The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1884-10-29

, meet her, and { every social meet
. ing l attendedshe invariably con.
stituted one ofhe party.
From this freuent intercourse ri
pened FRIENDSHIP and from friend.
ship, love. Thpugh my social DO.
sition placed m far above hers, still
love made US quail, and finally !
proposed to er and was ac-
cepted.
MY family sas greatly against
this alliance. Every inducemen.
! was offered mao break my prom.
ise of marriage and marry rich
beauty of my psents' selection. But
all their pleadiHs were in vain, and
we were marrid, though from the
moment of our marriage my father
disowned me.
my practice was good and we
succeeded verywell in keeping up
an appearance q wealth. My wife's
beauty and affections drew many
of the elite of tfs city to our home
indeed, but forshose attractions, il
she had been plain, reserved wo-
man, instead O the belle of every
assemblage, I'dnot have to tell this
story tonight.
Zone of our many visitors was a
young man named Larue. He had
all the qualities that charm the fe-
male sex-youna handsome, witty,
with dash of mystery about him,
and a thorough man of the world.
He was also the most ardent admir-
er of my wife, and was seldom ab-
sent from the hmse.
Il don't thinl / am naturally a
jealous man-thd is, enough to &C.
cuse a man without strong proof of
his crime. Blu | saw SO many things
between Larue md my wife that
would have arolsed the Suspicion
of the most mnfiding husband
living.
"To get nv wife from the irfu-
ence of Larue ] relinquished the
extensive practice l had gained by
skill and industry, and came here to
Philadelphia. Here l purchased
the house that We are occupants of,
and it was here in this house that
the crime was committed that has
been hanging on nay conscience like
a milestone for years, and which l
will atone for tonight by my own
hand.
I'VE had lived here perhaps three
months. / had put forth my great
est energies, and succeeded very
well in getting patients; my wife
seemed to return to her allegiance
to me, and i thought l had full
store of happiness before me, when,
one day, on returning to my home,
| surprised my wife again, in the
arms of Larue.
s. was overwhelmed with passion.
| threatened to kill him on the spot
if he didn't leave my house. He
had the advantage by his impene-
trahle conlness apJ.U}v~. ..v--sI
the house, promising to call again
when he pleased to do so.
Il appealed to my wife to re-
nounce all thoughts of Larue, re-
minding her of my constaRcy as
husband. But her head seemed
turned again by her lover, and she
was as insolent as he.
Il suspected the lovers would
have stolen interview that even
ing, as they knew | would be alb
sent. But | had determined to stay
at home unknown to them, and
watch.
my suspicious we're correct. |
heard Larue come. They went into
the parlor. Silently / crept into an
adjoining room, and through key
hole watched them. | heard all
that was said and done. They were
planning an elopement.
1t was then the thought of muir
der first occurred. | would kill the
false wife and deceitful lover. But
how?
"To use firearms would discover
me, and Larue having greater
strength and being more active than
l, would have the advantage IN a
personal encounter. had it
Il would first stupefy them, then
commit the murder. This was the
way accomplished it:
my wife proposed having little
supper, and | knew they would use
wine. | procured bottle and
drugged it, then placed it in a con-
spicuous position. The bottle OF
wine was used. and the lovers were
soon, with their arms entwined,
locked in the embrace of sleep.
"The rest was soon done. My
first step was to bind their aru.s Sc
curely. then, with rope, | strangled
them as they sat locked in each 9th
er's arms.
But after the murder! 1t was no
sooner committed than / repented
it. Here were the bodies-those
damning witnesses-what was to be
done with them? could not bury
them, and my blood shrank from
burning them. Yes, there was a
wayl / partly understood the art
of embalming. 1t was my only
chance to escape detection. | put
nv skill to work, and before morn
ing had the bodies embalmed and
hid.
"The next day l informed my
neighbors that my wife had fled,
and expected she had eloped with
Larue. | was believed. My char
acter placed me above suspicion"
Here the doctor ceased speaking.
and taking pen and paper, wrote
for considerable time He then
sealed the paper, and laying it on
the table, said:
"That paper finishes the story, to-
pether with instructions l wish
obeyed. | see your position is pain.
ful, but there can be no help TILL
morning.
He then bid me good bye, telling
me l should never see him again
alive.
l managed to get on the floor,
and l lay there till morning. don't
know how many hours l remained
awake, suffering with my cramped