Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1898-03-26
THE P0ISONER.


marks NJ. de Goron, ex-chief of detect
ives of Paris, in his recently published
memoirs, - not because the crime is
| less common than formerly but because
science has made it so difficult of detec-
! ton and chance so seldom puts proof
! into the hands of the police.
1t was chance, however, that permit
! ted me on one occasion to detect "a poi
| sOner.
A commercial traveller, M. x. had his
letters addressed post restante at the
| Theatre Francois bureau. One morning,
unexpectedly called back to town, he
was astonished to see at the postoffice
on a little blue envelope a handwrit-
| ing unfamiliar TO him. Opening it, he
read:
MY WELL BELovEn-I have seen your hus-
| band and have observed with satisfaction that
| the disease has made serious progress. His
! lips are quite white his eyes hollow, his coun-
tenance ashen. think we can hope to be rid
| of him in Il month.
| 2. SIN bring another little packet tomor-
row.
The poor drummer at first thought it
| a hoax, but rejecting that chance might
have put into his hands the proof of an
adulterous crime which would have had
a sinister end, he hurried to the office of
the surete bearing the title blue accuser,
which be handed to me.
! / turned it over in my hands, surpris-
| ed that criminals who could plan such
| an infamous crime should forget the
elementary precautions.
| ,,No all
| joke, merely to make work for the po
| lice. Then | reflected that most big
crimes are discovered by the criminals
! imprudence and | resolved to investi-
| gate.
My duty was to solve the mystery. l
had the postoffioe watched.
Early next morning a pretty young
woman called to get the letter.
She was frightened when an officer
very politely took her by tho arm and
| led her to carriage.
No one saw the arrest. Tho carriage
was already on its way when the wom-
an demanded:
"Where are you taking me, sir?'
"To the chief of detectives, madam. F"
She fell back and said no more, but
her hands shook nervously and her lips
were bloodless.
Large graceful, beautiful, still
young, the woman was dressed with the
severe elegance Of the prosperous bour-
geoise. She was a blond, whose blue
eyes, marked round with blister, and
/ whose mobile features seemed to mirror
all her reflections.
By the manner in which she entered
the office l knew she was a woman of
the world. She sat down, nervously
beating on the table. Her gesture was
abrupt, her voice hoarse, and there was
an odd look in her eye.
"What do you wish?" sine said.
"Why am l, an honest woman, brought
here?"
l tried to calm her, but her voice be-
came harsher as she cried: Its infa-
mousl / need not tell you my name,
Then, with due regard to dramatic
effect, handed her the blue envelope.
She fell on her knees, crying in a
voice broken by sobs: "Mercy! Mercy
l am an unhappy woman! l am poi
soner! Yes, l wished to kill my hus-
band! But ! alone am to blame. He had
to obey me. Punish no one but me-
eff you knew, - she went on, chow l
hate my husband To see him there, al
ways near me, is torture worse than
death. l love the young man who wrote
that note with all my soul With him
/ am in heaven. But to 60 home and
endure my husband S embrace, his lips
upon my cheek-it is like fire, At any
cost he must die! prefer crime to that
agony of every minute, every second.
But ! swear | alone am guilty Punish
me. | have merited death, but spare
him, pray your'
Almost at the moment she seized a
pair Of scissors from my desk and would
have stabbed herself had not her hand
been staid.
forced her to sit down and told her
how much better it was that the crime
had been discovered, and by gentle
means | got from the weeping woman
the name and address of Ter lover. Then
| babe her wait in neighboring room
under guard.
| sent out agents to arrest the lover
anu uleduWuAlo h'oNluu'N LCI alSaiIs
She said she didn't know what the pow
der was. The lover had sent it at her
request for something slow and sure.
Two hours later the men brought in
NJ. Leon D., the gayest assassin they
ever saw, they said
"Well, well " he had laughed as be
saw the men fle in, "this is funny.
never thought it would turn out so com
ical.
And all the way to my Office be