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 bathroom and downstairs lower hall The sailor seemed perfectly familiar house By side door he passed cellar There he lighted the gas, opened wine cases, and, taking up all the bottles that conveniently carry, returned bathroom There he poured the contents tub dismembered body, and then returned cellar empty bottles, which he replaced wine cases This he continued until all the cases but one were emptied bath tub was more than half full of liquid This liquid was sulphuric acid

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

The deadly acids at once attacked the body and began to destroy it; heat increased, the acids boiled destructive process was rapid and awful the sailor opened the door bathroom cautiously, and, holding wet towel over his mouth and nose, looked in at his horrible work end of few hours only swimming mass tub man looked at four o'clock, all thick murky liquid He turned off the gas quickly and stepped back room For perhaps half an hour he waited hall; finally, acids had

cooled so no longer gave off fumes, he opened the door and went in, took hold platinum wire and, pulling the porcelain disk stopcock, allowed the awful contents tub to run out Then he turned 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 open window; this he now closed and set himself to putting the bathroom , and effectually removing every trace night's work The sailor moved around very greatest degree of care Finally, when he had arranged everything complete satisfaction, he picked up the two burners, turned out the gas, and left the bathroom, closing the door after him bathroom he went directly attic, concealed the two rusty burners under heap of rubbish, and then walked carefully and noiselessly down the stairs and lower hall As he opened the door and stepped room where he had killed the woman, two police officers sprang out and seized him The man screamed like wild beast taken in trap and sank down

"Oh ! oh ! " he cried, " no use ! no use ! " Then he recovered himself in manner and was silent The officers handcuffed him, summoned the patrol, and took him at once station house There Mexican sailor his name was Victor Ancona; but say nothing further The following morning he sent for Randolph Mason two were long together

IV

The obscure defendant charged with murder has little reason to complain law's delays The morning following the arrest of Victor Ancona, the newspapers published long sensational articles, denounced him as fiend, and convicted him The grand jury, as it happened, was in session The preliminaries were soon arranged case was railroaded into trial The indictment contained counts, and charged the prisoner 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 spectators who were crowded court room had grown violent and bitter partisans, to such an extent police watched them closely The attorneys People were dramatic and denunciatory, and forced their case with arrogant confidence Mason, as counsel prisoner, was indifferent and listless entire trial he had sat almost motionless table, his gaunt form bent over, his long legs drawn up under his chair, weary, heavy-muscled face, with its restless eyes, fixed and staring out over the heads jury, was like tragic mask The bar, and even the judge, believed prisoner's counsel had abandoned his case

The evidence was all in People rested It shown that Nina San Croix had resided for many years house prisoner was arrested; that she had lived by herself, with no other companion than an old negro servant; that her past was unknown, 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 shown that on Tuesday preceding the killing the Archbishop had received communication from Nina San Croix, she said she desired statement greatest import, and asking for an audience the Archbishop replied that willingly grant her hearing if come to him at eleven o'clock on Friday morning Two policemen testified that about eight o'clock night of Thursday they had noticed the prisoner slip gate of Nina San Croix's residence and go down side house, where admitted; that his appearance and seeming haste had attracted their attention; had concluded some clandestine amour, and out of curiosity had both slipped down house and endeavored position see room, but were unable , and were about back street heard woman's voice cry out in, great anger: " that you love her rid of me, but you ! You murdered him, but you murder me ! all the evidence to convict you of murdering him ! The Archbishop it to- morrow ! They shall hang you ! hear me ? They shall hang you murder ! " that thereupon policemen proposed should break house wrong, but the other had urged only the usual lovers' quarrel and should interfere find nothing charge based and would only be laughed at chief; had waited and listened for time, but hearing nothing further had gone back street and contented themselves with keeping strict watch house

The People proved further, that on Thursday evening Nina San Croix had given the old negro domestic sum of money and dismissed her, instruction that she was not to return until sent for The old woman testified that she had gone directly house of her son, and later had discovered that she had forgotten some articles of clothing which she needed; that thereupon she had returned house and had gone up the back way to her room,-- 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 policemen; 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, some one were carrying heavy burden; that therefore her fear had increased she had put out the light and hidden under the bed She remembered hearing the footsteps moving about upstairs for many hours, how long tell Finally, about half-past four morning, she crept out, opened the door, slipped downstairs, and ran out street There she had found the policemen and requested them to search the house

The two officers had gone house woman She had opened the door had had just time to step back shadow prisoner entered When arrested, Victor Ancona had screamed with terror, and cried out, " no use ! no use ! "