The herald., 1893-09-26
ADDIE GILMoUR.

DIR. West Confesses How He Disposed
of the Body of the Murdered Girl.
"When | asked him for news of my
child" said Mr.. Gilmour. "he told me
he had nothing to tell. endesvored to
persuade him to tell what he knew. but
he continued to gay that beyond treat
ing her for few days he knew nothing
Of her, and also knew nothing of her
whereabouts. Then told him that un-
less he told what he knew l would give
him into the hands of the officers who
were waiting outside. There was no
one outside save Mr.. Austin, but he was
Mrs. Austin and myself to swear that
we would never try to harm him in any
way, and that If we would take our
solemn oaths to this effect he would tell
what he knew.
81 told him." continued Mr.. Giimour,
"that I would promise never TO harm
him and would not prosecute. All that
l wanted was my child If she were alive
or her body il she were dead. l made
him this solemn promise, but Mrs.
Austin did not make any promises.
The doctor then came and stood in front
of US, and, taking our hands in his, said !:
God only knows what suffering l
have undergone and what mortal ago.
MES OF conscience | have endured. Now
am happy and thankful, for can re-
ieve my mind OF the awful load that
has driven me. to the verge of insanity.
I believe you to be an honest man and
you an honest woman, and believing
this will tell ALL"
g But where is my child p asked.
g She is dead
"'Where did she die p
In there he replied, pointing to
the back room, which l have since
learned was used by the doctor as a
laboratory and kitchen.
"'If she is dead,' 1 said, where is
her body?'
Her head is at Lime Point. 1t was
found there some days ago. Her body 1
gave to two medical Students
when did she die p l asked.
He pointed to calendar hanging
on the wall and replied, September 81
81 asked him if he had told me the
whole truth, and he held up his left
hand and took solemn oath that he
had told all that he knew, and that what
he had told me was the whole truth. He
then went on at great length and told
what agoniss of body and mind he had
suffered since his daughters death. He
said that he had lost 10 pounds in
weight. Twas prostrated with grief, and
scarcely knew whether L was alive or
dead. The DOCTORS terrible disclosures,
his tragic manner, his solemn oath and
the knowledge of the awful fate that had
overtsken my poor girl, rendered me
senseless for the moment, and l could
not move hand or foot. Mrs. Austin sat
fainting in her chair beside me, and the
doctor, throwing off his tragic manner,
went to the table to get her glass OF
spirits. Then my senses came back to
me, and insisted that she should not
drink the wine, as was afraid it was
poisoned. ~
'Just how we got out of the house /
shall never know" continued the grief
stricken father, ''but when we reached
the street Mrs. Austin fell fainting into
the arms Of her husband, and it was
fully half an hour before we could revive
her.
81 cannot recall all of the protesta-
tions and self-accusations of the doctor,
but all that he said that related to my
daughters death is indelibly impressed
upon my memory. He did not say in
so many words that she died while ne
was performing criminal operation,
but that was what he meant for US to
understand. Neither did he say directly
that he removed the head from the
body, but have given his exact
language, and there can be no other
conclusion reached.
"That is absolutely all that took place
at the interview. What has since oc.
CURED you already know"
1t was with great reluctance that Mr..
Gilmour and Mrs. Austin consented to re-
view the painful scenes OF that terrible
night, but when at last all was said they
felt relieved, and, no doubt, took some
satisfaction in knowing that the world
would know 80 much more of the man
who PAGES his cell and processes to be
innocent of any connection with the
death of Addie Gilmour.-San Francisco
Call