Mower County transcript., 1871-12-28

She had got to the door, and stood
on tie handle. I could not see the
man. I was feeling in my pocket for
a silver coin to give her, when she
opened the door half way and cour-
tested. I passed on, and before l had
time to turn back the door was shut
on me. The smell I had already per-
ceived was horribly strong here. !
turned giddy. I had almost lost my
senses, when a blow from behind
knocked me down. had just time to
catch a glimpse of some chemical ap-
paratus in the corner of what seemed
more like dark closet than u room.
when I fell.
remember nothing of what happen
ed then. The first ign of returning
sense was the perception of pungent
odOr. Then felt something run over
my head. Then I tried to move. was
covered with straw. I was in the shed
of the stables evidently. and the smell
of the manure acted benefcially in
rousing my brain. I was very weak
from loss of blood, but I knew that if
l didn't G ert myself at once had lit
tie chance Of escape. I crawled to the
door of the shed; it was locked If it
had been open I did not know how
could have escaped across the yard
without being seen. I examined the
outside wall of the shed. I found a
place where the boards had been mend
ed, about three feet from the ground.
Fortunately, I had with me a large
pocket knife, containing, among other
things, a saw and screw-drlver. !
worked away at the boards as quietly
as I could; it Was very hard work. My
head was very bad all the time, but my
arms were not hurt. I started at every
noise; sometimes it was & rat running
across; sometimes the horse in the
stall: but no one came to the door. In
about half an hour, as near as I could
reckon, l had sawed through three
planks, and loosened them sufficiently
to make an opening big enough to
crawl out. put the knife in my mouth,
and slowly crept into the open air.
It was raining, and the rain re-
freshed me very much. I could not
walk upright very well. so crawled on
till I got to the wall, which was, luck
lily, very low. 1 managed to pull my
self to the top, and then rceled and
dropped in heap on the other side.
There was gutter in the lane, and it
was full, for it had been raining very
hard. I washed my mouth ont with
the water, which, dirty as it was, was
grateful to my parched throat Keep
ing by the wall, staggered along till
came to lighted street. Here I got
help; the police Office was close by.
got a. couple of policemen; then we
got into cab. They made me stop to
have my head dressed but could not
rest, though the surgeon insisted on my
doing SO, till I found what had become
of James Bayle
We got to the house. The police got
over the wall and lifted me over. We
found the man and woman sitting in
the kitchen. When they saw me, all
pale and bandaged, she tainted away
and he was paralyzed with terror. He
made no resistance. We went up
stairs, and I showed them the place
where was struck.
The little room, or closet, at the
door of which I fell, had been fitted
up, as q laboratory. An old retort, on
a spirit lamp stood in the corner.
The window was blocked up; there
was no chimney. The strange smell
was still very strong, and the poison
GUS vapor had not all yet dispersed.
We searched the rooms, and found
some clothes and other articles which
1 identified as belonging to James Bay
lie, and which he had on or about him
when he left my house. The man
denied all knowledge of Bayle, and
swore the things had been given him.
But we had no doubt as to his fate.
Both the man and woman was taken
to the police station at once. 1 had
tainted, and they took me home. A
policeman was lett in charge of the
place. The next day, on examining
the garden, his attention was directed
to tho spot where had noticed how
rank the grass was. He got sp de,
and about two feet under the ground he
found a body. When the sergeant
came they worked together, and dug
out three corpses, two in a very ad.
vanced state of decay; the other was
still recognizable as the body of james
Bayle.
Twas very i'll for some time. lowed
my life to an accident. Almost imme.
diately after 1 was knocked down, q
ring at the bell came. They thought
1 was dead ,and hastily throwing coat
over me, carried me into the shed.
They hid my body in the straw.
Meantime the bell rung twice. It was
the landlords agent who had called
upon some matter of business. He did
not stay long; but almost Immediately
after he had gone friend of this re.
pectable couple came in, bringing with
HIM more welcome guest in the shal {
of bottle of gin. To this happy ar
rival I owe my escape.
The murderer and his acco1nplice, as
you know, both committed suicide
He had been chemist, and was by
birth an italian. The two other bod
les were never identified, but there il
little doubt that they were murdered
IN the same way.