The Virginia star., 1882-11-11
LUCKY LARCENY.

Mr.. Courtney was the uncle OF two
nephews-the one brothers and the
other sisters son. These two were
his next of kin and legally entitled IN
case he died intestate, to inherit his
property.
Edward Horton, his dead sisters son,
was decidedly his favorite, and to him
the uncle decided to give the bulk OF
his estate.
Charles Courtney, the other nephew,
had inherited large fortune from his
father, and moreover, by his uncle's
will. was entitled to succeed to that left
TO his cousin in event of the latter dying
without issue
Old Mr.. Courtney was one of the
halest of bachelors when it was sud
deulv announced, not only that he was
dead. but that foul play was suspected.
A post mortem examination demonstra-
ted that he had fallen victim to poison,
and II was circulated that the hand that
administered it was the hand of his
favorite nephew.
The public mind was naturally both
surprised and shocked.
It was not until Edward Horton had
been fully committed for his uncle's
murder that was retained to get up
the defense.
His own statement was, in substance,
| this
A physician had called in to see Mr..
| Courtney on the occasion of some ap-
parent slight illness, requiring some
simple remedy, a prescriptions or which
was handed to the prisoner to have
made up.
This the latter carried to well known
competent Druggist, who had it put up
in his presence. The medicine consis-
ted of three white powders. each wrap
| ped up in separate scrap OF paper.
and the whole enclosed in single wrap
per. They were to be given atinteryals
of an hour, and had remained continu-
ally in the prisoners possession until
the first was administered. which was
done by himself Immediately on return
ing from the druggists. Mr.. Courtney
grew rapidly worse, and when, at the
expiration of an hour, the second was
administered, the symptoms became so
alarming that a messenger was dispatched
for physician, who, on his arrival, de-
clared that the patient was suffering
from the effect of poison. An exami-
nation of the remaining powder dis
closed the fact that it was pure arsenic.
It was too ate 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 stomach left no doupt as to
the cause of the death. The presence
of the arsenic in a necessarily fatal
quantity was indicated 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 it was COM
pounded by the druggist till the coming
of the physician, after the second pow
der had been administered.
The druggist, who was reputed to be
a man of extraordinary caution and
thoroughly skilled in his profession,
was ready to swear that by no possibil-
ity could any mistake have occurred in
compounding the medicine.
To make matters worse, it transpired
that the amicable relations which had
existed between the uncl and his
nephew had been somewhat disturbed
OF late. by reason of an attachment Of
the latter, which was disapproved of by
the former, who had gone so far as tc
threaten to change his will unless his
wishes were respected.
s'Who was in company with you from
the time you received the medicine until
you reached your uncle's house asked
the prisoner, desperately cropping after
something to afford a ray of hope.
s.No one," he answered, "but my
cousin Charles, whom / met near the
druggists and who accompanied me In
to the house."
| I drew from Edward the fact thai
Charles saw the medicine putup, walked
with him a little way, then went bacl
for something-Edward awaiting his
return-then walked arm-in-arm nearly
home, where Charles left. also re
minded Edward that, his uncle being
dead, if he also died childless, Charles
would inherit the whole of the estate
"He did it l-he did it |" the young
man cried, in paroxysm OF excitement