The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-02-18
LOVE AND POISON.

/ tice now. He IS retired Upon very
fine income, the result Of long years Of
practice, very successful too, in a med
ical point of view, and being bachelor
| loves to gather such of his old cronies as
time has spared about him, unawed by
the presence of petticoats or the domi-
neering of grown up children, whose
rapid modern views are intolerant of old
fashioned ways, and who, although they
do not express it in so many words, show
that they are weary waiting the indie
pendence and power that money brings,
and which they know must be their por-
ton when hand and brain that patiently
gathered it are hidden away in the earth,
with their lying griefs cut in the cold
and repulsive graveyard marble.
One night the doctor and few of his
gray cronies were gathered around the
blaze of his fireplace, in his solidly COM
Portable sitting room, comparing notes
on case of strychnine poisoning that
had startled the town. From this special
theme they drifted away to a general
discussion of the peculiarities of poisons
and then to prisoners, those who pur-
sued the dreadful trade of poisoning
others for lucrative gain or place or
power, in ages gone by. The doctor of
divinity was especially well versed in all
of the horrible cases of poisoning by the
Borgias of olden days, especially that
far famed prelate, Cesare Borgia, who,
as many historians allege, in CONJUNCTION
with his father, concocted the plan of
poisoning four of the wealthiest cardi-
mails at an evening party in the Villa
Corneto: but by mistake the poison,
which was mixed with wine, was adj
ministered to Alexander VI and Cesare
himself. But Cesare was saved, having
partaken of but little Of the drugged
wine. All the rest died. Then Cesare
seized upon the papal treasures, but was
afterward overthrown and banished.
1t would seem from what the reverend
gentleman advanced that be believed
that everybody connected with the noble
classes in those far back days were pois-
oners, and that every ambitious man or
woman made his or her way to power
through the medium of the poison cup.
And then, a natural sequence to the
process of reasoning INDUCED in by the
cloth, he laid all the blame upon the
theological tenets entertained by the
people in those days, drawing from one
of the retired merchants present the
cynical observation, ''How strangely
like a woman the average clergyman
reasonsp
Whereat all present, inclusive Of the
good natured clergyman himself, laughed
pleasantly, while the latter continued M
his hit and miss observations. He was
satisfied from his reading that as rule
poisoning was originally confined among
the higher classes of society, and from
this he drew the homily that as a rule
adversely drew families closer together
than prosperity; he was positive that
adversely drew friends together with
hooks of steel.
When ambition stepped in the hooks
of steel that bound friends together re-
Taxed their grip, jealousies were To-
mented and the glitter Of gold dried the
dewy eye of friendship. He did not
think, barring insanity, that case of
poisoning ever occurred among people
in humble life. He had yet to hear of
such an instance. Talk as you will, he
asserted, the humber classes are the
closest to God and are the most obedient
to his will.
Dr. Baird, who had his eye bent upon
the fire while the not unpleasantly vol
uble clergyman was talking, looked up
as he closed and said: lone of your con-
Guiding remarks somehow reminds me
of a strange case that came under my
observation while q was III practice in
one of the largest cities of the United
States. A Waterman was taken sud
denly i'll while pacing his beat at 2:30
o'clock in the morning, and was carried
home
The nearest physician, myself as it
happened to be. was hurriedly called.
and fastening thither 1 found the man
in great distress. Administering some
thing to alleviate MS pains, came to
the conclusion that 1t was a case of
poison by strychnine. l put up the
proper medicine, and on inquiry found
that DR.. c. was the regular family ply
stefan. The watchmans wife was hand
some English woman, about 30 years of !
age, who stood at the foot of the bed
during my ministrations 10 her husband.
with nothing peculiar about her except !
a pair of piercing black eyes. l do
rot know that l would have remem-
bered the expression Of her eyes
but for the fact that the Waterman, in
an interval Of his paroxysms, groaned |
out, oh. doctor! l was all right until l !
ate that little piece Of pork
Il happened 10 look up at the time and |
found the wife's ewes bent upon my face /
with sharp scrutiny Of suspicious in |
spection. But there was trouble written |
in her face, and / attributed the look at
the time 10 the natural anxieties of
wife. l had a more important case on |
hand for that morning, and giving the |
necessary directions to the woman, to- |
gsther with instructions 10 call the fam |
lily physician next day, and believing !
that the Waterman with the necessary /
attention was in fair way OF recovery, I
l retired.
But the Waterman died. I read % /
she fact IN the newspapers, but found /
that no suspicious attached in the case; |
poison was not even limited at. / re- 1
member only entertaining surprise a. 4
the time, but as the time went by the |
affair grew upon me 70 such a degree /
that ! was constrained by curiosity, I
which amounted to partial mania, TO IN 4
vestigate One day happened in 70 the /
health office. where the record OF deaths /