The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-12-22
MURDER UNAVENGED.
Thrilling Episode in Witch Coron
RcndIga Figured.

Thrilling Episode in Witch Coroner
Rendigs Figured.
Well, IL this caseis murder, and we
fail to prove our prisoner guilty, it will not
be the first crime Of the kind that has gone
unavenged, by any MEANS"
This remark was made by Coroner Rem
digs last evening. "Yes; can call to mind
several who have escaped during my term.
/ do not know that any murderer ever paid
for his immunity with SO many dollars, but
l remember one case that has been hushed
up very mysteriOusly.
The crime was horribly shocking In de-
tails, too, but the murderers held prominent
position in society circles of this city.
1t was about o'clock in the evening of
a clustering day in winter of 1SS-, that re-
ceived message to go to residence in the
West End where murder had been COM
mitted. l had my buggy brought. The
crime was such as one was accustomed to
read OF among the poorer classes, and l eX-
pected to find wretched hovel, but, imag-
Inc my surprise when, following the direc-
tions, l stopped in front of a palatial
residence from which l heard the voices of
merrment and song.
"'Certainly there must be some mistake
here said l, but the directions were ex-
plicit, ana we passed up the broad stone
stairway and rang the door-bell A servant
into room where sat a lady whom l recog-
niZed as society leader entertaining Sc
lect circle of friends. l felt rather back
ward about announcing my errand before
them all, and requested the lady and her
husband to give ME an audience in private
room.
The request was readily granted and
when l made known my business the hus-
band smiled and asked me if things looked
much like murder had been committed
rid lone TO a,f
such thing, especially as the woman who
was charged with the crime sat there gazing
at us with her deep, brown eyes, looking the
very soul of Innocence and respectability.
But Where is your youngest childp l
asked
1--WE have but two,' was the reply, and
you saw them just now
But you have third one insisted
u" You are mistaken, my dear sir said the
husband. suddenly changing from mild
hammered society man to a stern man of
business; and since you persist in insulting
us you will kindly leave the house,
His sudden change made me suspicious
and | declared that could not leave with
out first searching the house, whereupon he
peremptorily ordered me to leave.
This more than ever convinced ME, and
coolly Informed him of my official position
and declared Iwould call in squad of police
if he interfered.
90 For goodness sake, keep quiet" ex-
claimed the LADY, bursting into flood of
husbands arm, while he, stepping aside, al
lowed us to pass up the stairway.
We searched the whole house, and
finally, as we were about to descend,
we noticed peculiar 0dor, as of burning
flesh, and tracing it to the garret. found
what do you suppose? Doctor as | am, and
familiar as am with scenes of death, it
made me shudder. A bright fire roared in
an old-fashloned wood stove, and out of the
door in the end, which could not be closed
on account of some obstruction, protruded-
he-bare-feet-Of-a-
II recOiled in horror, and when I had
somewhat recovered from the shock /
pnlled the half-burned body from the flames,
and, opening all the windows of the room
to the open air. rushed out of the room
till the horrible odor should in measure
aba;e.
81 returned to the hall, where l had left
the guilty pair. My looks revealed to them
what | had discovered. Not word was
said for moment, but the woman, who
rushed up to me, and, throwing herself
upon her knees at my feet, clasped my
hands and chung TO me in commissions of
trembling.
Just then some one of the guests, accom-
panied by the piano, began joyous song in
sprang to her feet and still clinging to one
of my hands pressed the other To her head.
The husband, with terrific frown on his
blanched face aud with his hands clasped
behind his back. stopped pacing the floor
and paused in trout of us, and all ex-
changed glances that expressed more than
words.
Thus we stood till little burst of ap-
plause announced the completion of the
song, when suddenly the husband ran to all
the doors opening into the hallway, and,
hurrledly locking them, went to a safe that
stood in corner, and throwing it open said
in a husky voice:
See! here are thousands of dollars of
bonds and cash! l am rich. The safe con-
tains fortune. Promise to hush up this
matter and my wife and l will leave the
room. Take what you like from the, safe.
1t is yoursi'
"Then he looked at me and smiled. for
he thought the offer irresistible.
"I am a sworn officer of the law ]
replied. The law must take its course
Let me proceed with my duty
Mercy! gaSped the woman, sinking in
swoon. Her husband caught her as she
reeled backward and, while he carried her
off to sofa, my clerk and l proceeded to
perform our task. The child was so horri-
bly, burned that we could not tell its age
nor sex. What impelled the inhuman
mother to commit the crime never learned,
but the evidences Of her guilt were so plain
that l bound her over murder. and with that
the case passed out of my jurisdiction.
Some time after that the the family moved
to Chicago, bearing with them the good
wishes of Cincinnati's polite society, for it
seems that the case never got into the news
papers, and after a feigned sickness the lady
declared to her friends that this climate was
not congenial to her health. "-Clncinnati
Times-Star.