New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-10-10

surd Imagining" As for suspicious di.
rected upon himself, he would rot deign to
| take notice of them
Finding him in this humor-and other
wise abruptly ss peevishly reticent-Cap-
tain Walton, spolOgiziug for his we'll meant
| intrusion, took leave, the dot tor bowling
him out of doors.
Captain Walton WAS afoot, and on his
way homeward was overtsken by young
man whom he recognized as Lamson's az
sistant, already spoken OF as one OF the at
| testing witnesses to the will. The young
fellow, dressed in stinted, close fitting
suit of threadbare black, with meagre, bone
/ projecting frame, and skin of blO0dless. ca
daverous hue, looked as though the doctor
was in the habit of copiously phlebOtcmiz-
ing him. This, however, was c0ntradicted
by the expression Of his countenapce, which
shove DO sign of such innocent submis-
sion. On the contrary, it betrayed sort
of sinister cunning, like that often observed
| in the lower class of lawyers clerks.
As already said, Captain Walton knew
this individual. whose name was Nudin.
| Now, rememb be ring his being one of the at
testing witnesst $, it occurred 10 the captain
| to enter into conversation. After a slight
| saluta'ion and word about the weather
] he said:
| .By the way, Mr.. Nndin, nee you are
| one of the witnesses to Miss Iugleworth's
will. May l al at whose instance you
signed ite"
u signed at request of DR.. Lamson, Cap
tain Walton. II, sent me special to sign
it. was at home in the dispensing room;
80 was he, when Lawyer Luckett called
| about a witness to the will. The doctor
requested me to go along with Mr.. Luckett
| to lngleworth House. He was awful anxious
about it, No wonder, considerin' the big
sum he's to pocket from it,"
"But your signature could not In axe any
| Il in that Anu sff u
will, provided it be person deemed re-
spectacle. There was the butler mp at the
house and the head gardener, bo'h men of
good character and standing. He might
have asked either of them to sigu. l wen.
der he didn't"
You may wonder. captain, but DON'T"
rejoined the drug dispenser with signii
cant shrug. The doctor had his reasons"
"Ah. indeed! May | know them, Mr..
Nudin?'
"If you'll promise not to tell him that
said anything"
"Oh! | promise that It's not likely he
and l shall ever exchange condolences of
the kind"
SWELL, captain, to tell the truth. Gon't
think he wanted anybody to know about
the will. Luckett and DR.. Lanson are fast
friends; and between you and me, suspect
the lawyer is to stand in for trihe of that
C,000 when the doctor gets it. Of course,
captain, Pm only giving. you my suspicious;
and wouldn't do that il didn't feel it to be
a sort of duty where one suspects there's
been dealings not quite on the square,"
1T seems somewhat strange, indeed"
"Ah, captain! there's something stranger
still, and since you've given your word not
to peach I'll tell you that, too"
Captain Walton listened with all ears.
"Since the maxim of that will, continued
Nudin, "but more especial since the day of
the young lady's death, the doctor hasn't
been anything like himself. He's as rest
less as a singed stOat, and one night when
he fell asleep in the surgery chair, l heard
him mutterin' queer things about stickin'
pins into people, and among others men
tioned Miss lngleworth's name, with the
100000 legacy. That does look strange
don't itq"
What do you make of it, Mr.. Nhdinl'
81 declare, captain, don't know what to
make of it. only tell you what I've seen
and heard. But l must keep on. Good
day, SIR"
So saying, the fellow stepped off in silent,
slouching gate, leaving Captain Walton
wondering at his unsolicited communiea
tiveness.
The demand for exhumng Miss Ingls-
worth's body had by this time taken the
shape of official action, and a cUrOner's jury
was collected with a number of medical
mt n, the most distinguished in the country,
The coffin was taken up and placed upon a
marble slab within the railing; for, the day
being fine, it was decided to hold the in
quest in the open air. Besides the legal
authorities several gentlemen of the dis
trict, justices OF the peace, were present,
all of whom were admitted within the
rallied Enclosure, while the crowd OF town
and country people clustered thick outside.
The churchyard of E. had never been so
filled since that day twelve months before,
when the body Of another young girl had
been accidentally dislnterred.
Among the witnesses subpenaed to be
present were Lawyer Luckett and his clerk
with DR.. Lamson himself, and his assistant,
Nudin. Captain Walton was OF course
there-ha, in fact, being chief promoter of
the inquest
1t would be difficult to depict his feelings
when the coffin lid was lifted off, and he
beheld his bride, that was to have been,
lying in her shroud. Though her face was
white as statuary marble-very different
10 the bright bloom and rOseate hue of
health-decay had not yet Swept the lines
where beauty lingers," and HELEN Inple-
worth looked lovely even in death. The
bereaved lover could not bear the sight. In
stead of continuing to gaze upon the silent,
eightless image of clay, he turned aside, sat
down upon tombstone, and wept.
Meanwhile the inquest, simultaneously
with the poet-mortem examination, pro-
ceeded. The body was taken out of the
O. fin and placed upon one of the large
blocks of marble intended for it's tomb |
First, only the head and breast were laid
bare. Nothing more was needed at this
time; for almost on the int tant of the shroud
being removed, the searching eye of one of
the examining surgeons was attracted to q
slight abrasion Of the skin directly over the
region Of the heart. On closer scrutiny it |
was discovered that small portion of the
cuticle was loose; and this, on being raised,
disclosed pupcture underneath, though SO
slight as scarcely TO deserve the name OF
wound. On the probe being applied, there |
was click Of metal against neral; and the
f0rcepts being substituted, a steel needle |
was drawn out, some what similar to those |
used by straw bonnet makers. As it was
several inches in length, snd it's direction
straight toward the heart, it had evidently |
penetrated this organ, piercing it through |
and through.
A thrill of widest establishment electrified
the crowd Of Spectators, all looking sghast.
Even the grave medical men for time lost |
their composure. Then the senior of them
who by tacit consent was directing the in |
vestlgation-said. addressing the coroner:
Il think 1t is not necessary to proceed |
further 1t present. In this," he added,
holding up the needle, I'VE have clearly the |
cause Of DEATH"
The other doctors signifying their assent,
the coroner commenced his Quest" DR.. |
Lsmst n, who had been sole medical attend
ant on the deceased lady. being the frat
Questioned . to the cause Of her death,
he replied BY simply stating the nature Of |
tina djaAaae AZ fha savna fivna uuffip0 in a |