News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1891-11-12
ABOVE PROOF.
| don't like Menken


brilliantly clever-man; but he is, to
my mind, just trife too unconven-
tiOnal in his ideas.
He is, however, very good company
and havepassed good many even
ings with him over a pipe, and will
acquit him OF ever having bored me.
| went to his lodgings with him a
few nights ago from the club, and
soon found myself seated in an arm
chair by the tireside, with a pipe in
my mouth and glass of most excel
lent whiskey and water beside me.
We talked of many things, till at
length, forgot how, the conversation
turned on murders and murderers.
Some time previous London, and
indeed the whole country, had been
appalled, by a series of ghastly MUIR
ders all apparently committed by the
same hand, though in no case was a
clew afforded by which the murderer
might be discovered.
Menken explained a theory of his
own on the subject as novel as it was
startling, when the subject turned to
circumstantial evidence and its value.
after all, | said, in ninety-nine
murders out of a hundred circumstan-
ti<ll evidence eend InOtiNS arg ohe only
helps to conviction. No one in his
senses commits a murder if there is
any one looking on"
"No," said Menken, slowly, "people
prefer doing these things in private if
possible. But sometimes they are
not aware that there are witnesses.
He paused and filled his pipe
cit is not every one," he went on,
''who has been Il secret witness of a
murder, but | have"
"YOu?" | exclaimed.
Menken nodded.
"Was he convicted and hanged ?"
l aske1.
''Itwasn't a he, but 'she,' said
Menken, smilingIy. "And she was
not convicted and hanged, or even
tried"
"But surely you" Twas beginning
when Menken broke in.
"My dear fellow, nothing l could
have said would have convicted the
woman. Itwas a very odd case alto
gether-One of the most ingenious
things | ever heard of. Twill tell you
thestory if you like; it will besimpler
than your getting it out of me by
Oss-eXaminatiOn.
"AbOut four years ago was travel
ing in Switzerland. In the course of
my rambles | reached Tauserwald. |
was much taken with the place-the
scenery was superb, the hotel old
fashioned but delightfully."- comfort
able.
"There were several people staying
there besides myself, but, as | am a
gregarious sort of fellow, | was rather
glad of it. After | had been there
about a fortnight, on entering the
dining-roOm for dinner | noticed some
new arrivals. Among them was
party of three Englsh-an old gentle
man, his young wife and a daughter
of the old gentleman by a former
marriage The daughter, poor thing,
was blind. She was twenty and look
ed delicate. | can not say she was
pretty, but yet she was not unpleas-
ing. The old boy, her father, was
Just like other old English gentlemen
you see about.
''The wife was decidedly pretty; she
was about uteight-and-twenty, fair, with
gray eyes and a most uudeniable fig
ure. They seemed to be well off, but
they did not hold much intercourse
with the rest of the inmates of the
hotel.
you know ratherpride myself on
my powers of observation. Though
| made no sort of an acquaintance
with the party, used to watch them
and study them, as do all my fellow
creatures whom | come across.
"Iwas not long in finding out three
facts: First, that the old gentleman
was madIy fond of his wife and indif-
ferent to his daughter; secondly, that
the daughter adOred her father and
did not like his wife; thirdly, that the
wife hated them both.
81 was all the more pleased with my
perception of these facts inasmucb as
no one else in the hotel had the least
idea of the situation; outwardly there
was perfect harmony in the trio.
cone mornig after the party had
been in the hotel about a week, the
old gentleman did not appear as us
ual at breakfast, and, in reply to in
quiries, his wife said he was not feel
ing well. In the course of the day the
doctor-an Englishman by the way
was sent for, and in the evening the
landlord, who was as angry with tbe
old man as if he got his illness on
purpose, told me confidentialIy with
tears of rage that the old gentleman
had been pronounced by the doctor
to be i'll of gastric fever, and that tn,
case was serious. The landlords
anxiety was not without reason. Tht
fact could not be concealed, and visi
tors began to leave in haste. Only {
few besides me remained on. | an
not in the least nervous about illness
and had no intention of leaving th,
place for such a cause-a resolve whicl
raised me greatly in the landlord
esteem.
zone morning, about ten days al
ter the old mans seizure, | met tn