The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1891-11-14


was a patient dead Of he knew not
what Was he to give certificate or
not? If he did not give one and 1t turned
out that the squire died of naturardis-
ease, what a useless scandal he would
create, and what fool he should look.
If he gave one and Capt. Roke re-
newed his insinuations, what then? At
best an inquest and a verdict that the
deceased died from natural causes.
But If, and DR.. Healy could not dis
guise from himself that it was pos
sible, the death was not from natural
causes? Why, he might find himself
in the dock as the poisoner or the
poisoner's accomplice.
DIR. Healy spent most miserable
night. When the morning came all
that he had resolved on was to do moth
ing until he had consulted Sir w. Mac
Fissic, whose coming he had not count
ermanded
DIR. Healy met the great physician at
the station, and on the way to the
manor house told him Of the squire's
death. and of his difficulties as to the
cause of it. Sir William asked careful
ly as to the symptoms, and as to the
deceased's habits of life. He gave no
opinion as to the cause of death until
he had seen the body. Then he spoke
decisivcly.
Don't trouble your mind about IL,
DOCTOR" he said; "it's a perfectly cleas
case"
"But what did he die of, Sir WI
liam?" asked DR.. Healy anxiously.
,,,,,,,,4L;,,or n
sound organ in the mans body. Say,
as the most obvious, cirrihosis of the
liver. That will do very well, When
can get train back to town?"
DIR. Healy gave the certificate on
death, but still he was not quite so
easy in his mind as Sir William, and
when he saw Capt. Roke seated in the
library again, he felt less comfortable
than ever That mans face showed
that he meant mischief. DIR. Healy
felt inclined to turn him out again, but
on reflection he overcame his natural
desires. After all, the captain was the
squires next-of-kin. Perhaps he had
legal, at any rate he had moral
right 20 be there until the will was
read and the funeral had taken place.
A second shock was in store for DIR.
Healy. by Mrs. Devenish's direction
the will was read the next morning.
| Under it she was appointed sole legatee
and devisee and sole 'executrix of the
squire. When this was read, the look
in Capt RolSe's face sent a shiver
through DR.. Healy. But what startled
and shocked the doctor more was this:
the will contained a direction that the
testator's body should be creamated
Here, then, was situation. Capt.
Roke meant mischief. What if after
the cremation he charged Mrs. De-
venish with poisoning her husband
and DIR. Healy with being an accessory
to the fact? How could the charge be
disrroved when the body was gone,
and Aow could the evidence that Capt.
Rolle could easily procure be met, that
many of the symptoms were consistent
with poisoning?
That evening, DIR. Healy left Saxby
for London, to consult Sir William
| MacFissic. He returned the next
morning with determined look on his
face. He offered to undertake the
arrangements for cremating the squire,
| tiul NlIS. DCNCIllSll dCCcDbCu IlS OllSI.
The day after that ceremony the
crisis came. Mrs. Devenish, white with
| terror called to consult Dr. Healy.
Capt. Roke that morning had demanded
a private interview with her. He there
and then declared that unless she
divided the inheritance with him, he
would charge her and Dr. Healy with
poisoning the squire, and he would
prove it. He had taken all precautions,
he added, significantly.
Let him do the worst" said DIR.
Healy calmly.
That evening Capt. Roke called again
on Mrs. Devenish and asked her for hel
answer. She refused, pointblank, tc
give him shilling. The captain
without a word, left her. The next
morning he swore an information
against Mrs. Devenish and Dr. Healy
for the murder of John Devenish of the
manor house. They We're both i'm
mediately arrested
When the case came before the mag
istrates it was soon clear that the lie
PENDANTS had an ugly series of circum
stances to meet. AS counsel for the
prosecution stated Capt. Roke would
swear that, suspecting som ething wa
wrong from the behavior of the widow
and the unsatisfactory answers of th
doctor, he privately took some of tn,
medicine and other things which hat
been administered to the deceased AM
sent them to London for analysis. I'm
fortunately the analysts report did no
reach him until after the cremation. /
was to the effect that they were al
charged with arsenic The analys
, would come forward, and the medicine
would be produced. Then, further
distinguished medical man had bee
consulted, and would give evidence t.
the effect that the symptoms of the de
ceased's illness were not merely cor
| sistent with, but suggested, arsenica
t poisoning Much other evidence wa
) promised which seemed to raise tn
: strongest suspicious of guilt
J A considerable part of the day ha
been occupied in stating the case fo
/ the prosecution, and hearing Cap
e Roke's evidence. Then counsel aske
for an adjournment to enable more ev
1 dence to be brought forward.
: Perhaps" said the counsel for tn
E prisoners, 81 may as well now stat
= my defense. 1t will, think, make a
= adjournment unnecessary"
What is your case?" asked the chat
: man slSeptically.
:, "Simply this = that the arsenic wi
v put into the medicine by Capt. Rols
S which the detective now beside hin
4 and who has baen watch inc him sim