Gunnison news-champion., 1923-04-13
HESiHRTz.
kIYiTE.RIES
THE RIDDLE OF The POISONED
GLOVES

THE author % even the m0s' ssn-
L satIural type of detective stories
would probably bzik al introducing
into he frrlnnaI rauanc,7s the means
y murder generally supposed 10 have
been used o. accomplish the death Of
Jane. queen - SaEaTr-- for her. VAS
an Instrument % death worthy q the
EorEIas-a palr % poisoned gloves
which left not the slightest trace Of
their deadly purpose
Jus, previous 10 her death. the queen
came 20 Paris TO attend the ceremonies
connected with the marriage 81 her son.
the prince 81 Navarro, to 4ar-aret.
sister OF the French king While en-
gagged with preparations for the up
preaching ceremony. Queen Jsnne was
overtaEen with malignant fever
which ended her ilfe after an Illness
81 only I'VE days. and Nathaniel Wrar-
well. In his Memories Of the Kings
a France" writes. The Multitude.
ever disposed 70 attribute the death
- great p-rsonaEes 10 unnatural
causes, held to the belief that poison
had been used in this case. A per
fgmer named Rane. who had followed
the queen mother from Florence. OF
which place he was native. was ac-
cuscd a. the author Of the crime. and
Il l. stated that he even avowed him
saIt a. such. and boosted 81 Il pub
Ucly-declaring that those who had
insrl.a'oI the crime would protec; him
from punishment.
Some perfumed gloves, which Queen
Jane had purchased from this Floren-
tine. are generally credited with hav-
ing been the medium through which
the poison was administered. and Cath
crime DC Medici was freely named ~
the lnstlguJor Of the murder. though
no direct proof that she was ever COM
ncCtcd with the affair has ever come to
light
WraNwell, continuing his account Of
the strange Illness Of the queen. states
that "pavilla asserts. In the most posi-.
tive terms that the queen OF Navarro
was poisoned The deadly dose was
administered. ., was reported. In the
trimming 81 a pair Of gloves. but In
manner So lmpgrceptible and In 50
nice a prop, rt!Dn that after having
worn them for only few days the
queen mother was seized with vio-
lent fever. which put an end TO her
life In i've days"
When ncws Of the death OF the queen
mother reached the Huguenots. whose
cHuse Queen Jane had espoused. they
Instantly made the charge of foul play
and the king. cognizant OF the fact
that the poison had left no trnces. or.
dered the body to be publicly ernT,-
in.d. Historians whose accounts are
accepted as authoritative declare that
the two persons who examined the
queens body were not permitted 20
touch her head. where II wns supposed
that traces OF the poison were still Wis
ible. and D'Aubigne makes no secret
of the statement that the queen was
murdered-though he Is rathse Va que
hs TO the means used.
During her entire life Queen Jlls
had been subject to violent head.
aches, attended by an extreme Itch
Ing sensation. and repeatedly en-
pressed the wish that the cause OF
this malady might be looked into.
with the intention OF relieving her
children II they should be subject TO
the same disorder. This may have
explained the reluctance Of the king
to permit an examination OF the head
OF the queen mother. though popular
opinion at the time lays II TO fear OF
the discovery of the poison used TO
hasten the death OF n strong minded
woman who was extremely antagon.
istic to many OF the ruling Catholic
families Of Europe.
In spite Of the death OF Queen Jane.
the royal nuptials were celebrated at
the cathedral OF Notre Dame, Margaret
Of Navarro being In the full bloom OF
her youth. and just at the completion
Of her twentieth year, inheritlng the
full charm Of her grandmother. Mar
garet Of valois. the mother Of the
queen. whose death Is attributed to
the pair OF poisoned gloves Apart
rom the unusual instrument supposed
TO have been used In this case, mystery
also surrounds the type of poison used.
for there Is no chemical known to SCI
ence which would produce death
without trace merely by application
10 the outside Of the skin. and the
tragedy took place several centuries
before the discovery Of the existence
Of bacteria-though the Borgias are
commonly credited with having known
more about some types Of polsons and
germs than even the scientists Of mod
IN times.