Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-11-04
WITNESSED A TRAGEDY.


He IA. however. very good company,
and have passed good many evenings
with him over a pipe, and will acquii
him Of ever having bored me.
went to bis lodgings with him few
nights ago from the club. and soon found
myself seated In an armchair by the FIRE
side. with \ PIPE In my mouth aud q
glass OF most excellent whisky and water
beside me. We talked Of many things,
I'LL ut length, | forget how, the CONVEX.
,ation turned on murdors and murdercrS
Some time previous London. and In
decd the whole country. had been ap.
palled bya series Of ghastly murders.
all apparently committed by tho same
hand, though In no case was clew NJ.
forded by which tho murderer might DO
discovered.
Menkcn explained theory Of his own
on the subject. as novel ~ Il was start
ling, when tho subject turned to cir.
oumsianual evidence aud It's value.
after ALL" said. "in nineiy.nine
murders out Of hundred circumstantial
evidence aud motive are the only helps
10 conviction. No ono IN his senses com
mlis murder II there IS any one Il Ok.
ing on.-
NO" said Menken slowly. "poople
prefer doing these things IN private. n
possible, But sometimes they arc rot
aware that there are witnesses"
Ho paused and filled his pipe.
'Tt IL not every one" he went on,
''who has been secret witness OF a muir
der. but have"
your ! exclaimed.
Menken nodded.
WAS no convicted and hangcdy'
asked.
ut wasn't he but She" said
Monkcn Amiling. "And she was not
convicted and hanged. or even tried"
But surely you | was beginning.
when Menken broke In.
my dear fellow. nothing could have
said could have convicted the woman.
IL WA very odd case altogether; one
of tho most ingenious things ever heard
o. Twill tell you tho story. II You like.
IL will bc simpler than yon getting il
out OF mo by cross examination.
About four years ago Twas travelling
In Switzerland. In tho eourso Of my
ramhles j reached Tauserwald. was
much taken with tho place; tho scenery
was superb. III. hotel old fashioned but
delightfully."- comfortable.
There were several people staying
there besides myself. but az l am a gre
garious sort OF fellow, was rather glad
OF II. After ! had been thorc about q
fortnight, on entering the dining room
for dinner noticed some new arrivals.
Among them was party OF three Eng.
hsh-an old gentleman. his young wife,
and a daughter Of the old gcntlcmans
by a former marriage. Tho daughter,
poor girl, was blind. She war about
twenty, and looked delicate. cannot
say shc WAS pretty, but yet she was not
duplicating The old boy. her father.
was Just like other English gentlemen
You SEQ about
"The vito was decidedly pretty; sho
WIS about elgh, and twenty. fair, with
gray cyes aud most undeniable figure.
They seemed To DO well oil. but they DID
not hold much intercourse with the rest
Of the inmates Of the hotel.
"fou know rather pride myself on
my powers OF observation. Though
made no sort Of acquaintance with the
party. used TO watch them and study
them. as l do all my fellow creatures
whom como across.
II WIS not long In finding ont three
facts. First, that the old gentleman was
madly fond IL his vito and indiffercn,
TO his daughter secondly, that the
daughter adored her father aud did not
like his wife, thirdly. that the wife hated
them both.
II was all the more pleased with my
perception ofthcse facts, inasmuch as nc
one else In tho hotel had tho least idea Of
tho situation. Outwarlly there wai
perfect harmony In the trio.
"onemorning. after the party had beer
In the hotel about week. the old gentle
man did not appear as usual at breakfast
and In reply 90 inquiries his wife said
that no was not feeling we'll. In IN,
course Of the day the doctor-an English
man, by tho way-was sent for, and IN
the evening the landlord, who was ~
angry with the old man as II he had got
his illness on purpose, told me oontden
TALLY, with tears OF rage, that tho OLD
gentleman had been pronounced by th,
doctor TO be III Of gastric fever, and tina
tho ohh was serious. The landlord
anxiety was not without reason. Th'
fact could not be concealed, and the Wis
iton began TO leave In haste. Only /
few besides ne remained. am no
In the least nervous about illness, and
had no intention OF leaving tho place fo
such cause, a resolve which raised mi
greatly In the landlords esteem.
"Ono morning, about ten days afte
the old gentleman's seizure, 1 met th,
doctor cosiing down stairs. lie locke,
much less anxious than for some day
past; indeed. there was an expression nl
most OF satisfaction on his face.
"'How Is your PATIENT | asked.
"'lhe crisis Is past, or almost past,
he answered cheerfully. lie owes hi
life, II he pulls through. to the nursin,
Of his daughter aud his wife, esIeclall,
the daughter, who Is trump He I
now asleep, and upon that sleeep every
thing depends, II ho wakcus in ,hr,
or four hours Of bis own accord he vii
lie safe, in all human probability
L'etSthlng depends on his sleep. Ihay