The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1876-04-13
SrIceteo AlesrsIIanu.
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A Lucky Larceny.

/
Mr.. Courtney was rich old bachelor
and the uncle Of couple Of nepbews-tht
oAo brothers, the other sisters son
/ These two were his next of Kin, legaIl,
entitled, IN case be died intestate, TO inner
it his property.
| EiAard Horton, the deceased sisters Sor
was doci ieilv hi, favorite, .rd to h,n ri,
CID gentleman deci led to give The bulk o.
hi estate.
Caarie> Courtney, the other nephew, haa
n'erted handsome fortune froni hi> r..
ther, ani moreover, by hi, uncir's win,
was to succeed to that left to his cousin, in
the event Of the lat:er's dyirg without is
sue.
Old Mr.. Courtney was one of the hales:
of bachelors, when it was suddenly an
nouuc6d that not only was be dead, but
that foul play was suspected.
4 postmortem examination demonstra-
cd thar he had fallen victim to poison;
Rni II was given cui that the hand that ad-
min'~terei it was that OF his fty0,ite
nephew. The pubic mind was naturally
both surprised and shocked.
It was not until Edward Horton had
been fully committed for trial for bis unclr's
murder that | was retlned for the de-
fense.
HIS own statement was in Substance,
this:
a ptYsican had been called in to see
Mr. Courtney on the occasion of some
trtling sickness, requiring some simple
remedy, for which a prescription was writ.
ten and handed to the prisoner to have
made up. This the latter carried to y we'll
known, competent druggist who put it mp
in his presence. The medicine consisted
Of three white powders, each folded in n
scrap Of paper, and the whole enclosed in
a single wrapper. Al intervals Of an hour
these were to be given, and bad remained
continuously in the prisoners possession
till the first was administered, which was
done by himself, Immediately on his return
from the drugrist's.' Mr.. Courtney grew
+. piIiy worse: and when, at tie expiration
of an hour, Il second powder was nlminis-
tered, the symptoms became % alarming
messenger was dispatched for II physi-
can, who, on his arrival declared tiat the
patient was suffering from the effecS of
poison. An examination of the remaining
powder disclosed the fact that it was pure
arsenic. 1t was too late for any anGidote
to be availab'e; and in less than an hour
death had releaved the sufferer An au-
tcpsy of the body and an analysis of the
contents of the stomach left no doubt as tc
/ the cause OF death. The presence of ar
seuic, in a necessarily fatal quantity
was indicated by every known cheraiclt
! test.
/ 1t was further admitted by the prisoner
! that he alone bad access to his uuc,e';
apartment az had handled the medicine
| from the time it was compounded by tht
/ w u%-->lHA ti'i Iptbifr VI hAfV III otOis'-
after the second powder had been taken.
The druggist, who was known to he
man of extraordinary caution and thorough
/ " skilled in the business, was ready G.
swear that by no possibility could ap
mistake have occurred in putting up tn
medicine.
To make matters worse, it transpired tha
the amicable relations between the uncl
and nephe~ had been some what disturb
of late, by reason OF au attachment a tn
latter i.approve,i by the former, Who ha
gone 80 faf as "a ,hreatra to change hi
vii un'..s his .i>Se- were respected.
w no was in year campany lram "a
tine you received The medicine I'll YEA r.
turned to your urcie's bousef" | sske
the prisoner, sroping after somethin
which would afford ray of hope.
| "No one," he answered, 'but my eousi