The morning news., 1894-10-21

i'm proof that she had urea
of him and was anxious LOT
release from the undertaking, but TINS ne
refused. 1t was also established tHdI Oii
several occasions just previous 10 ms VS.
it's she had bought poison, and that sue
ceeding these visits he was almost m
variably attacked by severe illness
One day she purchased lot OF arsenic,
explaining that she wanted it to Kill rats
She Immediately wrote to walker lnNlt-
ing him to tea on the following evening
He was out of the city and did not get the
note till too late to respond. She wrote
again, urging him to come on subsequent
evening. and added: II waited and waited
for you, but you came not / shall wait
again on the evening of Thursday, same
time and arrangement
Walker received this note. it was es-
tablished that he started from his lodg-
ings in excellent health on the Thursday
evening, and that at . o'clock he sauntered
in the direction Of Margaret's house. Eff
teen or twenty minutes later he called
on friend who lived but short distance
from her residence, remaining but short
time Then came strange hiatus In the
| record, leaving a blank of four and hau
hours Between and 3 next morning
| Walker was found at his own door, wrtth-
ing and speechless, and he died without
word or sign. An autopsy was held pc
traying a large quantity of arsenic in the
] body. Between y;3O ana no human DS-
/ ing could depose to having seen him. Mar
/ garet denied that she saw him at all that
! night. nor could a scintilla of proof be
! found that she did.
She was brought to trial for Walkers
| murder, after every effort had been
/ made to induce her to confess, for it was
well understood that the evidence of the
prosecution was very weak There was
proof in abundance of her desire to get
rid of him, thus establishing a motive; of
| her purchase of arsenic, showing possess
/ sion of the instrument that was found to
have been fatal; and her notes of invita-
ton. indicating that she sought an oppor-
tunity to commit the crime, but entire alb
| sence of proof that the opportunity was
| enjoyed availed to set her free. In the
| knowledge that there was no evidence to
convict her, she defed her prosecutors,
saying:
prove it, l deny that Walker was there.
II he was why don't you establish the
fact? If he was not, how could l feed
him on poison"
THAT curious Scottish verdict mot
proven" was rendered, but still the COM
munity clung to the idea that Margaret
Spess was a murderer. and circum-
stances have never arisen to modify this
judgment
Recently it seems that many obstacles
to the detection of crime are intervening
and that these are exceptional We are
well aware that while science has devised
many ways to trace and fasten upon the
wrong his crime, the criminal has
been no less alert. Crime chooses its own
ground and adroitly arranges its oppor-
tunities. 1t knows how to provide fol-
concealment and defense. As an intricate
problem is much more easily propounded
than solved, so It Is much easier for q
criminal to secrete a hatchet, a pistol OF
a knife than for a hundred men to find II
The wrong-doer knows when suspicion Is
{ directed against him, and ts usually n
some degree aware Of the steps that are
being taken for his detection and appre
r hension.
lie Is more alert than the most skilled
{ detective, for while the detective is a
work for a fee and reputation, the crimi
! nal is defending his liberty and perhap
4 his life. The murder Of Charles Ross, Sr.
g while he was filling the Office OF treasure
Of one OF our Industrial expeditions, ant
g | recently that Of poor Mary Eckhart. ar
y | set unpublished and their perpetrator
= seem fated 20 30 unwhipped Of justice
q IN the category with these are othe
e crimes az crimson and their blOod-staine
= record challenges high heaven for redress
3 Must such an appeal continue 10 be d
= vaing