Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1879-03-29

One day was IN MS rOOm-Oelng an
occasional visitor-and observed him
busily engaged in chemical expert
ments. Said he: "Did you ever re-
slize that the conditions which result in
congelation might be produced chemi-
cally?"
1 confessed that had never given the
subject much thought.
"Of course you understand that sud-
den evaporation causes cold"
knew nothing of the kind at the
time, but nodded assent rather than &C.
knowledge my ignorance.
81 can produce ice instantaneously,"
he continued. "This is my assistant, !"
pointing 10 an electric battery. With
a current of, say 100 ONES of electricity,
l can accelerate enough evaporation to
freeze instantly 100 gallons of water"
Here the Professor took & basin of
water and poured in small quantity of
colorless liquid. &c This is ammonia,"
said he. s.But this ''-here he added
about as much of some other liquid-''is
something else"
"What is it?''
"No one knows but myself"
deemed it impairment to question
him further. He then attached the
wires of his battery to the water.
"When make the connecting cur
rent, the water will become ice."
watched, much interested, and he
laid his hand on a piece of metal which
was part of the apparatus, and the turn
inc of which caused the currents TO con-
meet. He turned the brass piece, and
instantly cloud Of vapor rose from the
surface of the water. Crystals shot
from the sides of the basin with aston
ishing rapidity, and there was sharp,
crac cling sound as the water expanding
in it caused strain upon the basin
which pressed out the sides.
"With 500 omes," continued the Pro-
lessor, al can freeze 500 cubic feet of
water"
left the house much impressed with
the discovery made by the Professor,
and few days afterward learned of his
death. The public considered it case
of suicide l made careful examina-
ton of the premises, and came to diff
ferent conclusion. 1t was the hand of
Alice Armstrong that killed Prof.
Croftly.
Let us go back little. After the
Professor realized what could be done
with his new appliance of electricity, he
determined to utilize it in the murder of
Dean. He hit upon the grand idea of
freezing him in the bath.
"She will not love him cold," he
said, and began to arrange his plans.
Dean was fond of the bath. He retired
at midnight, and always took bath
Just before. The bathroom of Arm
strong's house was an exceptionally
good one. 1t was situated but a short
distance from the suit occupied by the
Professor and Dean. The tank was of
marble, s feet wide, 10 feet long and
feet deep, capable of holding 4s0 cubic
feet of water. Croftly connected the
bath with his own room by means OF
wires. One entered the bath by the
waste-pipe. He reached this by digging
in the garden under the pretext of plant
ing flowers. The wire ran down the
side of the house and into the ground.
1t was concealed from observation by
lilac-bush. The other was connected
with the pipe which furnished the water
He bored 3 hole in the wall and found
the pipe, as he expected, running in the
rear OF the room close to the floor. He
then increased the jars of his battery,
and raised its strength to 500 ONES.
No suspicion was excited by this, as he
had been for months before making
electrical experiments. His apparatus
was fixed on stand near the wall, and
the wires from it connected with those
leading to the bath. When the appa-
ratus was removed its wires could be
pulled away from the others, and no
trace would be left of previous connec-
ton.
On the night of the Sd of July all was
in readiness. Croftly laid his plans
Il \