Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-02-12
A CHICAGO SENSATION.
Mysterious Death of the Mis-
tress of a Physician.
The Doctor in Custody.

The chicago I1nl4S or the 5th inst.
has lengthy account of the sudden death,
under suspicious circumstances, of Miss
A. j. Payne, at the Office rooms of one
DR.. G. L. Henderson, in that city, whose
wife the deceased was reported to be.
The circumstances attending the death of
the lady led to the arrest of the Doctor,
who was arraigned for trial, AID after the
investigation of the case, which lasted
three days, was discharged. In conpec-
ton with the affair, we find attached to
the article the following sad history Of
the lady in question, which appears to be
highly colored. In the first place, there
is no Tazewen county in this State; and
secondly, we don't remember but one
Gen. Payne in Tennessee during the war,
and be was on the other side of the mill
dam, and not a Tennessean, although he
made himself at home for while in
hanging innocent citizens, and Outraging
the oppressed. Here is history of the
case as we find it in the Times:
The correct name of the deceased was
Alice LeonOra Payne. She was aged
about % years, handsome, very agreea-
bic in her manners, perfectly genteel, and
well educated. Before the war her
father was one of the weallhiest farmers
in Tazewell county, Tenn. When the re-
belliOn broke out, he cast his lot with the
Southern cause, entered the service, and
fought bravely until the close of the war
as an officer in the Confederate army.
After the war, Gen. Payne returned to
his plantation, only to find his slaves set
free, his live stock taken by the enemy,
stables, cotton-gins and other buildings
destroyed, and his wife and children liy-
ing on charity. Unable to do anything at
home, the General accepted the invitation
of an old schoOlmate, Mr.. Henderson,
father of the Doctor, and editor of
Democratic paper in KohomO, Ind, to
make his house his (the Generally home
until his fortune might be bettered.
1t was in this way that the Doctor first
became acquainted with Miss Alice, and
the acquaintance soon ripened into a
warm attachment. Finally, Mrs. Payne
was taken lick, and, knowing that she
must soon die, besonght her friends to
take her to the South, that she might
breathe her last at the old homestead.
The request was complied with, and the
family returned to Tennessee. Shortly
afterwsrd, Miss Alice wrote, saying that
her mother was dead; that all her old
friends had gone away; that her father
was growing dissipated, and concluded
by begging Mrs Henderson to give her
food and shelter. The prayer was
aCceded to, and Alice was rein
stated with her friends at Kokomo-
not, however, until the son had promised
to cast his eyes no longer on her in low
ing admiration. He failed to keep his
word, however, seeing which Mr.. Hen
dersOn sent the young man of to a medi-
cal college, from which in due cOuIse of
time he graduated He then came to
Chicago, opened an Office at No. 141
South Clark street, ana was soon engaged
in profitable practice. Then he went
to KOkomo and asked Alice TO come with
him to this city, since which time they
have lived together. HIS father threat
ened, however, that if ever the Doctor
married without his consent he would
disinherit him, which led the gentleman,
as he says, to postpone the marriage cere
mOny until he had accumulated certain
means of livelihood.
During this time, two years or more,
the Doctor wrote to his parents that he
was no longer intimate with the object of
their aversion. One day he was aston
ished by the receipt of letter an
nouncing that he might daily expect a
| visit from his mother. The Doctor
FASTENED to procure boarding place for
Alice on the North side, and during the
seven weeks which his mother remained
in Chicago, the Doctor and the unfOrtu-
nate girl met but seldom. After Mrs.
Hendcrson's return to Indiana, Alice re.
turned to the physicians rooms on South
Clark street.
During two years of the time which
she lived as the unlawful partner of DR..
Henderson, Miss Payne's health was fee
bic. Last summer, however, she i'm.
proved considerably, and she encOurag
| ingly told the Doctor that by the time ht
had made money enough to marry her
she would be in perfect health. Abou
two weeks ago Alice contracted viOlen
cold, which settled upon her lungs. AfIel
that, the Doctor says, she would Occa
sionslly "nibble at morphine, " and, once
or twice, at his suggestion, she swallowed
doses of tannery for a severe case of di
| arrhO,a