Amador ledger. (Jackson, Amador County, Calif.) 1875-19??, 1909-09-24
THE REAL MYSTERY
OF THE CASE,
BY GEORGE A. PARKER.
copyright, 1909, by American Press Asso
ciation.1

We detectives have opportunities to
see further into human nature than
any class of men, except physicians,
and | am not sure but that our OPP
pOrtunities are superior to theirs. One
of the strangcst insights that we're
ever accorded me came through the
Gilbert case. was called one day
to the house Of Joseph Gilbert, whose
son Edgar had been taken suddenly
i'll after smoking a cigar. 1t was one
Of small package received anony-
mously. An analysis showed that the
cigars had been stepped in a deadly
poison
The young man was unconscious of
having an enemy. | questioned him
closely. asking him to mention any
one who might have the slightest mo-
tive to njure him. ] inquired as to
his relations with the softer sex, and
he told me that he had had several
mild affairs of the heart, but none of
them, at least OH his part or so far
as he could Judge of the girls either
mad ever amounted to anything Sc
rious.
| left the remaining cigars on ia
BILE In the smoking room, esta blishing
a watch upon them, thinking that if
the enemy was a member of the house
hold he or she would attempt to re-
move them. But after they had been
| there week took chem away.
COMPARED the handwriting on the
| package with that of every CORE
spondent Edgar Gilbert furnished me.
and those he did not Rave he procured
on some pretext. l could see no re-
semblance in any of them to that Of
the address. None of the expedients |
tried afforded me the slightest clew.
At last [ gave up the case. acknowl-
edging myself beaten.
| A year later l received note from
Mr.. Gilbert. ST.. informing me that
his son was about to be married; that
| the young mans mother had all sorts
Of vague apprehensions that some wo-
man had tried to poison him through
jealousy and she desired / would keep
watch over him until the ceremony
had been performed and his safety
seemed to be assured.
called at the house and was ac-
corded an interview with Edgar Gill
bert and his fiancee, Miss Withers.
both happening to be there together.
| The moment the girl looked me in the
eye a suspicion came over me that |
had found the person who had tried
to poison Edgar Gilbert. How or why
| lnin
to myself. She knew what | was
there for and seemed interested in my
protecting her lover There was no
betrayal of emotion, no shrinking to-
ward me. no disposition to avoid my
gaze.
But what a position l was in-my
client about to marry a girl who
felt sure had tried to poison him and
l not having shadow Of proof by
which to prevent him, The wedding
was to take place in three days.
must make haste.
| Learning that a sewing woman was
employed in the house of Miss With
ers, | paid her we'll to secure me a
specimen of the handwriting of every
woman in the house and those who
| were the brides bosom friends. There
were three of the former and two Of
| the latter. In the handwriting of the
bride cxpectant's most intimate friend
| / found photography identical with
| the address on the package. Making
the lady's acquaintance, l satisfied
myself that she had only addressed
the package as favor and had no re-
membrance Of having done so. From
her | learned that young Gilbcrt'S
| fiancee had at the time the cigars were
sent received his attention, and he had
| Tilted her. causing her great unhap-
! plaesS AT that period. too. she was
| III.
| learned all this without giving up
my knowledge whatever | was puz
zled whether to stop the marriage or
les it go on. After reflection decided
to shift the responsibility. Learning
the name of Miss WitherS' physician.
7 cold him the story. He was greatly
aStOniShed. but soon recalled the fact
that during the period Of the attempt
ell murder he had attended Miss With
crS ard had observed certain indica-
tions Of temporary alteration of
mind. Indeed for brief season he
had kept her under Il strict watch.
When the physical cause of the tou-
bic passed away the tendency to insan-
ity passed with it,
The doctor transmitted my report to
the father Of the groom, and so late as
the day before the wedding was to
come off n consultation was held be-
tween the parent and the physician,
ut which it was decided to call in the
young man and lmpart to him the sit
unfiOn