Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1877-10-24
The Lucky Larceny.
A Lawyers Story.

,
and the uncle of couple of nephews-
The one brothers, and the other a sis
ter's son. These two were his next of
kin, legally entitled. in case he died in
testate, TO inherit his property.
Edward Horton, his deceased sisters
son, was decidedly his favori.e, and to
him the old man resolved to give the
bulk of his estate.
Charles Courtney, the other nephew,
had inherited handsome fortune from
his father, and, moreover, by his uncle's
will, was entitled tosucceed to that left
by his cousin, in the event of the latter's
dying without issue.
Old Mr.. Courtney was one of the
halest of bachelors when it was suddenly
announced, not only that he was dead,
but that foul play was suspected A
post-mortem examination demonstrated
that he had fallen victim TO poison;
and it was given out that the hand that
had administered it was that of his
favorite nephew The public mind was
naturally both surprised and shocked.
1t was not until Edward Horton had
been fully committed for trial for his
uncle's murder, that l was retained to
get up the defence.
His statement was in substance this:
A physician had been called in TO see
Mr.. Courtney on the occasion of some
apparently trifiing illness, requiring
some trifling remedy, for which pre-
Scription was written, and handed to
the prisoner to be made up. This the
latter had taken to a well-known, COM
petent druggist, who had put it up in
his presence. The medicine consisted
of three white powders, each folded in
scrap of paper, with the whole en-
closed in single wrapper. They were
TO be given at intervals of an hour, and
had remained continuously in the pris-
oner's possession till the first was ad-
ministered, W which was done by himself,
Immediately on his return from the
druggists. Mr.. Courtney grew rapidly
worse, and at the expiration of an
hour, the symptoms became so alarm
ing that messenger was dispatched for
the physician, who, on his arrival, de-
clared that the patient was suffering
from the effects of poison. An exami-
nation of the remaining powder dis
closed the fact that il was pure arsenic.
Ii was too late for any antidote to be
available, and in less than an hour death
had relieved the sufferer. An autopsy
of the body and an analysis of the con-
tents of the body left no doubt as to the
cause of death. The presence of arsenic,
in a necessary fatal quantity was indi
Gated by every known chemical test. 1t
was further admitted by the prisoner
that he alone had access TO his uncle's
apartment. or had handled the medicine |
from the time il was compounded by |
the druggist till the coming of the ply
sIcian, after the second powder had |
been taken.
The druggist, who was known TO be |
man of extraordinary caution, and
thoroughly skilled in the business, was
ready to swear that by no possibility |
could any mistake have occurred in
putting up the medicine.
To make matters worse, it transpired
that the amicable relations between the
uncle aHd nephew had been somewhat
disturbed of late, by reason OF an at
achment of the latter disapproved by |
the former, who had gone so far as TO
threaten TO change his will unless his
wishes were respected.
"who was in company with you from
the time you received the medicine till
you returned to your uncle's housey"
| asked the prisoner, desperately CROP
ing after something TO afford ray OF
hope.
mo oue," he answered, "but my
cousin Charles, whom | met near the
and who accompanied me
in"
I drew .Lom Edward the fact that
Charles saw the medicine put up;
walked with him a little way, then
went back for something, Edward
awaiting his return; then walked arm
in arm nearly home, when Cnaries iei''
| also reminded Edward that, his uncle
being dead, if he also should die child
less, Charlie would inherit the estate.
"He did it, he did it," the young
man cried, in paroxysm of excitement
too earnest TO counterfeit. "He went
out to get the poison when he left me
waiting. He put it up to resemble the
druggists parcel, for which he suosti-
tuted il as we went along. Villain-i
knou IL now, carried the parcel i'm
the right pocket of my overcoat, and it
was on that side he walked"
was seated In my office on the day
preceding that fixed for the trial, In
in anothing but sanguine ex-