Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1892-01-21
WITNESSED A TRAGEDY.

Wtul W us iNdSiiSS WIN INN q - "
nights ago from the club, and soon found
myself seated in an armchair by the fire
side. with a pipe in my mouth and
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 series of CHASTITY 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 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. lin ninety-nine
murders out of hundred circumstantial
evidence and motive are the only helps
to conviction. No one in his senses COM
mits murder if there is any one look
ing on"
mo" 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 filed his pipe.
ut is not every one" he went on,
"who has been secret witness of muir
der, but have"
"You?" exclaimed.
Menken nodded.
"Was he convicted and hangedT' ]
asked
1T 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 i could have
said could have convicted the woman.
It was a very odd case altogether; one
of the most ingenious things | ever heard
Of will tell you the story, if you like
1t will be simpler than you getting 1t
out of me by cross examination.
about four years ago Twas traveIing
in Switzerland. In the course IF my
rambles | reached Tauserwal2. was
much taken with the place; the scenery
was superb, the hotel old fashioned but
delightfully."- comfortable.
There were severGs people staying
there besides myself but as am a gre.
; garious sort of fellow, was rather glad
of it. After lad been there about q
; fortnight, on entering the dining room
for dinner noticed some new arrivals
Among them was party of three Eng
lish-sh old gentleman. his young wife
Q and daughter of the old gentlemant
/ by d former marriage. The daughter
y Ooor girl, was blind. She was abou
: twenty, and looked delicate. | canno
) say she was pretty, but yet she was no
y unpleasing The old boy, her father
was Just like other English gentlemen
you see about.
n 1.-THE wife was decidedly pretty; sh
Is was about eight and twenty, fair, wit
= gray eyes and a most undeniable figure
They seemed to be we'll off, but they dl
y not hold much intercourse with the res
IT of the inmates of the hotel.
Fe "You know rather pride myself o.
e nv powers of observation. Though
le made no sort of acquaintance with tn
OF party, used to watch them and stud
them, as do all my fellow creature
I'd whom come across.
# II was not long in finding out thre
y facts First. that the old gentleman Wa
er madly fond of his wife and indifferer
hs hs to his daughter; secondly, that tt
to daughter adored her father and did nj
ur like his wife: thirdly. that the wife hate
them both.
nd II was all the more pleased with N
in perception of these facts, inasmuch as I
20 one else in the hotel had the least idea
n1' the situation Outwardly there WI
perfect harmony in the trio.
Nc Zone morning, after the party had BET
mr. in the hotel about week, the old gent
Id man did not appear as usual at breakfas
en- and in reply to inquiries his wife sa
as that he was not feeling well. In t.
course Of the day the doctor-an Englis
70 man, by the way-was sent for, and
w ~, the evening the landlord, who was
80 - angry with the old man as if he had 6
of his illness on purpose, told me contide
- TALLY. with tears of rage, that the G
gentleman had been pronounced by t
doctor to be i'll of gastric fever, and til
the case was serious The Landlord
tty anxiety was not without reason. L
nal fact could not be concealed, and the v
}" itors began to leave in haste. Only
~ ~" few besides me remained. | am l
ns in the least nervous about illness, ant
Sc had no intention of leaving the place
by such a cause, a resolve which raised /
fer greatly in the landlords esteem.
hip lone morning. about ten days at
the the old gentlemans seizure, | met
me doctor coming down stairs He iooE
leu much less anxious than for some d'
" mast: indeed there was an expression
,eir most of satisfaction on his face.
on "'How is your patientT asked
ks 1.-The crisis is past, or almost pa
e a he answered cheerfully. He owes
lew life, if he pulls through, to the nurs
non of his daughter and his wife, especa
icn . the daughter, who is a trump! Ht
.,sa now asleep. and upon that sleeep eve
ant ant thing depends. If he wakens in tn
or four hours of his own accord he '
rem be safe, in all human probabil'
pro Everything depends on his sleep II
evi told the landlord to give strict orden
as every servant to be most careful In
;esf ,.t he M noise of any sort. If he W
'ion .' wakened suddenly the shock would
N him as certainly as if you fred bu
'iye through his brain. | have just told
pp, ~: wife Of this All that is wanted
{ to sleep.