Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1899-11-10

that little Laura's life might at least,
be preserved. A cousulta tion with the
chief constable followed, and the doc
tor who attended little Laura arranged
to telephone the news of her next at
tack. His summons came within a
week, and Kerr, alias Wren, was ar
rested at his daughters bedside. He
made most frantic resistance, crying
out that he, and he alone, could re-
store the child to consciousness, but
was at last removed to the station and
searched. A hypodermic syringe,
filed with a dark, blood-colored fluid,
of unknown properties, and a curious
ly pungent odor was found upon him;
and similar syringe was found in
the room where Lauras apparently
dead body lay. This contained a sort
of viscld green matter, quite unknown
to European medicine, and smelling
like rotten bananas. Two peculiarly
shaped phials, marked one and two
in Sanscrit characters, and containing
decoctiOns that cOrresponded to the
two syrlnges, were found in Kerr's
bedroom, concealed in an old hat-case.
Laura remained unconscious, and
at last even my hopes of her recovery
faded away, and the corpse of the lit
tie one was laid out to await a post
mOftem examination.
"Swanston, the local practitioner,
noticed that there were seven pune
lures made by the syringe on her left
arm and six on her rigth. On this
slender basis, and on Kerr's excited
declaration that he could save her,
Swanston built up a curious theory.
1t was that, as the insurance had not
been in force six months, and there
fore, had not matured, the man had no
present intention of Staying his daugh-
ter, but was only preparing the way,
and he pointed out that this was her
seventh attack. He, therefore, argued
that an injection of the blood-colored
fluid would restore her to life and
health
Accordingly. Swanston and 1, ac-
eOmpanied by the police doctor and the
inspector, returned to the chamber of
death. The injection was made. For
a moment there was absolute quies-
cence. then, by little and little, the
signs of returning animation were per-
ceived. Gradually life and warmth of
color returned to the wan and pallid
corpse faint pulsation became appar-
ent the eyelids quivered, and deep
sigh told us that for once the Angel Of
Death had yielded up his prey.
GAS the police could not prove that
Kerr had caused the catalepsy the
prosecution broke down and he was
discharged. He was Immediately re-
arrested, charged with numbering his
second wife, and remanded.
"An order from the home Secretary
having been obtained, Mrs. Kerr's
body was eXhumed A most awful
spectacle was revealed the unhappy
girl-she was only in her Dist year
mad been buried alive! or, rather the
influence of this horrible invention. this
tiend-wrought catalepsy, had been ex-
hausted after burial and-no, no,
can't dwell upon any more of 1t.
"Kerr slew himself in prison while
awaiting his trial. How he procured
the drug | know not, but he took ar
senic and saved the country the
hangman's expenses. He left a sort
of confession, scrawled on the fly
leaves of the Bible in his cell. He
averred that he intended to take little
Laura's supposed body to Cheltenham
for burial as soon as the insurance
came in force, and he would have re-
suscitated her on the way. This l be-
lieve, for his love for the little maid
marked the one soft spot in the de-
mons heart.
Laura came to my house and has
been brought up as my daughter. The
brain fever that followed that awful
trance swept all memory of her real
father and 1 never intend her to be
enlightened about him.
"Now, George" concluded the doc
tor, that you know the stock that
Laura Kerr has sprung from, do you
still desire to make her your wife?"
George Abbot rose. 81 say what
said before, Doctor. 4 parents crimes
rannot possibly affect a girls charac-
ter. ] love Laura; Laura loves me-;
and | would make her my wife if her
father had committed every crime in
the Newgate calendar"
The doctor opened the study door
and called-"Laurav' In a moment or
two a young lady in evening dress,
and looking bewilderingly pretty in her
confusion, tripped into the room. She
had been awaiting the result of
Georges interview with papa in con-
siderable trepidation of mind.
George has something to tell you"
said the Doctor escaping into the hall
and shutting them in.
What George said may be surmised
from the fact that an unusually
"smart" wedding took place from the