Arizona republican., 1891-11-14
WITNESSED A TRAGEDY.

glass of most excellent whisky and water beside me We talked of many things, till at length, forget how, the conver- sation turned on murders and murderers.
 Some time previous London, and in- deed the whole country, had been ap- palled by a series of ghastly murders, all apparently committed by the same hand, though in no case was clew af- forded by which the murderer might be discovered.
 Menken explained a theory of his own on the subject, as novel as it was start ling, when the subject turned to cir cumstantial evidence and its value.
 After all," said, ''in ninety-nine murders out of a hundred circumstantial evidence and motive are the only helpa to conviction. No one in his senses com mits murder if there is any one look- ing 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.
 Ut is not every one," he went on, "who has been a secret witness of mur- der, but have"
 "You?" exclaimed.
 Menken nodded.
 "Was he convicted and hangedY" asked.
 "It wasn't he, but 'she,'" said Menken smiling. "And she was not convicted and hanged, or even tried"
 But surely you was beginning. when Menken broke in. -
 My dear fellow, nothing l could have said could have convicted the woman. It was a very odd case altogether; one of the most ingenious things ever heard of. Twill tell you the story, if you like. It will be simpler than you getting it out of me by cross examination.
 About four years ago Twas travelling in Switzerland. In the course of my rambles reached Tauserwald. I was much taken with the place; the scenery was superb, the hotel old fashioned but delightfully."- comfortable.
 "There were several people staying there besides myself, but as l am a gre garious sort of fellow, was rather glad of it. After I had been there about a 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 gentleman's by former marriage The daughter, poor girl, was blind. She was about twenty, and looked delicate. l cannot say she was pretty, but yet she was not unpleasing. The old boy, her father, was just like other English gentlemen you see about.
 "The wife was decidedly pretty; she was about eight and twenty, fair, with gray eyes and a most undeniable figure They seemed to be well off, but they did not hold much intercourse with the rest of the inmates of the hotel.
 You 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 do all my fellow creatures whom l come across.
 'I was not long in finding out three facts. First, that the old gentleman was madly fond of his wife and indifferent to his daughter; secondly, that the daughter adored her father and did not like his wife; thirdly, that the wife hated them both.
 "l was all the more pleased with my perception of these facts, inasmuch as no cone else in the hotel had the least idea of the situation Outwardly there was perfect harmony in the trio.
 "One morning, after the party had been in the hotel about week, the old gentle man did not appear as usual at breakfast, and in reply to inquiries his wife said that he was not feeling well. In the course of the day the doctor-an English man, by the way-was sent for, and in the evening the landlord, who was as angry with the old man as if he had got his illness on purpose, told me confiden- tially, with tears of rage, that the old gentleman had been pronounced by the doctor to be ill of gastric fever, and that the case was serious. The landlords anxiety was not without reason. The fact could not be concealed, and the vis- itors began to leave in haste. Only a few besides me remained. 1 am not in the least nervous about illness, and 1 had no intention of leaving the place for such cause, a resolve which raised me greatly in the landlords esteem.
 "One morning, about ten days after the old gentleman's seizure, met the doctor coming down stairs. He looked much less anxious than for some days past; indeed, there was an expression al most of satisfaction on his face.
 "'How is your patientY asked.
 "'The crisis is past, or almost past, he answered cheerfully. He owes his life, if he pulls through, to the nursing of his daughter and his wife, especially the daughter, who is trump! He is now asleep, and upon that sleeep every thing depends. If he wakens in three or four hours of his own accord he will Se safe, in all human probability. Everything depends on his sleep. have told the landlord to give strict orders to every servant to be most careful. There must be no noise of any sort. # he were wakened suddenly the shock would kill him as certainly as if you fired a bulle through his brain l have just told hi wife of this All that is wanted is sleep.
 "The doctor nodded to me as he wen down the steps from the hotel, sailing 1r-as if anticipating triumph for his art
 Monsieur said voice at my el bow. turned, and saw my friend tn landlord Monsieur knows said be smiling sourly that Austrian count wh