The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-12-25

an adulteress and an assassin, unmarked
by her own hand. The letter was addressed
to one NJ. Roch, who had been the lover of
Nine. Weiss for years. 1t gave news
OF the progress of her husband toward the
grave, to which she was sending him by
means OF repeated doses OF arsenic. She
called upon her accOmplice to send Ier
speedily fresh supply oil the poison, and
suggested that the precious packet could be
concealed and forwarded in the toes of
pair of slippers for the baby. Such were
the contents of this letter, penned in the
presence of her victim, while she was
calmly watching his agonies.
NJ. de Query lost no time in laying this
letter before the French authorities The
MAGISTRATE of Tlemcen, NJ. de Grandyal, and
two of his subordinates went TO the abode
OF Nj. and Nine. Weiss, announcing them
selves as doctors, who had come to see the
former on account of his serious Illness
Alter a pretended examination of the in
valid, NJ. Grandyal called the lady outside,
and told her that he and his colleagues con-
sidered her husband as in imminent danger.
She laughed IN his face and Knocked his de-
cision to scorn. Then he threw off the
mask, and producing the fatal letter, he
accused her Of her attempt upon the life of
the sufferer.
Even then this hardened creature faced
out the matter with reiterated declarations
OF innocence. 1t was not until she was
confronted with NJ. Roch's letters, which
were found seereted in the Innings of her
dress. and in one of which he had informed
her that he had sent her some prussic acid,
evidently to give the sick man his coup de-
grace, that her brazen assurance finally
gave way. Profting by the permission,
which she requested and which was ac-
corded TO her, OF going into another room to
change her dress. she swallowed a large
dose OF poison--too large, in fact. to ac-
complish her suicidal purpose, as the excess
OF the drug produced violent vomiting, and
SO her life was spared. Evidently she had
either not received the prussic acid. or else
did not know where to lay her hand
upon 1t, or she might have slipped through
the fingers OF her accusers as speedily as ef-
fectually.
The most pathetic element in this tragic
story Is the attitude of the unhappy hns-
band. He was so convinced Of the nobility
of his wife's nature and of the genuineness
OF her devotion to himself that when he was
informed OF what had been going on, and of
the arrest of Nine. Weiss, he gave way, i'll
as ne was, to violent burst of passion, and
declared that II he were enjoying. his
usual health and strength he would have
thrown the miserable slanderers out of the
window. Only the letter she had written,
and the numerous missives from her lover,
sufnced to bring conviction to his soul. He
was removed to the hospital at Tlemcen,
ana though his constitution was gIievously
shaken by the quantity Of arsenic that had
been admin istered to him, his naturally ro-
bust health and the treatment of the hos
pitai doctors speedily completed his cure,
and he was discharged perfectly restored the
other day. The first use that he made of
his recovered health was to go to visit his
wife in prison and to take the children to
see her, as she had requested.
Meanwhile III. R0ch was sojourning in
Spain, awaiting with Impotence the catas-
trophe that was to rid the world Of M. Weiss.
He had sent to the lady sum of money to
enable her to join him as soon as the grave
had closed over their victim. He was ar
rested almost simultaneously with Mime.
Weiss and was conveyed to prison. That
night he committed suicide in his cell by
hanging himself. The trial Of the wre,ched
woman is shortly to take place at Tlemcen.
But It is hardly likely that any fresh details
will be disclosed concerning this case.
One curious fact Is the way in which the
system OF M. weiss was enabled to resist the
effects Of the poison. He was an ardent natu-
ralist. and spent much of his spare time in
mounting insects and preparing bird skins
for stufing. operations that necessitate the
handling Of various poisons, and especially
Of arsenic, so his zeal as collector probably
availed to save his life.-Paris letter to Phil
adelphia Telegraph.