Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1875-09-03
3fiscellamu.
Circumstantial Evidence.

| In Clarksville, Tenn, there lived man
who had removed from the North with
his own and wife's relation few years
previously. His wife, who had lived all
her married life on very Indifferent terms
with her husband, suddenly died. As
she was in perfect health on the day
Of her death, and there had been violent
quarrels between them, the man was re.
garded with considerable degree of sus-
picion. At the burial of his wife her
relatives attended. Towards them the
husband had always entertained great
hostility but on this occasion he was
particularly urgent that that they should
retnrn with him after the funeral and
partake of meal at his table, They
were not disposed to do this however, on
account of the recollection of the treat
ment of his wife, his uniform hostility to
them, and the very suspicious circum-
stances surrounding his wife's death. He
continued with so much earnestness to
urge them to return to his house and par
take of his hospitality that they at last
yielded. Their meal was placed before
them, at which dish of baked beans
was abundantly served. But a short
time elapsed after the meal before every
individual of the party was taken sick
some so violently affected that their lives
were despaired of. These suspicious cir
cumstances determined the neighbors to
have the man arrested, and it was ac-
cordingly done.
The house was searched and quantity
of arsenic was found, of which it was af-
terwards ascertained he had purchased
large quantity of an apothecary short
time before the death of his wife. An
other corroborating circumstance was
that the accused had, on the day on which
his wife had died carried to her while in
the field glass Of liquor, an act of cour-
tesy which it was quite out of his custom
to proffer The man was placed in Gus
tody, and preparations were made for his
trial The physician who attended the
deceased was satisfied that the death was
from poison and was willing to give his
evidence to that effect. Public opinion
was highly exasperated on the subject
and the conviction of the individual was
confidently anticipated at the approach
ing session of the court Things being
thus circumstanced, an eminent ply
sician, who was a personal friend of the
physician in charge of the case, CHANGED
to visit the place and sought an interview
with him. He inquired if the physician
had examined the body internally after
death. On being answered in the mega
tive, he placed before him in strong
manner the situation in which he would
find himselfwhen called on before court
and jury for evidence of his assertion
that death was by poison. 1t was soon
decided that disinterment and examin-
alton of the body should be made. and
the new physician with another medical
friend accompanied the first named ply
sician to the place of thepresumed mur-
der. The community expressed great
satisfaction at the knowledge of this in
tention and were eager to assist in the
disinterment assured that it would only
add confirmation to their belief in the
guilt of the accused. The body was
quickly removed from the earth. A
question then arose where the examina-
should take place, for as the body had
been buried three weeks no one was will
ling that it should be brought into his
dwelling house. A neighboring barn
was proposed, but to this the physician
objected on account of the want of suf
ficient light. The church building was
then named and thither the body was
carried. 1t was placed on a table in the
center aisle and the examination COM
menced in the presence of the assembled
and eager null ude who filed the pews
and galleries. The principal physician
prepared to open the abdomen, and the
gentlemen who accompanied him under
took in the meantime the examination of
the head. To the abdomen of course
the attention of all was chiefly directed.
The operation of opening the head, how
ever advanced more rapidly than that of
the abdomen, and the removal of the