Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-01-22
Romance I'm Earnest.

RICH MERCHANT WHO HAD TWO WIVES
AND TWO LARGE FAMILIES OF CHILD
Henry Shields, an opulent -four merchant
OF this city, died March Is, 1874, leaving n
large estate the greater part OF which was
devised TO his children. without mentioning
them by name. The viii was duly admitted
to probate Soon afterward lady residing
III the eastern district, Brooklyn, and calling
herself Jane Shields, began an action against
the executors of Henry Shields for dover,
representing that thirty or forty years ago
she married TO Henry Shields, who was then
IN comparatively poor circumstances She
had five children by him, some of whom are
DEAD. About twenty-siN years ago, when
Mrs. Shields circumstances had con-
slderably improved, he began 10 absent
himself from his family, who resided i'm
Brooklyn. He returned To them only at long
intervals. de continued, however, TO sup
port his wife and family. After his demise
Mrs. Jane Shields ascertained that he had
left lady in New York calling herself Mrs.
Shields and claiming to be his wife and that
she and nine children borne by her 10 Mr..
Shields had inherited vast estate under his
Will. IL is alleged that twenty-SiX years ago,
at the time when Mr. Shields began 10 ab-
sent himself from his Brooklyn family, he
married the lady now inheFiting as his widow.
He established himself i'm an elegant resi-
dence IN New York, and the lady with whom
ne was living was known as his wife The
nine children before mentioned were born.
and their education was conducted in the
most expensive manner. They are said 10 be
very highly accomplished.
The case was before Justice Tappen IN
Brooklyn yesterday.-N Y. Siaa, 2Ist.
NOVEL RESULTS OF GALvANIsM-N Ne,c
Facts in ScieHce.-The body of Heiden blut. the
murderer, who was hanged at Philadel phia.
January 20, was handed over TO the Jefie rSOn
Medical College, to be used for the purpose OF
establishing certain scientific points hitherto
unsolved. 1t had been suggested by DIR. s.
Weir Mitchell, one Of the ablest investiga-
tors, that case recently developed in Lon
don, as TO the effect of tumors, especially
anenrlSms, on the vocal chords, should be
made the subject of scientific inquiry. Opera
tiOns were conducted by DR.. Keen, who first
dissected the chords of the neck which con-
nected with the larynX, and galvanized each
in turn TO determine whether they acted sepa-
rately OF combined, on one or both sides For
instance, when the left chord was galvanized
that only responded, and the same was the
case with the right de found that there was
no crossing Of chords from one side to the
other, and that the action of each was distinct
and independent The movement of nerves
and muscles could be plainly seen by means
OF small laryngeal mirror inserted in the
throat. The results are undoubtedly perfect.
The doctor also examined and galvanized
separately the external and internal inter
cOStal muscles between the ribs, and found
that their function was not unifOTn but dif
ferent. This question has been q matter OF
doubt among medical men, but the discovery
by DIR. Keen that the external muscles are
for expiration and the internal for inSpira-
tlon, Will settle the dispute. 1t has been be
lieyed by some that by the application of
galvanism vitality can in a measure be re-
yived. This impression is totally incorrect.
for while the application OF a battery TO the
frame of dead man from whom life has
been extinct for q short time will serve TO
produce muscular action. the result shows
that only a portion of the body, and not the
brain, is excited by external power. These
experiments reveal novelties III medical sci
ence, and so far as known no results so salts
factory have hitherto attended similar in
YeStigatlOnS.