The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-10-29
DOCTOR BARBERON.
The Story of a French Trial for
Murder.
CHAPTER III -{CoNT1NUED.)

well, agree with Monsieur Willard,
said the Partisan expert, who was wash
ing his hands. y think the c.se shall go
on trial. We will send in our report; it
will be for the court to pronounce upon
it.
For my part, emphatically protest
against the conclusion at which these
gentlemen have arrived declared young
DIR. Lenor, with animation. i say so
now, and ] will repeat my reasons in the
witness-box.'
You are in a measure on your defense
yourself, SIR retorted the Juge d'lnetruc-
tion, curtly; don't forget that a heavy
responsibility lies at your door for
having signed a certificate without due
inquiry. will now go and inform DIR.
Barberon that he is prisoner.
Doctors Legris and Lenoir wanted to
accompany the magistrate in order to
assure the accused man that they did not
share the opinion of the Parisian experts;
but this NJ. Willard would not permit.
The prisoner was now in his hands to be
confined, questioned, worried and debar-
red from all intercourse with his fellows
until such time as the evidence against
him was complete. The Juge went out,
attended by the Commissaire, and they
summoned the four gendarmes, who were
still on the premises, that the arrest of
Blrberon might be rendered more i'm
pressive. The brigadier of the party pro-
duced pair of handouts.
Blrberon had spent sleepless night,
pacing about the hospital room and talk
ing to himself in great agitation. The
detective who had charge of him thought
him intoxicated. He clenched his fists,
uttered imprecations rallied at imaginary
accusers, and so exhausted himself that
in the morning he was hoarse and hag-
card like a man in a fever. When the
door opened and he saw the Commissaire
and the Juge walk in, followed by the
gendarmes with their cooked hats and
carbines, he understood that it was all up
with him, and the blood flushed to his
face. He stood in the middle of the
room with his arms folded, and defiant
curl on his lips, while the Commissaire
said: ''In the name of the Law | arrest
you
'Concealment is useless now, so you
had better coafess,' added the Juge din
struction, coldly. The experts have dis
covered arsenic in your wifes body.
'Thcy have found arsenic--O the fools!'
exclaimed Barberon, with sardonic
laugh. why, | defy anybody to prove
sym ptoms of arsenical poisoning!
Wouldn't our servant have noticed my
wifes symptoms wouldn't DR.. Lenoir
have perceived suspicious signs when he
came to view the corpse? and is it likely
that /, doctor, who know the action of
drugs, should have chosen that one of all
Others which leaves most tracesw
'Murderers are often very imprudent,'
was the Juge d'Instruction's placid re-
ioinder. How do you account for
the presence of poison if you did not ad-
minister it"
How can tell? Women take arsenic
to improve their compilations, calculated
Barberon, in evaporation; there is a
surgery in my house, and my wife had
access to it. She may have drugged her.
self unknown to me. But | don't believe
arsenic has been found; it is far more
likely that Legris and Lenoir have told
lies to ruin NE. suppose it is they who
conducted the analysis, and probably
with poison in their pockets%
NJ. Willard did not state that Doctors
legris and Lcnoir had, on the contrary,
deposed in Barberon's favor. This kind
of 'suppressio veri' is much practiced by
Juges dInstruction, who find it useful to
make prisoner believe that he is cut off
from all human sympathy.
doctors Legris and Lenoir are con-
scicntious men, remarked NJ. Willard,
evasively.
Yes; they have as much conscience
as Judas when he hanged himself re-
sponded Barberon, contemptuously.
But III confound them if it costs me
my head; Pll expose their ignorance
and make them stink out Of court. .
Arsenic, indeed! Shall tell you what
my wife died of? She was killed by an
overdose of hydro-chloral.'
'Ah. YOU confess that you murdered
ncr llcH! cACfdlHltu tHo july u IIoi uo-
ton, whipping out his notebook.
NO; it happened in this way an
swered Barberon, forgetful of all pr,t-
dence. My wife could not sleep, and
asked me to give her a composing
draught. l forgot how weak she was,
and gave her the same dose which she
had sometimes taken when in good health.
suppose it proved too strong, for she
never woke again. That is the whole
truth; and before Heaven ] swear it was
an accident
yet you never made mention Of it be-
fore now%
No, because | knew that construction
would be put on the facts by enemies.
The disclosure must anyhow have blasted
my prospects, for patients have no con-
fdence in doctor who gives an over
dose by mistake
Especially to his own wife. No, ]
should think not; and can not say that
you have bettered your case by this
avowal,' replied the Juge obstruction,
dryly. 'Gendarm;s, $, you willconvey this
man to prison.
DIR. Rarberon had become calm from