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Ch. 3 -- HENRY
After Henry recovered from his "illness" he decided to give up the farm and go back to the shoe shop. He may have realized that the rigors of farm life were too strenuous on his health. Since Polly's lover Matthew was no longer in Alabama Center, Henry might have thought it would be safe to take her back there. It would also please his wife to return to their old house at the Center and be closer to friends and conveniences. . . . .
. . . . on July 10, Henry went to the shoe shop to see Eli Bickford. Henry told Eli, who was renting the shop, that he planned to come back to the Center in the fall and take back over his business. Eli then inquired as to Henry's health. Henry discussed the cultivator accident with Eli and told him that he was feeling much better now.
Henry was well on that Thursday afternoon of July 10; but by the evening, he would mysteriously become violently ill. . . .
Modified detail of Alabama Center 1850s street map. Color & Letters added:
E = Espy's. F = Franklin's where Hoags farmed. Vosburg's. All on Casey Road. |
The following day Schubel and Henry's neighbor, James Espy who lived to the west of the farm, went over to the Hoags to see how Henry was feeling. Henry told Schubel that he had taken sick the evening before and had vomited blood all night. James could ten by looking at Henry that he was very sick. To try and ease his discomfort James said Polly gave Henry some sage tea. Schubel, along with Julia, stayed all night at the Hoags. The doctor, as of yet, had not been called.
. . . Saturday the 12th . . .Doctor Townsend, the family physician, arrived about noon . . .and prescribed some medicine in a powder form of which type is unknown. . . .
When Selah Vosburg and Mr. Bugby arrived (July 15 afternoon) Polly was alone. She was just getting ready to give Henry his cup of sage tea . . .
It was obvious to all that Henry was not recovering as expected. Schubel came by the Hoags later in the afternoon. Polly finally decided to call for Dr. Townsend and sent Schubel out after him . . . . Dr. Townsend decided that brandy was needed to drive out the illness and to numb Henry's discomfort.
Polly gave Albert a bottle and sent him to Hescock's for the brandy. Albert said there was no brandy in the house before he went for it. . . .Albert got back from Hescock's. Albert handed the bottle of brandy to his mother . . . According to Albert, his mother, carrying the bottle
of brandy, walked over to the clock that was on a shelf in
the kitchen. There was a small space between the clock
and the wall where Polly removed a small folded piece of
paper from out of her bandbox.
Polly opened the paper and poured part of the contents of the paper into the brandy and shook up the bottle. She then returned the paper to its hiding place behind the clock. . . .
Albert asked his mother, "What are you putting into it?"
"Salaeratus." Answered.Polly.
"What did you put it in for?" Inquired Albert. "To sweeten it." She answered.
Albert knew there was something not quite right about this. The Salaeratus was kept in the buttery in an osyster can, not a piece of paper. Besides that, Salaeratus was similar to baking soda, not sugar. Polly wrongly assumed that Albert wasn't paying attention to what she was doing.
Modified detail of Alabama Center 1850s street map. Color & Letters added: Dr. T = Dr. Townsend's. In above map, north is to the right. |
Polly took the bottle into where her husband was lying down. Albert stated there was no one else in the room with them at the time. The young boy then saw his inother lift the bottle to his father's mouth. Henry didn't say anything when Polly did this; just automatically took a drink from the bottle. Henry told Polly, after tasting it, that he did not want any more because it made him feel worse.
Albert, becoming curious, went back into the kitchen and removed the paper from behind the clock. He looked at the powder inside the paper. He thought it did not look like Salaeratus. Albert didn't mention the incident to anyone at the time. He might have thought it was some sort of medicine; and maybe his mother told him it was a sweetener so he wouldn't worry so much about his father. . .
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George Lester, husband of Pollys half sister Elizabeth, . . . . at three or four in the morning (July 16), offered to go again for the doctor if Polly desired him to do so. Polly said that if he thought a doctor would do any good she wanted one called. So George Lester once again, in the middle of the night, went to fetch the doctor for his poor brother-in-law Henry. George immediately went back to the farm after speaking to the doctor. Townsend grabbed his medical bag, for all the good it would do him, and drove his buggy up to the Hoag farm once again. Henry was at death's door when George got back. By the time Dr. Townsend. got there it was too late. Henry was already dead.
Ch. 4 --
THE MOURNING PERIOD
As soon as Henry died Polly sent Albert to go over
ind get their neighbor, James Espy. He arrived just after sunrise. Polly told James that Henry had been dead a half an hour. Espy aided in laying out Henry's body for viewing. . . .
Upon hearing the news of Henry's death, people began coming over to the Hoags to pay their respects. . . . Jacob Winslow, who was the town supervisor at the time,
accompanied by Reuben Warren, came by a few hours after Henry's body was laid out.
Reuben testified that Polly told him, "She was anxious to see Matthew Bardwell and wanted him to carry on [the shoe shop]. She said she was sorry that Matthew did not come to see Henry before his death. Said Henry told her Bardwell should work up the leather."
Within only four hours after her husband's death, Polly's only thoughts were of Matthew.
. . . .
No one in the town, at this time however, had known that Henry had caught Polly and Matthew in bed together. This being the case, she was already beginning to use the story she had devised about Henry requesting Matthew to be in the shop. Polly was obsessed with getting Matthew back.
. . . .
Tombstone of Henry Hoag. Alabama Center Cemetery. Photo by C. Amrhein |
The funeral was held the day after Henry's death. Robert Almay, the sexton, dug the grave; which was thought to be Henry's eternal resting place never to be disturbed again. This would prove to be untrue in months to come. The coffin was placed inside a box and a lid secured on top with screws. Henry was buried next to his children.
Because Henry had left no Will, an administrator would have to be appointed and the estate appraised for its value to cover any debts. Two impartial parties had to be-chosen as appraisers. Selah Vosburg, who was a real estate businessman, and Jacob Winslow were chosen for the task.
Selah went over to the Hoag house at the Center
the day after Henry's death. Selah said, "We went upstairs
and appraised the leather & etc.; she said she did not
wish it sold, for she wanted Matthew Bardwell to make it
up. That her husband requested she would have it done. . . ."
. . . Later that same day Polly went over to the shoe shop to speak to Eli Bickford. Eli testified that "Polly requested me to give up the shoe shop by the middle of October. Polly told me Henry wanted Bardwell to work up the stock and Bards' could board at the tavern or the house with her. She told me Henry told her it would do no harm if she behaves herself."
Once again Polly used the story she concocted about Henry's dying wishes. We know Henry would not
have requested this because Henry already knew Polly could not behave herself.
. . . The following day, only three days after her husband's death, Polly went to the Post Office at Alabama Center to mail a letter. She gave the letter to Reuben Warren, the deputy postmaster. It was addressed to
Matthew Bardwell at Wheatville. She asked Reuben not to
mention it to anyone. . . .
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