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The Green Bag.

Undoubtedly Dr. Buchanan had combined Crime succeeds crime. It is rare, indeed, the two drugs. The cleverness of this is that a notorious piece of villany is accom plished without another strikingly similar apparent when we consider their dissimilar following it. The Buchanan case was the effects. Morphine induces stupor, atropine delirium, followed by stupor. Morphine sequel to the Harris murder. Dr. Robert W. Buchanan was, in 1893, causes a contraction of the pupils of the eyes convicted of murdering his wife through often to the size of pin points. Atropine the instrumentality of morphine. She was a greatly dilates them. Is it to be wondered woman of bad reputation, at one time the that the attending physicians were confused? keeper of a disorderly house in Newark, N. It is doubtful, however, if the criminal J . In a moment of infatuation she deeded to would have been convicted had it not been him some valuable real estate as well as for that prospensity to talk, which the type executed a will, chiefly in his favor. Soon almost invariably possesses. It was shown that time and again he had commented on dissensions arose and the pair became dis satisfied and wearied with each other. It the fact of "Carlyle Harris not understanding had been purely a marriage for money on his his business" and upon his " leaving a trace part, and becoming ashamed of his wife he behind." The speaker invariably implied even denied its existence to his friends and that he could do much better. When an companions. She, on the other hand, re investigation was talked of he even went so sented his neglect and dissipated conduct. far as to say that his deceased wife was a On April 21, 1892, immediately after morphine eater, and that morphine would be found in her body. In fact, to the student breakfast, Mrs. Buchanan was taken vio lently ill. A physician was' called, who of criminology who desires to ascertain both diagnosed the case as one of hysteria and how logical a sequence one crime may be of prescribed accordingly. At about three another and how absolutely a criminal can o'clock Dr. Buchanan was seen to give the betray himself, no better illustration is afforded than the case of the People of the patient a dose of two teaspoonfuls of medi cine, although the prescription called for one State of New York v. Robert W. Buchanan, as contained in Volume 145 of the New only. She rapidly fell into a state of pro found coma, which continued until the York Court of Appeals Reports. following afternoon, when death occurred. It need only be added that a verdict of The case had been subsequently treated as guilty was sustained by the appellate one of cerebral apoplexy. A post-mortem tribunal, and pupil followed master to the examination, however, revealed no trace of electric chair. this disease, though it did show the presence Note. — The author desires to express his acknowledg of morphine sufficient to indicate a dose of ment of the courtesy of Hon. Charles E. Simms, exAssistant District Attorney of New York County and from four to five grains. The chemists also subsequently City Magistrate, to whom he is indebted for many of the facts in this article. found traces of atropine.