take ateaapoonful every four OF five Eours-
Maggie, by the WAY, bad no notion Of Gaing to
New York, and she therefore won't to Alr.
Veazie's drug store in this town to have the
! prescription put up The recipe alluded TO
| wRs as follows: Vim ipecac, two drachEss; syf-
aulac, one and half ounces; sol oPu, one
| ounce; syr- to1n, t.o drzchns
The druggist glanced carefuiiy at the pro-
| sriptiou, md then asked Maggie ahere she
cot & 1.ariDg noticed that The handwriting OF
contrary to his usual custom, he had, omitted
~ .ff;1 his name to it. Maggie aaid it waa
INN d., Ogden that it Was for cold, and
iIat she was to take , teAspoouful every five
tor1s. III. vcazie declined to put up The Pre-
| doses Of it would produce certain death. Nj.
Teaze then sent for the Doctor, and aues-
toned him sharply, and received cvaaiye and
t conflicting answera. Finding out, then, that
| the prescription hsd not been fur-
;sa nishsd, ne noctpE ,. Tished sl 70 get pos
denied him. These facts are Disguised freely
al over The Eillage, and the Deputy sheriff,
although he admits there are crounda fnr A.,
investigation. Is reluctant to proceed but the
matter Is being inquired into By john Quincy
Adams, and it is quite likely that there viii be
an .inc9ess Ana examination, which will result
eltheF IN the yindicasiou Of young D.. Ogden.
or the impfc4tion Of him with the sirsular
circumstance Just narrated
Eoth Dr. Woodward and f,is widow were
quite wealthy, and In their wills thew beG1e.th.
ed largely TO various public inatitutions, Their
surviving relatives arc also wealthy, and viii
rot contest the will of. tho lite widow. They
are also reluctant to hare any public inrest;cs-
tion, notwithstanding the sdong grounds for
suspicion.
Albany nas rragnifeently dressed young lady