Bennington banner and reformer. (Bennington, Vt.) 1903-19??, 1903-10-01
Uncomfortable
Proof
[orlRinaLl

/
found at o'clock il the evening, with
cup that had contained tea before
him, dead, in his chair. Prussic acid
had been found in the dregs. Agatha
Drew, his niece, was being examined.
'Have you been brought up to con-
slider yourself your uncle's heiressT
Il have"
Had any one else hope OF lnheriting
the property
yes, my cousin, Mark Turner. He
would have been the heir, but my
uncle had seen very little Of him, while
he had adopted me when was a
child"
did you have any trouble with your
uncleT
only In one matter. He wanted me
to marry my cousin, Mark Turner.
refused, whereupon my uncle threat
ened to disinherit me and leave his
property to Mark"
Every one in the court room scrutiniz-
ed the witness. She might have had
every reason to commit the murder.
Yet her appearance was so innocent
and her words were so frank that few
believed she was the guilty one. The
next witness was Edward Turner's
(the deceased's) lawyer.
when did you see Edward Turner
lastT
"On Friday-three days ago. He
called me in to make new will His
property had been willed to his niece,
Agatha Drew. l drew a new win,
which avas executed In favor Of Mark
Turner"
''Is that will the latest"
''The latest to my knowledge"
"Did any one know OF this change OF
willT
Il think not. Mr. Turner strictly
charged me not to speak OF It. There
fore he probably did not speak Of II
himself. He told me his niece knew
that II she persisted in a certain mar
rage and refused to marry her cousin
she would be dlsinherited, but she did
not know the will had been changed"
"Call Elliot Stanford"
A Young man OF prepOssessing aP-
pearance stepped to the witness stand.
"Are you acquainted with any rea-
son why any person should desire the
late Edward Turner's deathT
"No."
what were his relations with his
nephew, Mark Turner
Recently they must have been very
intimate, for Edward Turner listened
to many stories Mark Turner told him
to my disadvantage"
what motive had Mark Turner for
thisT'
ITO marry Agatha Drew, being
out OF the way"
This did not carry much weight
Since a will had been made leaving the
property to Mark Turner he could have
no motive for the old mans death.
while before this will wac made the
property would have gone to Agatha
Drew. whereas Agatha and her lover
looked for a change oPwill and In case
OF the testatOrs death before II was
made the property would go to the
niece.
call Mark Turner"
The witness stepped into the box APP
parently very much self possessed. He
had been examined as to his location
at the time OF the murder and had
proved that within a few minutes be-
fore and after the murder be was in
his club, a short distance from his
uncle's house.
"Mr Turner. Professor Warren, a
chemist, desires TO ask you few ques-
lions"
"Mr. Turner" said the professor,
looking the witness in the eye, have
you any knowledge of the properties Of
prussic aclCY'
None VIII, tever."
How lorg would It take you to go
from your cub to your uncle's houseI"
about FIVE minutes. think"
"And to return would be ten. Now,
prussic acid acts instantly"
II object" interrupted a lawyer pres
ent whom Turner had retained.
"Mr Turner did you not as a child
have an accident by which half an
inch was cut Off your thumb?"
II did"
Hold II up and let us see It,"
The witness, who was now getting
nervous, did as required. The first
joint Of the thumb on his right hand
was missing.
Here" said the chemist "is silver
stand on which rested a silver teapot,
which was before the deceased when
he was found dead. II had been pol |
ished during the afternoon. Now, IL |
touch 1t with my finger or any moist |
article, an impression is left. The i'm
preston disappears as 1t dries, but may |
be revived by being dampened. as in |
breathing upon It. found the edge of
the stand blurred, but. breathing upon |
1t and examining the part with a mag |
nifying glass, saw the imprint Of fin
gers beneath and a MANNED thumb
above"
AS the speaker approached the climax
the witness began to show signs of a