The daily gazette., 1883-02-06
nEplsINr sp kRoM YgsTERpAy
BEACnAnzrss Fatal DOSE.


a Lstter FROM tho Dead Man Found
Undsr . CaKpet-The Theory Of Suicide
--Meveiatf0na Of o Chemical Analysis.
DENT0E.s Mn, Feb 5.--The Beachamp
poisoning case In Caroline county, Md, has
unexpectedly assumed an entirely different
appearance, lt Il now supposed Beachamp
committed suicide. The supposition is based
on letter that was found on Saturday. The
paper is dated December 20, 1889; Il itissigned
with Martin Beachamp's name, and Is writ
ten to his wife.
The letter reads as follows Belle, hope
when you find this note viii be dead and
out OF your way, for | know that you would
rather was dead than living, so am going
to kill myself, and then win be out of
your way" Beachamp died December 81.
The letter was, 1t Is said, accidentally dis
covered by q colored man named Eben
Sephus swhoisemployedin Beaehamp's family
1t was found under the carpet in the sitting
room OF Beachamp's house. The carpet
was being taken up at the time, and the
whole house was turned topey-turvy to
allow appraisers to set q valuation on the
dead mans effects. Mesers. James r. Man
ship and James P. J. Hubbard were the APP
praisers. Mr.. William Lidden, brother of
Mrs. Beachamp, was in the room, as were
also several ueighbors Mrs. Beachamp was
In the kitchen.
sephus Is said to have picked up the let
ter from the floor and to have thrown 1t on
refrigerator. Mr.. Hubbard opened and
read II. and then passed IL 10 Mr. Manship,
who read the letter aloud. According TO
the date OF the letter, II had been under the
carpet 80 days, aud the envelope was not
| soiled. Those who have seen the signature
/ say 1t was written by Beachamp. The letter
created great deal Of speculation, and Its
| genuineness is doubted by some persons.
1t was given to Mr.. Mauship for safe
| keeping.
| Mr.. Manship was on the jury Of inquest.
| He says he suspected from the first that Bea-
champ had killed himself, and for that rea-
son opposed the desire of some of the jurors
TO render verdict that would cause the
| arrest of persons to whom clrcumstantial
evidence pointed as having murdered Bea-
champ. Mr.. Manship has promissory note
signed by Martin Beaehamp He says the
handwriting is very like that in the letter.
Mrs. Beachamp says 81 believe the let
ter was written by my husband; he had
often threatened TO kill himself, but have
never said anything about IL, because
thought his death resulted from natural
causes. don't know why he was under
the impression wanted him out Of the way.
He had frequently told me hexhad never be-
lieved the rumors about me, and would say
that If the gossip did not cease talking he
would take measures to make them. II
was said at the inquest that Mart and
lived unhappily. That's not true; we used
to quarrel at times, but the quarrels arc
just the same as those that may occur be-
tween any husband and wife"
James Ahearn said; 81 have never seen
the letter, but have heard that II clears up
the mystery. IL will put an end TO the
rumors, hope. If it does, will be more
pleased on Mrs. Beachamp's account than
on my own. The trouble was really started
for revenge on me because / opened a new
store in the village The story was told
about Mrs. Beachamp and myself becausC
the Beachamp family dealt at my place. All
the rumors you have heard are lies from
beginning to end"
Col. Bryant, States attorney of Caroline
county, says that nobody could be bs ttei
pleased than himself to know that the sus
pected persons are innocent.
Professor William P. Tonry, in an analysis
of the stomach and liver of deceased, found
strychnia in sufficient quantity TO have
caused instant death. In the kidneys nC
strychnia was found, and tbs reasoned from
this that the poison was given In the morn
ing on an empty stomach, and produced
death before it had time TO circulate through
the body and reach the kidneys, the elimi
nators of the system.
The stomach, strange to say, had been Gu
open and the contents removed. There 4
but one case known where under simila
circumstances the stomach was cut open
In the Palmer case, In England, the physi
clan who furnished the poison to thl
prisoner cut open the stomach of the victim
and removed the contents In order to get ri(
, | of their evidence.
I