Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1875-11-10


strangely sad tone, which accorded
i'll with his stern fearful phrase.
"Your patient has spoken her last
word in this world. She is DOOM
ed to die by secret though strict
ly just tribunal, but we would
temper justice with mercy and
spare her the shame and public
disgrace. You can cause her to
die easily and secretly; therefore
we have brought you here"
off this lady has committed any
crime so great as to deserve DEATH"
he answered, full of compassion
for the unfortunate, "she must
meet her punishment from the
hands of the public executioner,
not by NINE"
"By yours, and yours only"
said one of his conductors, gravely.
"There is no time to waste in mere
words. She knows she has deserv-
ed death, and she must die"
"God forbid" exclaimed the ply
sician, frozen horror stealing over
him. The ominous stiffness, the
grim aspect of the terrible men,
struck chill to his heart. He
realized all the horror of his posi-
ton.
ga doctor never travels without
his TOOLS" resumed the stranger;
and as he spoke he turned the lace
back from the tender throat, and
pointing to it, added significantly,
"Open the jugular vein it is the
easiest and quickest way to die"
My grandfather started back
amazed and horror struck. These
were the very words he had utter
ed during one of these pleasant
gatherings at the house of the cell
ebrated Nepolitan few days back.
"How dare you propose to me
such a crime :" he exclaimed. I
am an Englishman, and will not
commit MURDER"
"Pshaw ! your nation produces
as many honorable criminals as any
other. To your work, sir, and
quickly. If you have any con-
scientious scru,ples, remember an
enforced sin lies lightly on my con-,
science lay that comfort to your
soul. "No more words" be added
peremptorily-"not one this isthe
time for action" .g
81 refuse to obey your cruel COM
mand. Let me 60"
The man who had been writing,
and until now had taken no part
whatever in the scene that was
passing round him, then rose up
and joined the coupe. Laying his
hand lightly on my grandfather's
shoulder, he said;
"There is no escape for you, doc
tor; every moment you hesitate
prolongs that woman's pain. She
must die; and you can dispatch
her with painless speed"
"What if / refuse You cannot
force me to commit so foul o mur-
der"
He pointed to two swarthy fig-
ures (either soldiers or diverted
tervants of some noble family-my
grandfather could not tell which,
who had been standing motionless
by the couch, and answered:
"Then those faithful fellows will
dispatch you, and afterwards dis
patch her; they are not profession
al, and their work will be clumsily
done. If the operation be not per-
formed upon your patient before
the clock strikes you know your
fate; if you are obdurate, remem-
Der you threw away your own life
without saving her. She Is DOOM
ed; no power on earth can save
her." .rerI. m
1t was vain to speak or expos
tulate with those fiends in human
form. He felt they were as stern
and inexorable rs fate. It was as
cruel as horrible and cowardly.
Five men assembled to witness the
professional murder OF o young
and beautiful womani What had
she donel Whom had she Offend
edi Some secret machinery was
at work; these men were nero in
struments in the hands of higher
power-they had owned as much;
they had no personal interest in
the matter. They were there to
carry out justice, they said--se-
cretly, 1t was true; but the woman