The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-03-12

II ltratlOn and d1StlllatlOn. we Qeler1qlneu
that a neurotic had been, employed, and
that It's action on the vasomotor system OF
the nerves was very similar, if not identi-
cal, with notrate of amyl.
Further than that even latham. expert
in such matters, could not proceed. Hours
of hard work resulted in that conclusion,
and with it we were compelled to be sat-
isf1ed.
In due course the inquest was held at
shadwell, and. with Amber, attended as
witness. The reporters, Of course. ex-
pected a sensation; but, on the contrary,
our evidence went to show that as the:
poisonous substance was found in the
'quartern' bottle on deceased.s table,
death was in all proba bility due to suicide.
Some members Of the jury took an OPP
posite: view. Then the letters we had
found concealed were produced by the
police, and, of course, created certain
amount of interest. But to the readers
Of newspapers the poisoning Of a coster-
monger at Shadwell is, Of little interest a!s
compared with a. similar catastrophe In
the quarter of London vaguely known as
the West End. The letters were SUSPECT
Gus, and both coroner and jury accepted
them as evidence that Lane was engaged
upon an elaborate piece Of blackmail.
WHO is this Mary Courtenay, who
writes to him from Neneford?" inquired
the coroner of the inspector.
well, sir" the latter responded, "the
writer herself is dead. She was found
drowned a few days ago near her home
under suspicious circumstances"
Then the reporters commenced to awake
| to the fact that something extraordinary
was underlying the inquiry.
"Ah!" remarked the coroner, one of the
most acute officials of his class. Then
in face Of this her letter seems to be more
than curious. For aught we know the
tragedy at Neneford may have been will
full murder; and we have now the suicide
| Of the assassin" .,.~ 49, -. ..-.-
| '"rhat, sir, is the police theory" replied
| the inspector. s.,, 4-.. $780,.
Police theory be hanged!'' calculated
Amber, almost loud enough, to- be heard.
''The police know nothing of the case and
will never learn anything. If the jury are
content to accept such an explanation,
and brand poor Lane as a murderer, they
must be allowed to do So. ...... - a.
| I knew Jevons held coroner's juries in
the most supreme contempt; sometimes
rather unreasonably. so I thought.
'Well,'' the coroner said, this is Ger.
tainly remarkable Evidence" and he
turned the dead woman's letter over ir
his hand. 1T is quite plain that the de:
ceased approached the lady ostensibly tt
give her warning of, some danger. bu
really to blackmail her For what reason
does not at present appear. }, He, may have
i feared her threat to give information t
the police; hence his crime and subse
quent suicide IT,.
}, "Listen!'' exclaimed Jevons in my ear
7 ''They are actually trying the dead MAJ
: for a crime he could not possibly hav
, committed: They've got hold of the wroni
| end Of the stick. as usual. Why don
| they give a verdict Of suicide and iav
i done with it. We can't afford to vast
t a whole day explaining theories to a Sc
t Of uneducated gentlemen of the White
: chapel road. The English law is ridicu
) 1ous where coroners juries are concerned
t The coroner heard his whispering an
$ looked toward us severely. s
: We have not had sufficient time t
$ investigate the whole of the facts con
t nected with. Mrs. Courtenay's mysteriou
E DEATH the inspector went on. You wi
e probably recollect, sir, a mystery down a
: Kew some little time ago. It was full
Y reported in the papers, and created con
Il siderable sensation-an old gentlema1
i was murdered under remarkab circum
3 stances. Well, sir. the gentleman in ques
e ton was Mrs. Courtenay's husband.
e The coroner sat back in his chair an
stared at the officer who had spoken
r while in the court a great sensation wa
caused Mention Of the Kew myster
brought its details WILDLY back to tn
! minds of everyone. Yes. After all, tn
death Of that poor costermonger, Lank
t Lane, was of greater public interest tina
t the representatives Of the press antic
i pated .,as u 4. .5e s Fl
8 Are You quite certain Of this?'' Ii
j, yes, sir. / am hers ~ direction