A. Court in Tears.

Manawatu Standard, Volume X, Issue 2, 30 May 1885, Page 3

A. Court m Tears.

A SAD STORY OF DOMESTIC MISERY— KELEASE OF A WOMEN WHO KILLED HER HUSBAND AND CHILD.

■ ' Theae wevo few dry eyes m Ju Ige Roger's. courtroom yesterday says (the C.iicago "Herald, 1 ot'the 18ih' Fel». : Mia Bella Ghmhmer was placed oil trial for quoting her husband; Dr Schuy ler .Gardeunr; and; her little' balm, Pearl, on Nov. 6, at. their, home, 17, "Lrtflin,; street.'" The . icircum.stanc ?s surrounding the shooting Swore pe&tliaffiy <|istreKsingV ! M^'a! Qar^ener Idv&l beVhiiaband^ pafcsionatety,; and her Hfe yfatf fairly wrapped up m the little girl . ...."hie doctor, howov<*r, if : Jie bud i any, :iffuc'4c»n:,for(lm wiie^ took untost peculiai^vaj' (>f inrttiifestuig jr. HerUove was «ruifty. repulsed j tiiiie ) &rto\ump; aj>tyity. \ G«rd|s|»i»| ; jwasjfrosV and morose about the ' house, and joftdn I threat.em'd.toJeave her, driving .''hop nearly frantic with jealous grief j and up|>);ehe.usiori. r TheVjightjlof tli6 nb. ibpu.iWite Br '^Oardeue r had packed his trunk with the avowed intention of going itway. " Where, are you ooiiig, CJ-ardy ?", l^tra.- Gardener SVsiedd jiiin; H6 would not; vouchsafe an answer, nor would he deiyn to tell her whether he would return or hot. Slie; kissed him;! good-bye m i ho; hall, then bade him wait a moment i until ,ali6 laought ,J.hs.]t?ahy for.fifm tp fcis*. Ijtii lining into ah adjoining voo{ri,,s.lie Bua.tchod/up the lulle one sleeping; jri, her crib and. ran t h»eki'oi the Doctor'?* farewell: kiss. • it w»s given, and the Docuir tHi'ned io ? discend the jstaiis. Swiftly 'running into the other: room, Mis Gar* letter put -Pearl back m her little nest, grabbed up 'a small revol- , yer. from »hf ilresser, and was back at the head of the Btairs lw>tbre the Doctor had' descended six on seven steps. Two sharp reports were heard; ami Doctor Gaideirer rollod to the foot of the stairs a dead wan.; Then slie ruHh«d back to her baby, fired a ball through the little one's j brain, killing her instantly, and then she placed tlie revolver to her own head .and fired, the weapon falling from her nerveless hand. A luxuriant 'head, of hair saved, her life. : With , blood streaming down her face and clothing she, snatched up her- Pearl? and rushed to a friend's bouse near by, pleadihff-piteously for them to help her little Pearly she was s?o ill. Tender hands . relieved. her of liar; lifeless burden and she was taken -to the CiHinty Hospital, Where .she Jay for weeks raving m thelwildest deHrium, constant! v shrieking tor her loved ones. . She had recovered^ but the traces of that iiijilit- of horror, will never leave her , face. She, was an unusually, handsome, woman, and - as* she sat 'iv. court . yesterday; Mir-' ronnded by her im>iher; lamhers, sis-. ters, and a heyy of . sympathizing friends, she praswited a picture of hopeless woe. ' . .'. .. . : ' No effect was tuadc to. couvict her. Judge Oary plainly, manifested liis sympathy with ihi* poor 'woman and his belief m the pli±a of iiisaiiiily that was advanced] m, her. behalf. -\ 'Ju'djje Longneckor. the prnsu>cntina» attorney, made no attempt to conceal lihe tears that more than 'me filled his eyea'sia the sad . story was, ,)»i»uglit our. His' owu witnesses proved Mi 1 * Gardener's' insauityj' and when the witnesses for. thg deteqee toljl of the many instances Jpyijig, vtfply fideluy tQ.v.Vjne wj^se. brutal: coldness and cbiirlishneaH had never been, softened | b|y r l an answering *6rd, ; of love, many of the ladies: were sobbing, and more than one man felt a hot flush of indignation at ihe fellow who had so badly teqnited a' world of affection he had never deserved.. .. . .; • There wav no question what the yerdici would be. The jury simply 'retired'to the room 1 , iiidicte'd thefbrjii, and retnrned with a verdict' of .riot „gniltVi on account of insanity^ wh.ch has since disappeared. There was a momen t.> intehsH silence, when J udge . J3.o»erß broke the qU]ist v \by saying r /* Gontleinen of tho jury, I fully agree ' with. yo«r verdict " Mrs Gardener «at. with 'head bowed down, sobbing, convulsively.. Her friends we're all m tears HH'they pressed forward to tell her they wei c glad of her acquittal and to assure her of their sympathy ; (alid «Mpp«>i't. :Lovi'ng amis* were ' about her when aha arose. Throwing one arm. about, hat w lute-haired mother, Mrs Gardener wept ion- her i/mqther?s breast for a . momen t as though i her heart were breaking* and then, lifted her head with a w^n, sad smiieVinfini^ly more sorrowful Ihan had been her tears. She returned the greetings of her friends as best she could? If Juilpe Gary.quickly turned . his back and looked oat of the win - dow ihtently. while he plied his handkerchief vigorously, there was* no one blamed him. Every one felt like doing the same thing Mrs Gard finer was dis6h'»rg:ed, and jleft the'; court room accompanied by . her 'friend*; .;■■;■■• : ■/■■■■■■■■'■ ■■■-■■ .••'■■■ : ' :. .'■ The^csmneof all the trouble dates from a lptier signed " 'Budget of sent from Keene (wherevdr that may be) on May \i 18S1; m a [delicate feminihe handwriting, sppakiiig of the pleasure the writer anticipated from a prospective visit to Chicago. She j #rote :' " Be 1 ■► assured, I shall most , ce'itainjy: accent your offer of assistflnceai)«l entertainment when reach- : ing ph|cago, if I am, ever so [ favored by fortitnerts to make the longed for Visit. 'The realization of my desire 'yrpX greatly depend npori i my • father's health. I nope Mrs. Gardener is regaiaing her health and strength. I '■■ would sdnd i 'fe^fcWEH(»- i - to-' her, but circumstances over which 1 and you have nn control render it necsssary for this correspondence (shjort and sweet) to ,. be confidential. You know 'discretion' is tlie better., part of valor. " She adds : •' Touiwill notraisconHtnie anything I have jwritten. Itisall written .tisnweH Von know, with Ihe* liest intenhpri.4 and m sincere ; fwendship.v ' When you are m Home (you, m list do asltbe/Roi^nils <jio.?; " ■ t ', , V;lt would, be Bt^hgej" Judge Gary sa'u], as he-left the bench at the^end.of trial., ".tftlfhe wo'ildi^nptl be quitted^ when the judge; the trosecut- ■ mii attoney, the bailiffs, and every spectajtor were s,o thoroughly m sytni•pathv with fcor." . . .; ««tn all iriy life;.' \Tu<!l>e j^onghecker answerftfl. ',' I never hjVw so sad H.^cVno m court."' /' '' ; "•Nprl," was the Judge's reply.