The Corpus Delicti by Melville D. Post
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on_the outside of_the tub . after he had done this he went back to_the body, stripped off its clothing, put it down in_the tub and began to dismember it with_the great Mexican knife . the blade was strong and sharp as a razor . the man worked rapidly and with_the greatest care .

when he had finally cut the body into as small pieces as possible, he replaced the knife in its sheath, washed his hands, and went out_of_the bathroom and downstairs to_the lower hall . the sailor seemed perfectly familiar with_the house . by a side door he passed into_the cellar . there he lighted the gas, opened one_of_the wine cases, and, taking up all the bottles that he_could conveniently carry, returned to_the bathroom . there he poured the contents into_the tub on_the dismembered body, and then returned to_the cellar with_the empty bottles, which he replaced in_the wine cases . this he continued to_do until all the cases but one were emptied and_the bath tub was more than half full of liquid . this liquid was sulphuric acid .

when_the sailor returned to_the cellar with_the last empty wine bottles, he opened the fifth case, which really contained wine, took some of it out, and poured a little into each of_the empty bottles in_order to remove any possible odor of_the sulphuric acid . then he turned out the gas and brought up_to_the bathroom with_him the two paper flour sacks and_the little heavy bundle . these sacks were filled with nitrate of soda . he set them down by_the door, opened the little bundle, and took out two long rubber tubes, each attached to a heavy gas burner, not unlike the ordinary burners of a small gas stove . he fastened the tubes to two of_the gas jets, put the burners under the tub, turned the gas on full, and lighted it . then he threw into_the tub the woman's clothing and_the papers which he had found on her body, after which he_took up the two heavy sacks of nitrate of soda and dropped them carefully into_the sulphuric acid . when he had done this he went quickly out_of_the bathroom and closed the door .

the deadly acids at once attacked the body and began to destroy it; as_the heat increased, the acids boiled and_the destructive process was rapid and awful . from_time to_time the sailor opened the door of_the bathroom cautiously, and, holding a wet towel over his mouth and nose, looked in at his horrible work . at_the end of a few hours there_was only aswimming mass in_the tub . when_the man looked at four o'clock, it_was all a thick murky liquid . he turned off the gas quickly and stepped back out_of_the room . for perhaps half an hour he waited in_the hall; finally, when_the acids had

cooled so that_they no longer gave off fumes, he opened the door and went in, took hold of_the platinum wire and, pulling the porcelain disk from_the stopcock, allowed the awful contents of_the tub to run out . then he turned on_the hot water, rinsed the tub clean, and replaced the metal outlet .Removing the rubber tubes, he cut them into pieces, broke the porcelain disk, and, rolling up the platinum wire, washed it all down the sewer pipe .

the fumes had escaped through_the open window; this he now closed and set himself to putting the bathroom in_order, and effectually removing every trace of_his night's work . the sailor moved around with_the very greatest degree of care . finally, when he had arranged everything to_his complete satisfaction, he picked up the two burners, turned out the gas, and left the bathroom, closing the door after him . from_the bathroom he went directly to_the attic, concealed the two rusty burners under a heap of rubbish, and then walked carefully and noiselessly down the stairs and through_the lower hall . as he opened the door and stepped into_the room where he had killed the woman, two police officers sprang out and seized him . the man screamed like a wild beast taken in a trap and sank down .

"Oh ! oh ! " he cried, " it_was no use ! it_was no use to_do_it ! " then he recovered himself in a manner and was silent . the officers handcuffed him, summoned the patrol, and took him at once to_the station house . there he_said he_was a Mexican sailor and_that his name was victor Ancona; but he_would say nothing further . the following morning he sent for Randolph mason and_the two were long together .

IV

the obscure defendant charged with murder has little reason to complain of_the law's delays . the morning following the arrest of victor Ancona, the newspapers published long sensational articles, denounced him as a fiend, and convicted him . the grand jury, as it happened, was in session . the preliminaries were soon arranged and_the case was railroaded into trial . the indictment contained a great_many counts, and charged the prisoner with_the murder of Nina San Croix by striking, stabbing, choking, poisoning, and so forth .

the trial had continued for three days and had appeared so overwhelmingly one- sided that_the spectators who were crowded in_the court room had grown to_be violent and bitter partisans, to such an extent that_the police watched them closely . the attorneys for_the people were dramatic and denunciatory, and forced their case with arrogant confidence . mason, as counsel for_the prisoner, was indifferent and listless . throughout_the entire trial he had sat almost motionless at_the table, his gaunt form bent over, his long legs drawn up under his chair, and_his weary, heavy-muscled face, with its restless eyes, fixed and staring out over the heads of_the jury, was like a tragic mask . the bar, and even the judge, believed that_the prisoner's counsel had abandoned his case .

the evidence was all in and_the people rested . it had_been shown that Nina San Croix had resided for many years in_the house in_which_the prisoner was arrested; that she had lived by herself, with no other companion than an old Negro servant; that her past was unknown, and_that she received no visitors, save the Mexican sailor, who came to her house at long intervals . nothing whatever was shown tending to explain who the prisoner was or whence he had come . it_was shown that on Tuesday preceding the killing the archbishop had received a communication from Nina San Croix, in_which she said she desired to_make a statement of_the greatest import, and asking for an audience . to_this the archbishop replied that he_would willingly grant her ahearing if she_would come to him at eleven o'clock on Friday morning . two policemen testified that about eight o'clock on_the night of Thursday they had noticed the prisoner slip into_the gate of Nina San Croix's residence and go down to_the side of_the house, where he_was admitted; that his appearance and seeming haste had attracted their attention; that_they had concluded that_it_was some clandestine amour, and out of curiosity had both slipped down to_the house and endeavored to_find a position from_which they_could see into_the room, but were unable to_do_so, and were about to_go back to_the street when_they heard a woman's voice cry out in, great anger: " I_know that you love her and_that you_want to_get rid of me, but you shall_not do_it ! you murdered him, but you shall_not murder me ! I_have all the evidence to convict you of murdering him ! the archbishop will_have it to- morrow ! they shall hang you ! do_you hear me ? they shall hang you for_this murder ! " that thereupon one_of_the policemen proposed that_they should break into_the house and_see what_was wrong, but the other had urged that_it_was only the usual lovers' quarrel and if_they should interfere they_would find nothing upon_which a charge could_be based and would only be laughed at by_the chief; that_they had waited and listened for a time, but hearing nothing further had gone back to_the street and contented themselves with keeping a strict watch on_the house .

the people proved further, that on Thursday evening Nina San Croix had given the old Negro domestic a sum of money and dismissed her, with_the instruction that she was not to return until sent for . the old woman testified that she had gone directly to_the house of her son, and later had discovered that she had forgotten some articles of clothing which she needed; that thereupon she had returned to_the house and had gone up the back way to her room,-- this_was about eight o'clock; that while there she had heard Nina San Croix's voice in great passion and remembered that she had used the words stated by_the policemen; that_these sudden, violent cries had frightened her greatly and she had bolted the door and been afraid to leave the room; shortly thereafter, she had heard heavy footsteps ascending the stairs, slowly and with great difficulty, as_though some one were carrying a heavy burden; that therefore her fear had increased and_that she had put out the light and hidden under the bed . she remembered hearing the footsteps moving about upstairs for many hours, how long she_could_not tell . finally, about half- past four in_the morning, she crept out, opened the door, slipped downstairs, and ran out into_the street . there she had found the policemen and requested them to search the house .

the two officers had gone to_the house with_the woman . she had opened the door and_they had had just time to step back into_the shadow when_the prisoner entered . when arrested, victor Ancona had screamed with terror, and cried out, " it_was no use ! it_was no use to_do_it ! "

the chief of police had come to_the house and instituted a careful search . in_the room below, from_which the cries had come, he_found a dress which_was identified as belonging to Nina San Croix and which she was wearing when last seen by_the domestic, about six o'clock that evening . this dress was covered with blood, and had a slit about two inches long in_the left side of_the bosom, into which the Mexican knife, found on_the prisoner, fitted perfectly . these articles were introduced in evidence, and it_was shown that_the slit would_be exactly over the heart of_the wearer, and_that such a wound would certainly result in death . there_was much blood on one_of_the chairs and on_the floor . there_was also blood on_the prisoner's coat and_the leg of_his trousers, and_the heavy Mexican knife was also bloody . the blood was shown by_the experts to_be human blood .

the body of_the woman was not found, and_the most rigid and tireless search failed to develop the slightest trace of_the corpse, or the manner of_its disposal . the body of_the woman had disappeared as completely as_though it had vanished into_the air .

when counsel announced that he had closed for_the people, the judge turned and looked gravely down at mason ." sir," he_said, " the evidence for_the defense may now be introduced ."

Randolph mason arose slowly and faced the judge .

" if your honor please," he_said, speaking slowly and distinctly, " the defendant has no evidence to offer ." he paused while a murmur of astonishment ran over the court room ." but, if your honor please," he continued, "I move that_the jury be directed to_find the prisoner not guilty ."

the crowd stirred . the counsel for_the people smiled . the judge looked sharply at_the speaker over his glasses ." on what ground ? " he_said curtly .

" on_the ground," replied mason, " that_the corpus delicti has_not_been proven ."

"Ah ! " said the judge, for once losing his judicial gravity . mason sat down abruptly . the senior counsel for_the prosecution was on_his feet in a moment .

" what ! " he_said, " the gentleman bases his motion on a failure to establish the corpus delicti ? Does he jest, or has he forgotten the evidence ? the term ' corpus delicti' is technical, and means the body of_the crime, or the substantial fact that a crime has_been committed .Does anyone doubt it in this_case ? it_is true that no one actually saw the prisoner kill the decedent, and_that he has so successfully hidden the body that_it has_not_been found, but the powerful chain of circumstances, clear and close- linked, proving motive, the criminal agency, and_the criminal act, is overwhelming .

" the victim in this_case is on_the eve of making a statement that_would prove fatal to_the prisoner . the night before_the statement is_to_be made he goes to her residence . they quarrel . her voice is heard, raised high in_the greatest passion, denouncing him, and charging that he_is a murderer, that she has_the evidence and will reveal it, that he shall be hanged, and_that he shall_not_be rid of her . here_is_the motive for_the crime, clear as light . are_not the bloody knife, the bloody dress, the bloody clothes of_the prisoner, unimpeachable witnesses to_the criminal act ? the criminal agency of_the prisoner has_not the shadow of a possibility to obscure it . his motive is gigantic . the blood on him, and_his despair when arrested, cry ' murder ! murder ! ' with a thousand tongues .

" men may lie, but circumstances cannot . the thousand hopes and fears and passions of men may delude, or bias the witness . yet it_is beyond the human mind to conceive that

Section [1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5]