THE MYSTERIOUS MURDER OF EMMA BELL
The crowd going home from the resorts and roof gardens August 9th was
startled by the wild cries of the newsboys: "Extra! Extra! All about the
mysterious murder!"
Murders are not so rare in New York as to cause any genuine sensation
among its people when one is announced in the public press, but mystery
has ever been attractive to the human race, and the details of the
present case as contained in the columns of the papers were so involved
in conjecture as to arouse the interest of every reader. The only facts
that were clear were that Mrs. Emma Bell had been found dead in the
sitting-room of her apartment on East 56th Street with a box of candied
fruit on the table near her, which had just been opened, and which,
according to the postmark stamped on the paper enclosing the box, had
been mailed to her from Boston. Written on thin paper that was so
pasted as to cover the entire top of the box was the inscription, "With
best wishes to you and Alice. J. E."
A weird description of the lifelike appearance of the woman when found,
seated in her chair, with eyes staring and pupils dilated, was given in
the best reportorial style. The coroner had taken possession of
everything and had ordered the apartment sealed until an inquest could
be held. Whether or not the candied fruit had anything to do with the
death, and if so who could have sent it, were all matters of speculation
which the various writers had covered in from one to four columns,
according to their respective imaginative qualities and newspaper
instinct, but none of them gave the slightest intimation as to the
suspected person, if murder really had been committed.
More or less accurate likenesses of Mrs. Bell were given with all the
events of her life that seemed spectacular, the most prominent of which
was that her neighbors had long speculated as to her source of
livelihood, since her husband's death some four years previously, and
with characteristic charity such speculation led to hints along
salacious trails and the dark recesses of public suspicion. The events
of the injury to her little girl, and her treatment by Dr. Earl, and
the devotion of the volunteer nurse, lacked nothing in their interesting
narration in connection with the supposed murder mystery, and assisted
very materially in enhancing that mystery through the glamour of
prominent personages who were so well in the foreground of the story.
The coroner's jury sat upon the case as coroners' juries have been
sitting upon similar cases ever since English jurisprudence advanced to
the stage of not executing people on suspicion. There was the same dank,
solemn atmosphere of the morgue, the same density of intellect and
understanding, the same owl-like gaze of stupidity that passed muster
for wisdom, the same perfervid desire to get a certificate on the public
treasury without undue mental or physical effort, the same ambition to
give a duly impressive but harmless verdict, that must have
characterized the first empaneled jury of this nature. Never by any
possibility could these original qualities have deteriorated, and it
would require a wild stretch of the imagination to note any traces of
improvement.
The reading of the verdict of a coroner's jury has never been known to
disqualify any person from serving on a trial jury in a murder case by
unduly influencing the opinion, or arousing the passions of such
involuntary candidate for the jury box. No jails have been stormed or
revolutions started by the verdict of an American coroner's jury, and
New York was not destined to have its sensibilities too harshly jarred
by a sensational verdict in this case.
After solemnly sitting for hours, the jury found that "Said Emma Bell
came to her death from the effects of hydrocyanic acid administered by
some person to the said jurors unknown, and whether said hydrocyanic
acid was administered with felonious intent the said jurors cannot at
this time ascertain."
The facts established by the jury were, that the woman was dead; that
hydrocyanic acid had killed her; that the cause of death was so evident
that it was only necessary to examine the contents of the stomach; that
apparently none of the candied fruit had been disturbed, as the box was
even full and the top layer as smooth as when first packed; that a
chemical analysis proved that no poison of any kind was in any of the
candied fruit in the box; that no vial could be found on or near the
woman after death, and that a thorough search of the apartment failed
to disclose any of this or any other kind of poison; that the woman was
quite alone in the apartment when death took place and was only
discovered by the janitress at ten o'clock at night, at which time she
entered the apartment, having been invited to sleep there during the
absence of the child in the country, whither she had gone a few days
previous to this for a week's stay; that Mrs. Bell had been doing her
own work for several months and taking in fine sewing.
But ambitious newspaper reporters bent themselves to this new task, as
is their custom in all matters of public concern, _i. e._, to outrival
the most noted expert in the line of that particular phase of public
endeavor uppermost at the time. Theories were advanced in the daily
papers that made Sherlock Holmes seem like a novice in detective work
and Lucretia Borgia a mere infant in the skillful administration of
poisons. The regular detectives, both public and private, were aroused
by the mystery that shrouded the case. It remained, however, for the
ubiquitous reporter, to whom society really owes a debt along every line
of worthy public endeavor impossible either to estimate or discharge,
to discover that the handwriting on the box was that of Dr. John Earl,
and that he had been in the habit, for months, of paying almost daily
visits to the Bell home; that he was at Magnolia Beach, but a short ride
from Boston, at the time the package was mailed there; that ostensibly
he had visited the Bell home to attend the little girl who was injured
by the automobile, but that the mother was undoubtedly much interested
in him; that there were many rumors among surgeons that his operation on
the leg of the child had produced tuberculosis; that the district
attorney had received anonymous letters to the effect that Earl had
deliberately attempted to poison both mother and daughter, to be rid of
an unpleasant _liaison_ on the one hand and the evidence of his lack of
skill on the other; that the child had gone to the country after he left
the city and he still supposed her with her mother, hence the saving of
the child's life; that the box of candied fruit was only a blind, and
that some other package must have arrived containing the poison in
another form, possibly in the same wrapping paper with the fruit; that
no possible motive could be discovered for the poisoning by any other
person and no clue could be found leading to a suspicion of any one
else.
With five hundred thousand visitors constantly within the gates of their
city; with a shifting population of nearly a million more; with
permanent residents absorbed in the most strenuous existence known on
the American Continent; with sensation in high life of such frequent
occurrence as to benumb any effort to form a discriminating opinion--the
people of New York (visitors, temporary denizens, those of fixed
habitation) welcomed these ready-made conclusions of the daily press and
blindly adopted them as their own.
Individual character counts for less in the metropolis of the United
States than it does anywhere else in the nation. There are several
reasons for this, but the principal ones are a lack of time on the part
of the permanent residents to inform themselves on such matters and a
lack of interest in the subject on the part of the remainder of the
population. The result is, that when charges are made, with any degree
of sanction from the constituted authorities, against ordinary citizens
of hitherto blameless lives, the great majority of the people accept
such charges as well founded until they are effectively disproved.
So it was in this case. Just as soon as the incriminating facts
seriously involved Dr. John Earl it was taken for granted that he was
guilty, and such presumption was certain to grip the public mind until
his innocence could be duly established, if such result were at all
possible.
This was also the golden opportunity for the Bourbon members of his own
profession to assail his theories and, secretly and openly, certain of
them charged that the result in Dr. Earl's case was but the natural one
where "standard methods" of practice were set aside for the, as yet,
"unscientific paths of suggestive therapeutics," as these reactionary
medical men denominated Earl's system, for he had cured through
suggestive methods a score of patients who had been condemned to the
operating table by other surgeons, and as a result he had aroused the
resentment of such surgeons in particular and the condemnation in
general of all those who believed in the supreme curative power of the
knife.
Those in other walks of life, who, from conviction or selfishness, were
opposed to disturbing present conditions, and who appreciated and
feared the interdependence of the whole progressive movement, were also
easily convinced that, properly enough, he was in the toils of the law.
It was not long until his friends and defenders began to realize that a
secret sentiment was being created against him which had for its purpose
the discrediting of his mental stability, as well as his medical
methods, and that they would be compelled to combat not only menacing
facts and conditions, but also the still more powerful influences of
centuries of prejudice against men of his type, who had dared to get too
far ahead of the general parade.
Psychologically, some interesting impressions were made upon observant
minds. Many of our national hypocrisies were emphasized, and these
occurrences revealed certain inconsistencies of public pretension and
action in other fields closely correlated to this one, and it became
evident that improvement in theory and practice, in matters of this
sort, was impossible so long as more fundamental abuses were not only
permitted but sanctioned in a most aggressively affirmative manner.
These observing people were reminded that in this Christian nation a
cross of considerable dimensions is generally ready for instant use in
immolating the person who is rash enough to interfere too strenuously or
persistently with the operations of our morally depraved and generally
rum-soaked political bosses, who have boldly usurped the functions of
government and whose aims and purposes are widely at variance with all
of the teachings of the lowly Nazarene; that, much as we pride ourselves
upon our philosophical advancement, there is usually a cup of hemlock in
reserve for a master spirit that attempts too far to outdistance the
crowd; that, fond as we are of orating and writing about the dark days
of barbarism, we continually applaud the barbarian methods of those who
appropriate the property and liberties of their fellow men to increase
their own wealth and power; that, while there is no longer much of a
disposition to consider the earth flat, there is a marked tendency to
regard most every other mysterious thing as of that character.
Dr. John Earl had friends who understood the complex and extensive
nature of these sentiments, and, whatever might be their opinion
concerning his guilt or innocence of the specific charge under
discussion, they greatly feared the graver charge which emanated from
the chaotic darkness of superstition, ignorance, prejudice and jealousy
and the location of which could be determined only by occasional and
angry flashes of venom.
While these things were occurring, Dr. Earl had come to New York and had
gone directly to the district attorney and notified him that, if needed,
he could be found at his house on East 53rd Street, but he assured that
official that he knew nothing of the affair whatever.
This was treated as bravado by those who believed in his guilt and as
vindication by those who asserted his innocence.
His brother Frank hastened from a summer resort in the fastnesses of the
Rockies and his sister and brother-in-law returned to town from Newport.
One day, Silvia Holland appeared at the coroner's office and asked to
see the box in which the candied fruit had arrived. She examined it
critically for several minutes, and then asked for the wrapper
containing the address and postage stamps. There were three ten-cent and
two fifteen-cent stamps on the paper, although it was apparent that half
that amount in postage would have carried the package. She compared the
handwriting with samples of Dr. Earl's, and it was only too evident that
both address and message were written by him.
When she returned to her office she found Miss Renner waiting for her in
response to a telephone message. The two women had seen much of each
other after their meeting at the League House and a deep regard had
sprung up between them. For the time being, Miss Renner was doing
special work on one of the New York papers, and lending her voice to the
suffrage cause between assignments. They exchanged greetings, and then
the little Westerner said quietly, "You wanted me?"
Miss Holland looked at her long and searchingly. "Yes, I both want and
need you, my dear. Your paper has been rather vindictive in its pursuit
of evidence against Dr. Earl. I want you to go to the district attorney
and ask him personally to examine the inside of the lid of the box which
contained the fruit, also the scalloped paper that covered the fruit. If
he does so, he will find that a green gage, an apricot or a plum, which
was seedless, of course, rested on top of the paper, and was crushed
against the lid of the box. The stain is quite distinct on both paper
and cover, and shows that there was only one such piece of fruit placed
there. Of course, it contained the poison, and was placed on top,
because it would naturally be eaten first."
Carroll Renner looked at her in amazement.
"If I do that he will order the immediate arrest of Dr. Earl; it will
put him in jail and possibly lead to his conviction. Is that what you
desire?" She looked up at the taller woman searchingly.
"Surely I do--if he is guilty," Miss Holland replied, without changing
her expression. "There is no doubt that it will cause his immediate
arrest," she added, "but even that is preferable to this suspense with
everybody suspecting him and no opportunity to defend himself."
She turned away, and Carroll slipped her arm about her waist. "Dear
Silvia, I'll go--on one condition."
"And that is?" came in a rather muffled voice.
"That you will defend him yourself!" said Miss Renner. Miss Holland
turned and caught her in her arms. "I can't do that," she said. "I
couldn't, anyhow, without being asked, and besides, he will need the
most skillful criminal lawyer in New York to defend him. I should make a
sorry mess of it."
Carroll drew her down on a settee and held her hands firmly. "You might
just as well be a man, if you are going to talk like that--always ready
to let women go ahead until something really worth while comes along,
and then saying 'only a man can do big, difficult things.' After all
you've said, are you going to hesitate when it comes to crossing
professional swords with a man? Come now, promise me; if I go to the
district attorney, you will defend him."
"But I have not been employed, or even asked to defend him," she
insisted. "You must see how unprofessional it would be, Carroll."
"Professional! that's what the doctors say when they refuse to save your
life because they don't want to be discourteous to a fellow
practitioner," answered Carroll. "Well, if the life of the man I loved
was at stake I wouldn't wait for somebody to come and hire me to defend
him!"
"Carroll!" cried Silvia.
"Silvia!" she retorted. "Will your highness deign to accept employment
if it is offered you by his family?"
"Oh, Carroll, I can't let you drum up business----"
"You should be shaken, Silvia," her friend answered. "Of course
everybody in the country knows that you live in daily fear of the
poorhouse, and keep an advertising bureau busy trying to find you
employment! However, I suspected you would make these silly objections,
so I told Frank Earl yesterday that he ought to move heaven and earth to
get you to defend his brother. He nearly fell on my neck, and he is now
giving me absent treatment or holding a thought that I may succeed in
making you see that you could do more for the doctor than any other New
York lawyer."
"That isn't true, Carroll," she said. "I wish it were, but it isn't, and
I haven't been able to think of any one that I want to see take up his
defense."
"Naturally, because you know you ought to do it yourself. Now listen to
me." Miss Renner put her hands on Silvia's shoulders. "We haven't known
each other long, but it doesn't follow that we don't know each other
well. If John Earl were my brother I should give you no peace until you
promised to defend him, not alone because you have the requisite skill
as an attorney, but because you would give this case the devotion, the
insight, that are not to be bought with money. Now you know my terms;
shall I go to the district attorney?"
Silvia kissed her impulsively. "Yes, dear; go--go at once!" Her eyes
filled and her exquisite voice quivered with the strain of the emotion
she could no longer conceal. "Oh, Carroll, I'm glad to have you now;
come back to me afterward and tell me all about it!"