The Black Museum - Champagne Glass

This is Awson Wells speaking from London. The Black Museum a reposity of dicks. Yes, here in the grimstone structure on the Thames, which houses Scotland Yard is a warehouse of homicide. Or everyday objects a man's necktrye, a woman's glove, a boy's school cap, or are.

Touched by murders. Now here's a champagne glass.

That's a familiar object, long stem, delicate curve, shining crystal. This fragile object belongs to New Year's Eve, to weddings and the anniversary.

Funny about things.

Like this sudant funny, Sir, I'd say that one was loaded. I want funny in a philosophical set of Sudan funny. How human beings can take an article of meant for happiness and use it for.

Tragicy Oh, anyway, that champagne glass can be found.

Today in the Black Museum.

From the annals of the Criminal Investigation Department of the London Police, we bring you the dramatic stories of the crimes recorded by the objects in Scotland Yards. Gallery of Death, the Black Museum.

Okay, we are the Black.

Scotland Yards Museum.

Murder and the Brace echoes with violent death voices are hollow here. Whether the hollowness is caused by the high bolted feelings or by the reaction of the human mind of the atmosphere of this room, the effect is the same.

Everybody who comes here lends the sense of.

Fere's natural, because here like death, death cruel, unnecessarily, a vengeful, greedy, silver kind of death brought by one man or one woman on another. This is a record that they studied, not merely by criminologists, but by every.

Students of man's in humanity.

The man.

There's an iron skillet's heavy in your hand. The kind of kitchen you sense of your grandmother is well balanced, quite suitable for frying eggs or real shots, and for bashing a skull, perhaps a little out of the use which brought this particular skillet here.

Yes, and here's a champagne.

Glass, well designed, graceful. If you place it for the companion on a silver tray, as Colonel Harry Reid did, I poper cork, and then fill the glasses as Colonel Harry Reid did. And you might say, as the dapper colonel did to you, my dear.

Elizabeth, to your return and your complete recovery.

I wish I could dream to that wholeheartedly.

Harry, ready I do, well, why not, my dear, You've been released you all day?

Yes, exactly, I've been released, not merely send home from a hospital, so to speak, after all the hospital I was in at the.

Windows, Oh, I insist, my dear, that you would touch glasses with me and think at once.

That's no way to talk, are they know?

But Elizabeth, many people have had nervous breakdowns and the vast majority of them have recovered.

Very well, Dear, not to me, to you the most patient of husbands in the world.

So they drank the champagne. That all was well. It's very pleasant, very relaxing, reassuring.

But the world is always too much with us. Since the colonel finally had to say.

Are you resting until dinner?

Elizabeth, I have a brief appointment with my solicitor Davis.

You remember him, must you, dear? Tonight? Well, it's at his request. I won't be long.

And the Colonel kissed his wife and the colonel went off to his appointment.

It's six months now, read one way or the other. The matter ought to be settled. I assure you, Davis, is nothing to worry about. These things take time, there being plenty of time. Look red if you don't.

Want to complete the deal, return the five hundred pounds. But it's not up to me, my client.

Or what client indicate your wedding is to dispose of the property. My clients paint the deposit in good faith. We considered the bang on the contlex. We've waited six months. Your five hundred pounds is quite safe.

Davis.

You can reassure your client and on my side, we'll go through the deal as soon as everything is clear. Well, I certainly hope so. My people want to take possession, and they shall, They shall, indeed and soon. Meanwhile, there's no reason for misunderstanding between us.

Is there? After all, we live in the same small town.

We see each other constantly here, John, I have often wondered why we don't see more of each other.

Oh, socially. That is rather a changeable fellow, the colonel, isn't he?

There were other changes ahead, more serious ones, somewhat public notice.

The night our colonel called doctor Ashley to his home.

A Dr Esley, good of you to come so quickly, made it sound on.

The rig in channel did it really here this? Yes, I'm afraid, doctor, really afraid. It's my wife, as she broken down again. No, she complains of chedrible pain in her abdomen. I better heear her it once. Yes, this way, pleased, if if you can, doctor.

Yes, she seems need to be as much frightened as she is in pain. Though what exactly do you mean by that frightened the world? That her pain is in her imagination?

I see, oh very well, I'll bear that in my gob in here. If you wait outside, General.

Pym must die, doctor, I prefer it very well. Now, miss please? Can you? Shall you? Miss? Is the good?

And I waited outside the door, up and down, back and forth. He paced, almost as we were once again on God duty. Grim faced tants waited long as.

You better come in? Clon quick? Doctor? Is she? I'm a facer. I've done everything I can.

A few moments later, Elizabeth Reid was at rest at last. Tears streamed down the colonel's cheeks, but he was silent. I seemed nothing to say. The doctor led him away and told him gently.

It was acute guesstrits and her heart a hum of the ministerized hum, and the mortician, I'll send the certificate over natural cozy.

There was a well attended funeral.

The flowers were quilty, contributed to the colonel's position in the town as well as to the memory of his wife. And then the colonel resumed his life, somewhat more lonely, but still active, telling himself in military fashion as he went about his small real estate business, and time drifted by one month too, and then one day on the main.

Street, A good morning, colonel, Ah David, good to see you. I've hesitated discussing this. Your recent bereavement is on. But don't you think we need to close our deal?

Read? Or is yes? Of course, I I'll set his I'm brother by myself these days. Would you care to join me for tea?

Or if it's something stronger one afternoon you say, then Read, I'll be gad to excellent? Then should we say tomorrow? Fibish? Why up your place or my?

Oh mine? Of course?

Delighted to have you.

Have a corner man, really excellent. My housekeeper has quite the tops.

Thank you. I will almost as if we were a pair of elderly ladies. Deon's calm. Two gentlemen somewhat past.

Middle age, enjoying tea and scones and making ready.

To discuss business.

In fact, they did discuss business, the five hundred pounds deposits and defending deal. John Davis went home quite satisfied. John Davis went home and a little later called doctor Ashley.

I'm understanding doctor by my stomachs like like cast Iron always.

Has been, now suddenly this. None of us are quite as young as we used to be. Even cost Iron can wear a thin he's anything out of the orphanage on today, yesterday? No, no, nothing, hes some scungs for tea. That batter may have been a bit wrenched him.

And chasing urdative fresh over Kurr of reads and reads. Yes, is why we have a little business to discuss, he asked me over.

It seems quite lowly since his wife passed on, as why went mostly we keep him company and night of you.

Well, let's just take the description. I'm leaving you rest today too. Fu'll be all right. What's wrong doctor? Oh nothing, just a quirk of memory. Oh, how so you're symptoms and missus Reed's wrong the same, Nothing serious about it. Gos odd that we should have two similar.

Cases in such close juxtaposition a town like this, adoptor gets to know most of you.

Because the doctor said, nothing serious, It's just an interesting coincidence.

And in a day or so John Davis is up and about.

Aside from a slight tenderness and his abdom and he thought, no after effects.

All was well, all.

Was quiet, Everyone was his courteous Silph, including Colonel Reeds.

Oh no candy, And from the colonel, how decent of it?

Here? It is daughter the same rappings that came in nice meeting?

Bossed?

Don't you care for candy?

John?

You haven't eaten much? As an obit that I don't. I did offer a piece to the charmer at the office. You see one's listening to the charm Eh is that the way you fred a gift with the hope you are sufficiently recovered to enjoy this. Henry reed of the decent of him. That's what I thought until the charum was taken with pains and reaching an hour office.

He ate the candy? Are you suggesting anything? John?

That would be foundrous at this stage would miss nothing to it? John, That couldn't be the colonel lying quiet at the private office.

He did rather well following his wife's death and her will. You know he never had any money of his own to speak of. The former military men rarely do.

Yes, it might be interesting.

I don't practically no laboratory well on my own sometime, but I have a little equipment. I time I handled a bit of chemical analysis.

John, I'm curious about the contents of that.

Props of candy. Use him to be as well as I. The doctor was an astrodical, to say the leasts.

He took his time setting up his equipment, preparing reagents, making ready for his pride of a test.

Meanwhile, John Davis ran into his ground the colonel on the streets, John, good to see you. How are you hurted? You're looking vets well that way.

Kevin joined me for another attack of indigestal men.

To day. The Champagne glass we've been talking about can be seen, as you.

Might expect, among the other exhibits in the Black Museum. The Colonel and John Davis planted quite amicably on the street. Davis watched the smart military walk the ramrod straight back. As the colonel paraded into his own business office. John Davis shook his head, Sam, I didn't seem quite plausible at this night, and might just might be something quite different than what he seemed.

Like.

The afternoon, the celephone rang in John Davis's office.

Yes, let you don't This is Harry, Yeah, Harry, Oh yes, yes, of course.

How are you very well? You quite well? No, please, sorry, old man. I I can't this evening, but perhaps in a day or so.

Oh, do go by bye that evening.

Davis had a previous appointment with doctor Ashley. It makes your flaboratory, this little operation.

It is the mark sense or ask me interesting, yes, isn't he?

Particularly since I found that every piece of candy in your gift box, head asked mcginney.

Good jord.

Arsenic, you see, is a cumulative poison. The person may have a tolerance for quite a large amount of it. It usually fails to pass through the human system. It accumulates, and dip by dip, the fatal dose is build up, until one day the victim dies. Doctor Ashley explained all this to John Davis. Finally, John grasps the significance of the facts.

Each piece of candy would never follow the ordinary stomach or the cast iron type such as you both that you have. Most people could eat a piece of two.

And nothing would happen. But if, as it may.

Have been intended, you would eat most of the candy yourself.

Well you follow me again, follow you, doctor, and a step ahead of your But exactly what that, Steff is, I'm not sure. I think we need expert help the local constabulary is said expert to help ware from the CID Scotland Yard. It is a clear coljunt letter assigning the situations Doctor Ashley and John Davis knew it. It was addressed to the Home Secretary, the gentlemen of the British Government responsible to the police force.

In general and you course.

The letter reached the desk of Inspector Charles in Scotland Yard following a set routine. Inspector Charles showed the communication to his immediate assistant to tect.

You, Sergeant Hatch, Well, nothing else for it. You and I will have to take a small trip to the country. Frankly, I want mine. I can use a touch of country.

They came into the quiet town unobtrusively, two men on a walking tour vacationists. They caught up at the inn towards sundown. They strolled about the town casually. They turned in at the gate with its little sign announcing that doctor Ashley had his dispensary there.

Once, however, within the doctor's office.

Now then, doctor, perhaps you'd let start and hatch and I have it.

From the beginning.

Well, my entrance into the situation came shortly after missus Reed returned from the sanitarium. She'd been ill, mentally ill, help us breakdown. Rather more then she'd been certified insane. She was discharged as being quite stable once again.

And you were called. In my professional.

Capacity, I found her past help acute guestritis, or say seemed at the time, But it doesn't seem so now you understand.

Him sac that I have no facts at least on that sign.

I merely analyzed the boss of Chanda received by John Davis shortly.

After he'd been taking Neil doctor. Would this Teronel Reed benefit from from mister Davis's death.

There'd been something about a real estate and the deposit paige quite a large sum.

I believe mister Davis can give you the details.

One final question said, who had Missus Reed committed to the institution in the first instance?

Why?

I believe the husband did. But the records will be available to you, of course, of.

Course, Oh, thank you, doctor, if we need you.

By the time they left the doctor's office, Inspector Charles and Sergeant Hatch felt they had heard an interesting, circumstantial story. The next uppatrially was John Davis's home.

You have no idea, gentlemen, what a relief it is to have police officers of your caliber on the job. Thank you about the candid and the card on the box. Do you have any definite reason to believe the colonel wants you well out of the way. There's a matter of five hundred pounds he either will not or cannot explain.

You find that interesting. I take a partant I expect you do as well, sir.

Quite mister Davis, do you think it might be possible to exhume Missus Reed's body without the matter of becoming common knowledge in the whole town.

So the men from Scotland yard accomplished the almost impossible. Armed with the proper.

Takers, first tools and dark lanterns, they supervised the removal of the body at night. No one the wiser except for necessary officials. This feat completed. They waited quite quite patiently. The government analysts called in.

The report was brief.

Inspected Charles ready to doctor Ashley.

Examination reveals the presence of four grains of arsenic more than a fatal day jose, and the largest amount of the poison.

I have ever found in human remains.

Oh, that said, doctor, and I didn't recognize the symptoms acute guest citis.

I call it.

Why should you have recognized them, sir? Are they say murder of any kind? There is hardly a common occurrence in your practice. Well, sergeants, since our warrant, it's all in order. It begins to appear that a search of Colonel Reed's premises may be next on the agenda.

Now the pretense of the working Joe was completely discarded. It was Saturday and the sleepy little village was just about disturbing itself. The inspector and the sergeant walked a short distance from the end of Colonel Reed's place of business, almost.

Directly after the David's office.

The sergeant tried the door, Not lot, sir, A lot go all in these parts would arise more suspicion than not let go in?

Shall we?

One file cabinet, one risk, telephone chair for visitors.

Can't do much of a business, but they'll say not, Let's get to it. The search was quite thorough.

The desk was emptied of its contents.

These were replaced in an orderly fashion, and nothing extraordinary. Year sir, h what do you make of this, sir?

Champagne glass the oard of the file cabinet, todd sall I hold it aside, sir, Yes, that well interesting. The taste of sediment apparently it was never washed after the produce the last time anything else in there?

Sudden? Oh, what's going on here, Colonel read?

Yes, more than the point you to identify yourselves and your business here. If any inspector Charles cid my identity card, let a Sargeant hatch I see, I assume you have a warrant for this search.

We do right here, Donnel, very well, go on with your work.

May I ask why you were keeping the champagne glass and the file cabinet a memento to.

My poor wife.

We drank from it, that is, if she did about a week before she passed away.

A nice gesture. Finally, say so, and still with the trace of the sediment at the bottom.

Okare for sir. It'll be a pity to have the glass break after all this time.

Sorry, aw could not meet him brush against it like that? Yes, wasn't it all right?

Sergeant? You can open the desk door the colonel just closed and see what he put in it. But you said you'd feed your pardon, colonel. I'm head quite enough of this. These paper packets went in here a few minutes ago. Inspector, how many you would have? Twenty?

I'll take one, just thank you. Why pad, Well, this wouldn't be arsenic, would it?

Cuddal? Not only would be it is weird. Well, as you can see, I'm wearing my gardening coat. Ordinarily I do not come into the office on Saturday, but something came up.

I've been planning an experiment in my garden, hence the arsenic A garden an experiment with twenty packets of arsenic. Yes, my lawn is pig with dandelions, roughly two dozen of them. I plan to drew a small hole at the root of each weed, pulling the arsenic in each of those packets, and kill each dandelion individually, rather than take the chance

But this is ridiculous. Someone is poisoned.

Keep that champagne glass eight before Colonel Read succeeds in watching it. Yes, Colonel Reed, you are under arrest the charger's mother. I must warn you that anything you may be saying.

I will not him. You'll see it in all elisia, I'll make out.

Colonel, you've made several mistakes, not the least of which was your attendant John Davis, and your preservation of this glass a sentimental gesture, but rather silly. My bet is the sediment in it will turn out.

To be arsenic.

You must have been very sure of yourself, Colonel, to leave this glass unwashed, very sure of yourself.

Indeed, bring him along sergeant.

I think he'll come quietly now.

And today the Champagne grass can be seen in the Black Museum.

Arson Wells will be back with you in just a moment.

There was no doubt about one facet of Colonel Reid's character. He was a man of great pride. His behavior at the trial was exemplary his daring military He repeated his story of the separate packets of arsenic for separate dandelions, and he sounded as if he'd made a good case of it, at least for himself, but not, as it

The same place, and.

I tell you another story about the Black Museum.

I remain, as always obediently yours s