The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1891-06-05

and indignation. 1 explained to my
wife what it was the Police Inspector
wished to do. We'll, where is the
harm?' said she innocently. There
can be nothing, my dear, that you wish
TO conceal, or that you need be afraid
of. could say no more. There were
only three things that were locked in
the rOom-twO drawers of a writing
table and desk that stood on a side
board. The desk contained only few
private papers, including the two in
surance policies. and it was weeks since
! had opened it. That was the first
| thing the Inspector unlocked, my wife
and myself looking on. In one corner
there was small linen bag, half full.
which | had never seen before, and in
my wOnderment | made some eXcla-
nation and put my hand toward it.
| But the Inspector was too quick for
me. Having secured it, he put his
finger and thumb into the bag and
took out a pinch of the stuff it con-
tanned and held it up to the light. ut
is salt, isn't it ? my wife remarked.
The same kind of salt, ma am, that
YOUR arrOwFOOt was seasoned with, if
! am not mistaken the inspector an
Swered, as he carefully tied up the bag
again; this is arsenic Hearing this
my wife shrank from me with a look
Of horror, and without a word went
back to the bedroom, while |, feeling
stunned or like one in dream, was
taken away to the police station.
j have already tried your patience.
gentlemen, with my long story, and |
will not trouble you with the terrible
details of what followed. | was COM
mitted for trial for the attempted muir
der. 1t was shown that with my small
salary | had insured my wife's life for
900 pound sterling, and the doctor
was called to prove that within a
month the symptoms which were con-
sistent with slow poisoning began to
appear. 1t was shown that the packet
of arruwroOt in the cupboard and the
beef-tea essence, which were intended
for my wife'S exclusive use, were
already poisoned. and could not deny
my own declaration to the Police In
spector that the keys of the desk where
the little bag of arsenic was discovered
were never out of my possession. You
may be sure that the prosecution did
not fail to point out how much my
guilt was increased by the cunning
attempt to put the crime on the innO-
cent servant-g girl, and the end of it was
that | was sentenced to ten years
penal servitude.
" As have already informed you. |
never from the time of my conviction
received any communication from my
wife, which, of course, added much 10
the bitterness of my cruel punishment.
since it PITT it beyond doubt that she
too, believed me guilty, and scores of
times | prayed that | might soon die
in prison, like Seth TaplOw. But my
of innocence supported me.
and | lived through it. And now
comes the most terrible part of my
strange tale. | never thought to see
my wife again, hut on my way here
this morning | met her. | did not
know her at first, she looked so old
and altered. It was a joyful moment
when | beheld her, and | put out both
my hands, but she claSped hers behind
her, and there was relentless hatred
in her eyes. Good God p said. can
it be that you have all along and still
think me guilty? There was nc
wasting of words between us. With
no one to overhear u.s. she said. listen
to what | have come on purpose to tell
you. | know of no guilt of yours but
One-yOur murder of tho man loved
1t was for that | married you, that |
might be well revenged.' And then
she told me how she herself had
planned the poisoning for which | had
been tried and convicted. 1t was she
who had procured the arsenic and with
! false key placed it in the desk where |
t was found; she who had mixed the !
poison with the food. To carry out |
Ter fiendish design, she had taken |
mall doses of the deadly stuff. and |
inally larger though not fatal dose
o as to make it abundantly clear that
t was my villainOus intention to muir
Ter her so as to obtain the insurance
money. And still with no one to
verhear u.s. she said, let me tell you
hat it was not that you might be
for a paltry ten years that
ran the deadly risk. | hoped you
would have been sent away for twice
$ long-fOr your life, perhaps. But
have not done with you yet, John
4Ock. To be rid of me you will have
o kill me. ! will goad you to it. and
lie happy, knowing that you will end
our life on the gallOws' +"
| have nothing to add to John Locks
TRANCE story. and the reader is as well
BILE as myself to judge if there was
ny truth in it, or whether it was
fabrication on the ex-cOn-
lets part to excite sympathy. In
uiry, | believe, was made for his
life, but she had been lost sight of
Dr. years, and was nowhere to be
1und, while as for John himself. at
is most earnest request, and to the
lSt perSisting in the statement he had
lade. he was shipped to America
ondOn Telegraph.