Spy stories; United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Fiction
"She did. I told Mrs. Arnold in her presence that I expected to go away
at any moment, and did not know exactly when I would return."
"Continue your statement," directed Warren.
"I went to Richmond to see my brother. On my arrival there I found him
in one of the hospitals, dying." Boyd's keen eyes grew misty. "I stayed
with him to the end. I found my services needed in that unhappy city,
so remained; but just before the evacuation I went over to Petersburg
to assist in the field hospitals. I only returned to Washington this
morning."
"When did you first hear of the charges against Miss Newton?"
"When I reached my house this morning I found Doctor Ward there making
inquiries of Martha as to my whereabouts. We went into the office, and
Ward told me of Miss Newton's arrest and trial, finally mentioning his
suspicions that curari had been used. I sprang out of my chair, walked
over and pulled open the door of the cabinet. The bottle of curari was
empty. I also found on further search that one of my hypodermic
syringes and needles, which I keep in the top drawer of my table, were
missing."
"Did any one have access to your offices during your absence from the
city?"
"No. I locked both the doors and bolted the windows of those rooms
before I left that afternoon, and took the keys with me, knowing that I
might be away from home for some time."
"What did you do on discovering the curari was gone?"
"Doctor Ward and I agreed that Senator Warren should be sent for. On
his arrival we consulted together and decided that Mrs. Bennett must
have killed Captain Lloyd."
"That is all, Doctor," announced Warren. "Mr. Judge Advocate, take the
witness."
"Do you know any motive for Mrs. Bennett's crime?" inquired the judge
advocate.
"Fear, deadly fear."
"Do you know what inspired that fear?"
"No, sir; I do not."
"You are excused." And the doctor, bowing to the court and to Nancy,
withdrew.
"May it please the court to recall Major Goddard," said Warren.
"Major Goddard is under close arrest and cannot leave his quarters,"
replied the President.
"But there are no longer grounds for such arrest," retorted Warren,
warmly. "He cannot now be accused of being an accessory after the fact.
By President Lincoln's permission I was allowed to see the major this
morning, and I say to you in all earnestness that his testimony is
needed to clear up this mystery. I have here an order from the
Secretary of War," extending a long envelope which had been delivered
to him a moment before, "releasing Major Goddard from arrest."
Convinced by Warren's earnest appeal, the presiding officer despatched
an orderly for Goddard.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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