The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1895-10-23
CHAPTER XIV.
STATEMENT OF BERNARD vICKERY.

The whole court was electrified by
Vickery's words. The man could only
mean either that he was a witness of
the actual murder or that he was about
to confess that he himself was the mur-
derer.
Inspector Briggs wore a puzzled look
on his face. Constable Metcalf, who
was still in the court. looked as puzzled
IS his chief. Constable Young's fat face
beamed with delight. He, and he only,
had from the beginning-to use his own
expression-''spotted' the murderer. 1t
was hen 1.-The cove with the chemicals"
Bernard James Vickery-who had
''done the trick"
All eyes were turned upon the wit
ness, who, now that he had succeeded
in screwing his courage to the sticking
point, seemed the most unconcerned
man in the court.
Il have stated that my occupation is
that Of an inventor. l have for some
years past been concerned mainly with
an invention which has caused me an
immense amount of anxiety
Il hope" said the cOrOner, lifting his
eyes from his notes, that we are not
going to have a long rambling state
ment concerning yourself. Rccollect,
my business here'-he was obliged to
p%unctuate his sentence with a avn
my business here is to preside over an
inquiry into the manner in which the
DEATH
II will only occupy your time, sir,
and the jury's with what l think does
concern the object Of the present in
quiry. My position is too terrible for
me to contemplate any other course"
VERY well,' said the coroner, rub
bling his eyes with his knuckles and
then stretching his elbows out, Il will
not interrupt you again unless l find
you wandering altogether from the
point"
Il feel, said Tickery, THAT I must
explain my own conduct and my own
condition before l get to the worst part
of my statement, but l will be as brief
as l possibly can. l was, as l have said,
engrossed i'll my discovery, and l knew
if l could carry out my experiments l
could at once be Il rich mani very
rich man. The only difficulty i'll my
way was the want of money. / calcu-
lated it would take at least er, 600 to
pull me through. | racked my brain for
some means of discovering how the nee
essary money was to be obtained, but l
could find no one to help me.
AT the time-I mean during the
past month"; learned from Mrs. Da-
worm that she had a considerable sum of
money in the Funded bank. She did not
state what the amount was. She had
some idea that could advise her as to
the investing Of her money. My first
impulse was to put my plans before her,
to tell her about my incompleted inven-
ton, and to ask her for help, but 1 felt
on consideration that it would be hope
less to suggest to the lady anything that
would strike her as being SO hazardous
a way Of investing her money. She had
a morbid dread Of losing everything she
possessed. and she was also eager that
it should not escape from me that she
had consulted me about her savings or
referred i'll any way to them. My own
position at this period was becoming
desperate. Everything, or nearly every
thing, l possessed was sunk in my in
v%ention, and without money to complete
my experiments l saw ruin staring me
in the face.
Il must now inform you he con-
tinued, after a brief pause, that l have
e for many years in the habit Of in
haling chloroform. l began the practice
for the purpose Of relieving all asthmatic
attack, and by degrees l have grown
somewhat reckless in the use Of the
drug. 1t always produces intense and
~pleasurable excitement at the beginning.
and has often, l fancy, provided me
with ideas. mention this only to show
that as l was in the habit of using chic
reform freely myself it was not unrea-
sonable OF me to think l might employ
1t with a stranger and not anticipate
fatal results.
"On the night>of the 9th Of October
l went to my DON about 10 O'Clock. l
had no intention Of going to bed. l was
greatly agitated and greatly distressed
as l reviewed the condition Of my fnan-
ces and the prospect Of almost >immi-
neEt ruin. AS l walked up and down
my bedroom l heard the sound Of angry
voices, and opening my door I was able
to hear a good deal of what went ON in
Mrs. Davorn's room, as her door was
slightly open. l quickly learned that
h had at that moment in her room q
sum Of 81, 800 in bank notes.
"AI at once my brain was fired with
a horrible desire to possess myself OF
thi money. l could with its powerful,
aid quickly complete my invention ant
be quickly in a position to restore the
money with ample interest"
Bernard Vickery now came to a deaf
stop. Taking his handkerchief from hi,
pocket, be wiped from his brow grea'
drops Of sweat which stood out upon hi!
forehead. There wa lead silence in tn,
court, a silence broken by the witness
as he resumed his narrative.
Il returned to my room and sat dow,
to think the matter out. There would,
knew, be the chance, indeed the stron,
probability, of discovery. Still the hon