Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1876-03-08
Whole No. 239.

would henceforth let her heart res
, in the grave with her dear depart
ed husband, whom, were it not for
her beloved son, she would bt
anxious to join in the world oi
spirits.
: "But heavens will be done !" she
would piously add. "Itis said that
whom Ho loveth He chasteneth ;
and believing this, I pray for resig-
nation, and feel that my prayers
are answered"
The eleveneth birthday Of the
widows son came and passed, and
left him as promising a youth
as there was 10 be found in all that
region. Shortly after this a mes
senger came for me in great haste
and CONSERVATION, and reported
that the lad was drowned. His
body had been taken home to his
mother, who was nearly distracted.
There were some who hoped that
the child might be resuscitated,
and my presence was wanted i'm
mediately. I drove to the mansion
with all possible speed, and there
| became witness Of one of the
most painful scenes of my life
The boyss-,was dead beyond hope,
and my whole attention and skill
were directed to the wild and dis
tracted mother, who passed from
one swoon into another, with shrieks
of anguish filling up the short and
conscious entervals.
From this last terrible blow she
never recovered. 1t was too much
for philosophy or religion. When
the child was buried she was
perfectly insane, and remained so
for several weeks, gradually vast
ing away to mere skeleton. They |
removed her to an insane asylum,
about five miles distant, and when
ever my practice called me to that
vicinity, l made it a rule to visit
the institution and inquire after
her welfare.
One day as rode up, the prin-
cipal came running cut, cad ex-
claimed, "You are just in time,
doctor-I was about to send for
you. Within the hour Mro. Cros.
by has recovered her reason, and
is now begging to see you, declar-
ing that she has something impro-
tant to communicate, and not long
to live, which latter / believe"
/ was soon seated beside the poor
woman. She had beauty yet, but
it was the beauty of dying flower.
Her features were deadly pale and
her eyes and cheeks were sunken.
At first she called me by name, and
grasped my hand as if with plea
sure but dropped it suddenly, with
a violent shudder, and requested
me to lock the door.
Doctor" she said, when / had
complied with her request and
again taken my seat beside her, 81
am about to die-I feel it-I know
it-but heaven only knows why, it
seems / cannot die without a con- :
fession, and so have sent for you.
| will be brief for there is no need
to dwell upon guilt and crime. In ,
a word, / am a murderess !"
"You' exclaimed |, fairly spring |
ing from my seat, as the dreadful |
of the truth flashed upon i
my mind.
ayes, doctor, it is my dying con- {
fession. murdered my husbands |
father first, then himself, and then, {
one by one, my four step children,
to obtain all the property for my I
son, and you see how heaven has {
punished me by taking him away '
also"
"Oh, wicked, wretchcd woman " !
exclaimed horrilled and aghast
ut the awful disclosure chow is it !
possible, so lovely form could con-
tain so hideous a fiend p {
She went on to state that she had
poisoned each and all with arsenic,
and would have given me the de-
tails of eac h seperate murder, h d 5
| not refused to listen. Sic tLen {
begged me not to disclose her Sc
cret while she lived.
"If you are living twenty-four
hours from this time, / shall go be-
fore magistrate, and reveal, under
oath, all you have confessed!" was
my stern reply, as ] rose and took
nv last earthly leave of her.