The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1886-02-06


the others in their efforts to raise what
was below.
After a good struggle, in which the
lady joined, bulky coffin was brought
to the surface.
Then one drew a heavy screw-driver
from the bag and began to work on the
coffin lid. When he had drawn two or
three nails he evidently grew inn
patient, for he put the blade of his
weapon under the lid and gave
wrench, and the rotten wood gave
way.
The man uttered an exclamation we
can not repeat here, and then the
woman stopped and drawing back
some mouldy drapery, plunged her
arms into the empty coffin, crying, ex-
ultantly:
81 told you So"
They now set to work to lower it
in its place.
"The man who spoke" said George
Saumarez in whisper to me, sis ST..
John Marsden."
We waited until the soil was all put
back and pressed down somewhat
skiilfully by the principal operator.
What remained he carefully gathered
up and deposited close to the wall.
Thea the group separated, and slowly
descended into the cart, which | knew
was concealed by high hedge and two
walnut trees on the other side-an
open space of the level of the road
having been retained outside the wall,
but within the old boundary of the field,
for purposes best known to the de-
signers of the cemetery.
When the cart drove away and was
lost to sight we cautiously left our
place of concealment and approached
the white cross. George Saumerez
grew deadly pale when he read these
words:
Sacred to the memory of Gregory
Saumarez, who died 21st September,
49,, aged sixty-three years; and Mar
garet Nehlson, his wife (afterward the
wife of Godfrey Hassard), who died
10Th of November, 49,, aged fifty
three years"
Great Heavens!' he cried, "what is
the meaning of thisP"
II can not say" was my reply, "but
I have a shrewd suspicion that your
mother is alive. Were you at her
funeralp"
"The coffin was closed before got
home" he answered, "and l was so
dazed with grief that did not recog-
nize the grave again. Besides, l was
so hurt at her marrying DR.. Hassard
that I could not make up my mind to
visit her grave again"
The next morning ] applied with my
chief for warrant against st. John
Marsden, and other persons unknown,
for sacrilegiously breaking open Ger.
tain grave. When had arrested him
at his office, l hurried to the residences
of the doctors who had signed the
death certificate of Mrs. Hassard, hav'
ing sent other officers with the date Of
the decease to the principal insurance
offices.
One of the medical men, DR.. B.
was a grave old gentleman, who a
once said that he had been brought in Il
consult with DR.. G., and being sat
isGed with the symptoms of heart dis
ease and the other gentleman's treat
ment, he signed the certificate afte
viewing the dead body. He was ap
palled when l said that the coffin wa
empty, and readily accompanied me t,
the house of his colleague.
We found him in, and when l men
toned the name of the lady who wa
supposed to have been dead, he cried
81 have been expecting this for years
and it is a relief, now it has come
Hassard was deep one, and knew
more of certain drugs than the Who'll
faculty. A great gambler, he lost an
won large sums. | met him at tn
gambling-tables and soon fell in hi
power. To prevent his sweeping m
home and practice away, consente
to join him in q terrible fraud to chea
insurance companies. His contrC
over his dead wife dated long befor
their marriage. He compelled her t
| take certain drugs that brought abou
| the semblance of death. When sh
had recovered and weighted coffi
was buried / took her at night, dii
t guised, to Liverpool, where she live
nearly six months, until he sold all an
G got the three thousand pounds fC
9 which her life was insured. Remen
: Der this, whatever comes-I don't b.
| leve Mrs. Hassard was a voluntaI
n party in the fraud"
1 When brought before the Magistrate
r DR.. B was liberated on his ow
Y recognizance, but DR.. c. was r
: mitted to prison.
e St. John Marsden confessed that Il
:, firm discovered that one Oscar NelhsC
a died worth thirty thousand pounds
d New South Wales. They traced MI
:, Saumarez as his niece, and, in the b
lief of her death, endeavored to secu
Y George, her son and natural heir.
i, the meantime his uncle discovered tv
daughters of younger niece, and
this time a will was found which Ii
Il all the property to his eldest survivil
s. niece at the time of his death. T
- mother of these girls was certain
Is alive when he died. So they we
looked upon as the heiresses, and