The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1871-01-05
#sqellareons,
a LucKY LARCENY.

- .A4ONAA AAASOEN H
Mr.. Courtney was .. rich old bachelor,
and the uncle ofe couple of nephews-the
one brothers, the other sisters son.
These two were his next of kin, legally en-
titled, in case he died interstate, TO inherit
his property. Il
Edward Horton, his deceased sisters
son, was decidedly his favorite, and to him
the old gentleman resolved to give the
bulk of his estate.
Charles Courtney, the other nephew,
had inherited handsome fortune from
his father, and moreover, by his ancle's
will, was entitled to succeed to that left TO,
his cousin, in the event of the latter's dy-
| ing without issue.
Old Mr. Courtney was one of the halest
of bachelors, when 1t was suddenly an
nounced, not only that he was dead, but
| that foul play was suspected. A post
mortem examination demonstrated that
he had fallen victim to poison and it
was given out that the hand that had ad-
| ministered it was that Of his favorite
nephew. The public mind was naturally
| both surprised and shocked
Itwas not until Edward Horton had
been fully committed for trial for his IN
cles murder, that ] was retained 10 get
up the defence. "
His own statement. was, IN substance
this A physician had been called IN to
see Mr.. Courtney on the occasion of some
apparently trihing Illness requiring some
simple remedy, for which prescription
was written and handed to the prisoner TO
have made up. This the, latter had car
ried to a well-known, competent druggist,
who had put it up in. his presexce. The
medicine consisted of three white powders,
each folded in a scrap of paper, and the
| whole enclosed IN 3 single wrapper They
were to be gwen at intervals OF an hour,
and had remained continuously in the
| prisoners till the first was adminlstered,
which, was done, by himse,fs immediately
on his retnrn from. the druggists s., Mr.
Courtney grew rapidly, worse J; and when.
| at the expiration of an hour, a second
| pow der was adminietered, the symptoms
became so alarming. that messenger Mas
dispatched for the physician, who, on his
arrival, declared that the patient was
suffering from the effect of poison. An
examination of the remaining powder dis
closed the fact that it was pure arsenic.
1t was too late for any anhdote to be
available and in less than an hour, death
i had relieved the sufferer. An autopsy, OF
the body, and an analysis of the contests
y of the stomach, left no doubt as to the
use of death. sFhe presence Of arsenic,
q in a necessarily fatal Quantity, was indica-
-hted by every known chemical test. -Itwas
4 further admitted by the prisoner, that he
I alane had access to his unolet apartment.
! Lor had handled the medicine from the
time it was compounded by the druggist,
n till the coming. Of the physician, after. the
second powder had been taken.-8
, The druggist who was known to be a
: man sof extraordinary caution and thor
i oughly skilled IN has business, was ready
to swear that by no possibility could fany
mistake have occurred in putting up 1ht
medicine @ iu5l-sI
; . To make matters worse, It transpiIe &c
!, that the amicable- relations between the
uncle and the nephew had been somewhai
disturbed of late bvlleason of an attach
ment of the latter disapProVed by tht
former, who had gone 50 far as tosthreater
! to change his Will unless his wishes were
: respected. fets-.-
! "Who was in company With you from
d the time you received the medicine It'd
!, you returned to you uncle's house p
J asked the prisoner desperately gBoping sf
q ter something to afford a ray Of hope.1i
). L l'tNo one, he answered but my cousiI
d Charles, whom met near the druggist
. and who accompanied me IN. 2 q -i,f, {.
l. r drew from Edward the fact that Charlie
! saw the medicine put up; walked witl
: him 3 little way then went back 70
something, Edward awaiting his return
then walked arm in arm nearly home
q when Charles isft ] also reminded Ed
a ward that his uncle being dead If he ais,
K should die childless, Charles would inheri
= = the whole estate. - 5rss - -1val Et.l
: "He did il be did it p the young mai
|. cried III a paroxysm Of excitement to-
a earnest to be counterfeit He went ou
!, to get the poison when he left me waiting
= He put it up 70 resemble the druggist
L parcel, for whichhe substituted It-ss b
d went along. Villain | knoselit noWt
IS carried tie parcel in the right pocket
my overcoat, and it was on thnt side h
Walkedl - e7far
/ was seated in nay Office on the ds
preceding that fixed for the trial ,indulG
ing in. anything but sangune expectahon
when q tap at the door announced visa
le tor 1t was the .detective whom 4 ha
ia employed. L.
y What is itf' inquired. after closin
f, the door. s-.sfii tA sf.ts-
!, 4 made an, arrest to-day.@3h he answeret
W ". "and in the prisoners possession foqn
Of this overeoas. pndoing package he be
n. brought. 1ss
5 'iMeIl ~ B. ,f5a ztss-a 49,.
: eIn one of the pockets. found GFil
and he handed me small parcel which
: Opened.
be be .ttInsidewere three papers. folded as drui
lie gists put up their prescriptions. BIZ, N
ity Z The person with whom found, th
:, coat, the detective continued. Yconfesse
4 that he stole it from billiard saloon, Il
sid owner having laid it aside while playinj
,iO and the date be fixes corresponds with n
Psaf yRot
Sy important, have ascertained that Char
he Courtney lraS the oiener'of the codt - .
aSSt Let us at once, proceed to the dru
,ar. gist'si' exclaimed, sPringiag from. I
ter chair and snatching up nay hat. ?, =
ine- We were soon there; I: -,7-5-, +
ati ; please examine that parcel II So
= puttingait into the druggists hands.
He-didso. carefully opening the pap
- and inspecting their contents: They cc
tanned three tohite Potcde,si ea3
a.. How do they correspond, with tht
ME. you made no TOR Mr. Courtney" /
hlies sics quireds 'and fo< which the 70 hs
been SO mysterioaely So
,7Ial They do not correer be
sai5 sweredf they are the -
seI's THE same | How, do you q that.
e By these fgnresA he replied eintlnt
d. to-the-iuside of one of the l6pers-- ]
- gnade aeaieulatier that day on alahee
paper, part Of a "a. putting
the prescription, bought by AtTy Edw
- Horton. The rernainder1 / have preseri
and not knowing but it might become irlE
"a tant sHera,i it is, and you see. how
!. 81 piece and figures fit it, pig st'gie
.. ..s,s They did exactly; the cham Of egids
good was complete. t.a-tt a
Te e I.need hardly tell how the trial ent
2sks Charles Courtney was called by the DR.
llsns scution to prove sons riilimPortant pc
n 70 The counsel whom / had retained for
Is in defence asked him but three questions
cross-examination ;-,r-rsa - -
I'm I'm: Had he aecomPzrisa TIE prisoner
the druggist'sT'
:.