The Detroit times., 1911-11-23
PHYSICIAN AND NURSE
TO Be ARRANGED SOON
DR.. McGregor and Miss Gibbs,
Suspects in Sparkling Case,
May Be Tried In January.

BAD AXE, Mich, Nov. 2S.-Dr. r.
A. McGregor and Miss Margaret
Gibbs, suspects in the Sparling case
at Ubly, who were arrested yesterday
will be arraigned either this after
noon or tomorrow when II is possible
that bail may be offered for one or
both. II is claimed the case against
the nurse is not strong but that she
will be able TO get bail If desired
The case will, no doubt. be bound
over TO the circuit court OF the Jan
uary term.
When the dimness of the morning
light crept through the recesses OF
the windows in the county jail, this
morning, the charge was setting upon
DR.. McGregor and Miss Gibbs with
a nameless persistency. The weight
of many months of gathering sus-
pense had broken upon them and
their attention was now directed TO
the pendulum of fate which shall de-
cree whether the accusations are
true or whether they shall be dis
charged and restored to their former
positions OF good standing in the
community from which they came.
The quaint little village of Ubly,
located south of Bad Axe, and where
Dr. McGregor cast his lot seven years
ago, followed its peaceful pursuits
today as usual There was little ink
ling of the sensation that had taken
place yesterday except for the pres
ence of small groups of women In
widely sections-some OF
them pledging their faith III DR.. Nc
1Gregor and the nurse and others ask
ing in whispers. II wonder If these
charges are true?" The voices Nof the
men sounded hoarse in the mist OF
the early morning as they discussed
the case from different angles, always
with the view that the law would
sift the charges thoroughly and set
tie the fate of the accused.
Every path every sidewalk and
every road in Ubly and vicinity knew
the fall OF DR.. McGregors feet. He
followed his occupation with con-
stancy in the village where he. was
later to be taken into the laws
clutches as a suspect for the deaths
of four members of the Sparling fam
lily. While neither DR.. McGregor nor
Miss Gibbs have no escape from seri-
Gus thought over the chain OF cir
cumstances that have enmeshed them
in a seemingly sensational case, they
are confident as their attorney.
George Clark, of Bad Axe, is outlin-
ing The plan OF defense.
Prosecutor Boohower has decided
TO prosecute on the case of Cyril
Sparkling, who died last August, and
IN whose viscera the chemists at the
University OF Michigan found arsenic.
IAN examination OF the stomach OF
Albert Sparling by the same chem
lists also revealed quantities OF ar
senic, according to their Official re-
port. The prosecutor has also been
investigating the deaths OF John Wes-
ley Sparkling, the father, who died In
1908. and another son, but he has de-
cided to base the case against DR..
cGregor and Miss Gibbs specifical-
ly on the death OF Cyril Sparling.
Neither this quaint country doctor.
nor the nurse. who Is charged with
completely after the fact had any
thing TO add today TO their state
ments of yesterday when they pro-
tested their innocense. DR.. McGregor
said then that he would see the case
through to the finish, and Miss Gibbs
declared that she remained with Mrs.
Sparkling at her home near Ubly out
of pity for her. She added that her
friends will know in time that she
is innocent Of any wrong-doing. Miss
Gibbs is 30 years old and made her
temporary home with her sister in
Sarnia. They are both professional
nurses and live at sos Huron-ave.
Their mother lives near Sarnia.
Mrs. Carrie Sparling, widow of
John Wesley Sparkling, and mother
of the three young men, whose deaths
are being sifted, is still in the tenta-
tive custody of a relative, who agrees
to produce her when he is asked to
do so by the prosecution. No charge
has been placed against her, but
Prosecutor Boomhower believes her
testimony will be valuable to his
side.
Mrs. Sparling admits that she turn
ed over all her business affairs to
the doctor. She says the physician
has not accounted for $1,000 after he
had been credited with 5000 for medi
cal services.
The prosecution hopes to prove a
motive by this state of affairs and
the additional fact that some OF the
deceased men carried insurance on
their lives.
While the black cloud of suspicion
hangs over Or. McGregor and Miss
Gibbs as they sit in the county jail
here, they maintained stole silence
this morning, depending upon their
counsel to prove their statements yes
terday that they were innocent
And while the people moved to and
fro in their peaceful occupations they
seemed to look TO the goddess of JUS
tjce to decide whether the prisoners
shall be branded guilty or not guilty