The Columbus dispatch. (Columbus, Miss.) 19??-1922, 1921-03-09
Frozen Death
70. 1870. BY The Wheeler syndieAts.l


records for the past six months and
then ask DR.. Albert Beaurlgard why
1t is that fifteen prominent citizens
have died from cholera and yellow
fever when there has been no cpl
demic. Ask him why these men died
within few days after dining at his
house." n
This was the anonymous letter that
led the chief of police of Buenos Aires
to assign Manuel POrteras, one of his
best men, TO the case which was
destined to become unique in criminal
annals.
1t was true that a number of men
who were prominent in the life of the
city-bankers and lawyers and doc
tors-had died within the period men,
toned In the unsigned communica-
ton. But in every case the attending
physicians had given certificates Of
death from natural causes. In fact,
as Porteras pointed out to his chief,
there had been autopsies on three OF
the bodies, but even these post-mor-
TEN examinations disclosed nothing
out Of the ordinary.
II know all that" retOrted the chief
of police, "but the charges made In
this letter are too grave to overlook
If only for the sake of Doctor Beauri-
| CARDS reputation. 1t Is unthinkable
that scientist of his standing, a
member of the Ecole de Medicine, a
man who is mentioned as the logical
successor to Koch, should be con-
nected with these deaths. Besides,
what would be his motive?" i
professional jealousy?' hazarded
Porteras.
Possibly, but that's hardly prob
able"
Before tackling the question of the
letter itself, Porteras dug back into
the history Of the fifteen men who
had died of cholera and yellow fever
In no case did he find any reason
which would explain their murder,
any motive for removing them.
What Porteras did find, however,
was a support for the allegation Of
the anonymous writer. Each of the
dead men had been guest at the
Beaurigard home only a few days be-
fore their death. Less than twenty
four hours later they developed symp
toms of the dread disease!
Armed with this information, the
detective started his search for the
man who had written the note. Dis.
gulsed as a book agent, Porteras sue.
ceeded in securing samples of the
handwriting of number of persons
who were known to be friendly with
Doctor Beaurigard, but none Of these
showed the distinct characteristics
which were apparent even In the al
tered penmanship of the letter to the
police. 1t was not until he came away
fxom the, Beaurigard home with sam
pies of the servants handwriting that
he found what he had been looking
for.
The following morning Buenos
Aires was startled by the news of the
arrest of DR.. Albert Beaurigard, the
foremost physician in South Amer
lea, on charge of murder.
During the days which preceded his
trial. the scientist preserved an air of
total nonchalance, appearing oblivious
OF the fact that he was about to be
tried for his life and contenting him
self with the issuance Of statements
that the. "whole matter was too alb
surd to he considered seriously" Sc
numerous were his friends and SC
secure his position In the social life
of the South American capital that
the majority of the people claimed
that the affair was plot on the part
Of the police, an attempt to cover
their past failures by sensational
prosecution of an innocent man.
1t was not until the state had laiJ
the foundation for Its case by intro
ducing the testimony of physicians
who had attended the dead men, fol
lowed by proof that each of these mer
had dlned at the Beaurigard home
only a few hours before they hat
been taken Ill, that Porteras played
his trump card. At his direction the
prosecuting attorney called Doctor
Beamrigarls butler to the stand ant
for the first time the face of the &C
cused showed the strain under which
he had been laborlng.
"All preparations for the dinners
were left in my hands," testified tn,
butler, with the exception of tht
preparation of a single glass of creme
de menthe This Doctor Beaurigart
Invariably fixed himself, placing it OF
the tray In the midst of the othel
glasses"
"What was the difference between
this glass and the others?"
1.-THE liQueur was the same Tht
ice came from small test tube IL
Doctor Beaurigard's laboratory y
Hardly had the butler finished thi,
sentence before the prisoner was OF
his feet, his left hand appraised to at
) tract the attention of the court.
EYES, he exclaimed, II am re
sponsible for their deaths-but you,
never have discovered 1t If 1t hadn'
been for this prying servant. | desired
TO make experiments with the cholert
and yellow fever germs. Other sub