The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1895-10-24


Vickcry's room was next examined,
and then the jury mounted to the Sec
ond floor and surveyed Miss Rodney's
room and u small bedroom which ad-
joined it.
In the end the 10 men We're obliged
to admit that there was nothing for it
but to accept Vickery's confession, and
be satisfied with a solution Of the mys-
terry Of the locked doors which Inspector
Briggs offered them, namely, that it
was quite possible-though he insisted
he did not urge it as q theory, or a be-
lief of his own-some one had entered
the house after the murder, or was con-
cealed in the house all night, and had
secured the doors i'll order to give him
self ample time to carry out some plan,
the nature Of which was not yet known.
"Of course" added the inspector,
''your business, gentlemen, is concerned
with nothing but the murder of Mrs.
Davorn. Ihave no desire to confuse you
with secondary matters.
The Is jurymen left the house thor
oughly discounted. Their visit had
taught them little or nothing. There
was no mystery in the case which had
not been cleared up by Vickery's con-
fession. The mystery of the stolen mon
ey did not concern them. 1t was q mat
ter for the police.
Having made up their minds so far
the jury and its guardians sought out q
decent restaurant and there discussed q
liberal meal.
When the court was reOpened at 3
o'clock the coroner, who seemed to have
got rid of Il good deal Of his WEAKNESS,
informed the jury that Dr.. Percival was
now in attendance, and would at once
proceed to give his evidence.
DR.. Stanley Percival was then called,
and approached the table, where the
oath was administered to him. He gave
his evidence rapidly and with ease, his
kindly face lighted up with a look Of
intelligence which made the jury to a
man feel they were listening to the evil
dence Of one in whom they could place
implicit confidence.
DR.. Pcrc3val testified to his having
been summoned to - Felspar road
shortly after 6 o'clock in the morning
by Miss Rodney; to his finding Mrs.
Davorn dead in ~bed-quite cold and
rigid, explained the doctor-and to his
subsequent discovery of the sponge IN
der the bed.
He was here interrupted by the fore
man.
"Can you tell us, Sir, at what time
about what time-in your opinion, the
sponge had been used to chloroform the
deceased?'
The doctor smiled at the question,
the coroner looked up from his notes,
directing Il curious glance at the fore
man, and the foreman himself instantly
collapsed.
Il can give you no information on
that point" said DR.. Percival. "All
can say is that the sponge contained un-
mistakable traces Of chloroform-traces
that woulC he apparent to any n who
had ever used the drug. There was in
the room, as l entered it, the sweet,
fruity, seductive odor, and to the best
of my belief, Judging from this and
from the condition of the sponge when
I picked it up, the sponge had contained
chloroform in a highly volatile condi-
tion an hour or two previous to my dis
covery Of it
II am afraid, doctor, you have very
nearly allowed yourself to be drawn
into a dissertation O. the nature and
properties of chloroform,' said the
handsome coroner smiling blandly.
"You mean to suggest, l think, that the
chloroform had been introduced into the
deceased's bedroom between the hours OF
4 and 6 O'Clock on the morning Of the
10th of October"
Exactly, sir
"Well, doctor, proceed, if you please. y
~ formulated an opinion at the time
I was in the deceased's bedroom on
Thursday morning." continued the wit
ness promptly, that Mrs. Davorn had
not succumbcd to the effects of chloro-
form in any shape
A quick thrill of excitement ran
through the court at this statement.
Even the cnnuied coroner looked up from
his desk and gazed in establishment al
DR.. Pcrciyal. \
Behind his &heltering pillar Detective
Goringe smiled.
fro RE C~ONTIETED1