Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-02-08
Poisoninr in Maiden.

Poisoning i'm Maiden.
In that part of Maiden called Glenwood have
been living since last October William Pratt
Bearse and Elizabeth his wife. To all appear.
ance they were contented and affectonate pair
The husband was about thirty-three years old
and his wife some five years younger. A little
before Thanksgiving day Mrs. Bearse COM
plaiued Of not feeling well and for some days
suffered severely with very peculiar symptoms
loss of memory, dull, heavy feeling in the
head, Sc, A few days after she found in a
pocket of her husbands vest a paper marked
Poison" which was afterward found to contain
oXalic acid. That day she became suddenly
worse and a physician was called in, who pro.
nOunced that she had been poisoned with bella
donna. Convinced that the drug had been adj
ministered by her husband, she thought he
must be insane, and took some measures to
have him taken care Of Her father, retired
sea captain living at Hyannis, came to Maiden
and caused him to be placed in the insane
asylum at Taunton. Mrs Bearse gradually re-
covered, and after time went to pay her hus-
band a visit at the asylum. On her arrival
she found he had been removed to his
fathers house at Hyannis, and as her
intercourse with the fathers family had
not been pleasant, she did not continue
her journey to that place, but returned
to Maiden. A few days ago, as she was in Bos-
ton, Mr.. Bearse senior came to Maiden, and
ly empty. This was too much for the Maiden
people. They had not been much excited over
the poisoning business though several of them
knew of it, but this kind of persecution was
too much. Complaint was made against BearSe
for the crime of attempting TO kill his wife by
poison, and two officers of the state police on
Saturday went to Hyannis to arrest him. What
transpired there is thus told by the Boston
Post3
"On arriving at Hyannis the officers found
Mr. Bearse at his fathers house, apparently sUf-
fering from rheumatism. They asked for Capt.
BearSe, and were informed by the mother that
he was absent.
IS that your sonP asked Col Stevens. Mrs.
BearSe replied that it was.
How long has he been an invalidp
He is never very well; he broke down follow
ing the seas; but he has the rheumatism now
Here the man looked up and asked, Are you
from MadenP
Maiden! No. what made YOU think that2
'Oh, expect some officers here from Maiden
after me-
Hele the mother explained that her son was
in some difficulty; in tact, she supposed The had
been trying to poison his wife!
Col. Stevens then entered into conversation
with the man, who talked very freely, telling
what be had done and how he had done it, but
declared that he had forgotten the reason why
he did it, There was a reason, he knew that,
but he really didn't remember what it was.
After little further conversation, Col. Stevens
told him who he and his companion were, and
the purpose for which they were there. During
the conversation, Bearse's rheumatic pains had
abated greatly, in fact had ceased almost alto
gether, and he was able to use his arms and
hands; but on hearing Col. Stevens last piece of
information, the pains redoubled, and he was
almost frantic declaring that he was quite I'M
able to get ont, and could not undertake the
journey to Boston while in such a state of
health. Unwilling to do anything that should
seem hard or cruel and yet fearing lest the man
might escape, and so elude justice, Col. Stevens
sent for physician to pronounce on his true
physical condition. After a critical examine
tiOn, the doctor gave certificate of his physical
disability, and said it would be hazardous in the
extreme for him TO undertake the journey that
day. Col. Stevens then returned to Boston,
leaving the prisoner in charge OF the officer who
accompanied him, with directions to bring him
for examination on Monday"
Bearse was brought to Cambridge, on Mon
day. and arraigned before Trial Justice Ladd.
He waived examination and gave bail in the
sum of $4,000 for his appearance before the grand
jury.
Mrs. Bearse has been interviewed by the Post
reporter, and after saying that she had always
lived pleasantly with her husband until very
lately proceeded as follows -
"The week before Thanksgiving, l noticed a
queer taste in my tea, and about that time Will
liam stopped drinking it, He always used to
drink it before. AT first | didn't think of that;
didn't know but he did it to see if he couldn't
break me of drinking it. One day Mrs. Do &c
came in TO borrow some tea, and | told her how
queer it tasted. When she brought it back she
said she didn't notice anything, and then [
thought perhaps the taste was in my mouth.
That night when ! put the tea into the teapot
and was going to put water to it, William said.
why, Lizzie, the water didn't boil, and then he
called me away. | saw him go to the teapot,
and when | went to put the water in | saw the
tea had been wet ] didn't say any
thing, but just made the tea,
and didn't drink any of it. l knew
then something was wrong. 1t was Saturday
when was taken so sick and found the oXalic
acid. He hadn't given me any of that, but said
he meant to- only found him out before he had
time. | was afraid of him after that, and
managed to get his father to take him away.
didn't know anything about his leaving Taun-
ton until | went down there and found he had
gone. What makes me think the more that he
is crazy is his giving up the furniture to his
father. He never would have done if he had
been in his right mind. I've told you every
thing can about it, and you can use it as you
see fit. | know his folks will do everything
against me, and it is only inst that my side OF
the story should be told. shall never live with
my husband again day, wouldn't trust my
life in his hands, but | can't forget that / love
him, and that he once loved me"
A document purporting to be the confession
of the crime signed in full by VIM. p. Bearse is
in the hands of the constabes 1t is addressed
to "my deeply injured wife" and assumes to de-
tail the manner in which the poison was admin
istered, invokes the vengeance of an offended
God if It'll not "the truth that is told so far as
his mind can grasp and realize it,; says he is
naturally sullen, apt to look on the dark side of
difficulties, is easily led aStray, having passed
most Of his life at sea under the control of 9TH
ers; never was sociable; attributes his marital
unhappiness TO the relations existing between
his wife and his folks, etc., etc. The document
then relates his loss of money, his brooding, and
finally his conviction that there was no way out
of his complications unless his wife were to die
1t says he remembered that his wife used BELLA
donna, which he knew to be poison, so he put
some belladOnna in the teapot. Soon after,
while under the same evil spell, he procured OK.
ac acid and put small portion into the tea.
''Thank God" the so-caled confession con-
tinues, "you saw me, and this is all relating to
the deed" Consciousness of the enormity of
the act came as he ran for the doctor, TO pre-
scribe for MIS-. Bearse's violent illness
and its awful consequences broke upon
him as he recalled the fact that he had
left his vest with the package of "acid' in it in
the chamber. 81 determined" it further saws,
"to deny all knowledge of the intention to use
it unawfuly, and trust to luck to get out of it"
| "When you, Ibis wife,l pressed me so earnestly
and sincerely, with promises of forgiveness if /
would confess" the paper goes on, 81 still re-
manned firm, thinking you only had suspicious,
which [ could OUTAGE; but when saw that
you really kaeC, threw myself on your love
and mercy, and, angel as you are you forgave
| me- God bless you for those words and for the
Christian spirit and mercy OF your friends" In
conclusion, it is suggested that in future their
| lives be passed apart, and that everything that
can be done for her happiness shall be done.
| "Let us dissolve the tie, are the words, "and
take each our path i'll life" There is also re-
minder of promise on her part that "the story
shall go no farther" and that "the law shall
not hunt him down." God in Heaven" il
finally says, "and you, my angel wife, kindred
and friends, acknowledge my crime and with
| a humble, penitent heart, implore your forgive.
ness so far as to save me from the punishment |
truly deserve"
Two PHASES OF EVERY DAY LIFE.-On Fri
day last a neatly done up package was left al