The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1873-02-13
IN A TIGHT PLACE.

Itwas about eleven o'clock on stormy eve.
ming that bade good night TO my student
Tom Richards; at the door of my laboratory, at
dGood night, Ptofesser;" said Tom; I'VE are
yoing to have fall of hydrogen, oxygen and
trace Of saline" - = 49,
HBydlsgsn ,s.sss and ozygen-7in our nomenclature
'I hope" I said in answer to TOMS playful
words, "that twill not rain before l can get
home"
s'Then," said, with q sigh, noticing that the
mercury in my barometer was rapidly falling
"a sign of violent storm, II shall certainly
get wet -:9,'A'i =. - :.
Tom was very anxious to know what would
keep me lp| after twelve o'clock, SO / told him
/ was about to commence analyzing the stom-
ach of Mrs, johnson; whose husband now lay
in p Jail, Gust across the road from the
eoilere1 on suspicion that he was the murderer.
Tom said I had worked hard enough that day
and deserved the night to myself. He spoke
the truth. Still, / delayed examining the wo-
mans stomach so long and the trial was 30
close at hand that I could not in conscience
put off the examination further,
AS Tom was passing out Of the college yard,
through the gate, his head turned, bidding me
geod-night, he brushed against man standing
with his back to the college and his face to-
wards the prison. The street lamp showed m me
that the man was in police uniform.
Re-entari6p nv laboratory, t0ok' down a
glass lar from a shelf, and sat down before my
sink to examine it. This jar, which contained
Mrs. Johnson's stomach, was covered by a
cloth duly tied with strings, and properly
sealed with my official seal in red wax. Bra
King through the cloth and seal, 1 lifted up the
stomach out with dissecting hook, and laid it
on white platter before me, then became busi-
" engaged in applying those tests to its con-
tents by which we detect the presence OF iDu-
rious substances. -
An hour had passed since the departure of
Young Richards I had carefully emptied the
contents of the stomach into number OF bowls
and basins. I had Iabored hard to discover
traces of poison in ali this, but had been un-
successful. Joe johnson, the suspected man,
had been student of mine few years before.
7 thought him good-hearted, intelligent fel-
low. only little wild, and / really began to
hope that he might prove innocent, when
among the macerated food came upon small,
infinitesimal white grain. BY careful manipu-
lation and the use Of my magnifying glass, l
managed to get this upon piece of smoked
glass; and examined it.
was certain I had discovered arsenic, but to
make assurance doubly sure, determined to
apply we'll known test for that poison
Accordingly, placed in the woman's stom-
ach the usual acids, and then turned on the
biow-pipe fame, and presently, upon white ana
beautiful porcelain ground, there appeared that
brilliant metallic mark, worthy of Gains brow,
which is the sign and siguet of the Polson
Fiend.
sYesn exclaimed as saw the fatal blazon,
MsJoe johnson is the murderer of his wife
With the evidence of that mark to back me,
no power can save him from the rope"
ttDo YOU really think SOP" said q calm
squeaking voice behind me.
turned quickly and discovered tail, thin
policeman, with red, weak and watery eyes,
standing in my Office doer and staring In. His
body looked as if it had been rolled out long
between his hands,, like a stick OF molasses
candy. His nose was merely an elongated
feshy plug, and his forehead was decorated
with two red streaks, instead of eyebrows. be
had no expression at all, and his pollceman1s
hat was so largo that it threatend to settle
down on his shoulders.
-oHis uniform reassured me and / addressed
him thus, with good deal Of impatience:
"My friend, I suppose that am wanted to
attend an inquest, or what is your purpose I"
"No, not that doctor, the man amt dead yet. /"
"Anything in the surgical way?"
sa aSss psiess surgeon as as veil rs 81 tie Coroner
"lEell, then, why do you come to me at this
time ofnight?" -. $500 80. :,
aDon't bother, professor. The man amt
dead yet; but they say he will die before
%Are there any doctors attending on him %
aoh, he is in good hands, professor" " replied
the man, .ia'i i...,i 80 iitsal3 sF'-''
-f-rxr-
"Well,"' said the official, 1some folks say he's
got so much knowledge Into him that he can't
live under it" Are'.t
"Cerebal disorder, eh 7"--
"Whatp. asked the map.sG.iH 9! fq.
"Bfain disorder,I mean-something wrong
here.n ;sEsilss =. ~ .'f4 i'' ','--iss9ffI ''-
i touched my forehead, and 50 j did he, as ; he
faye; and thought I'd drop in ard tell
YOU, If you was going to the station Tomorrow,
to take look and see if it's post mortem OF
not. Besides want to see where I could al
ways find you in case of need"
ibowed, and attributed his visit to a feeling
ofcuriosity. He sat On the sink with one foot
thrown over the other, and wiped his nose with
q dirty handkerchief several times, while his
eyes wandered about the room, as if noting all
il contained. Finally he spoke, like one who
thought himself called on to say something:
"Professor, there's been terrible accident
this afternoon-terrible, too"
"Eh p said /.
lawful" said he.
@Nitro giycernee explosion up in the iron
mills. A hundred fellow mortals killed" !.
@Sadp ~
AAffecting,. very" Here he rubbed his
rnouth with the back of his hand. "Perfesser,
what is that nitro glycerine ?"
cit is very dangerous article Il: answered g
happy to display my knowledge. ut has near.
. heat. 4 4 rea-hot @ tee coal dropped into it win not
explode it. 1t will freeze; it is yellow and
aYou don't mean to say SO ?" said the officer,