Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1850-07-06


Smith appeared IN no wise td he anitated
ot listressed--ati eaut'ly niimcved was
he while the witnesses testified IN substance
What The opening spetdh Of the eouiise
led the court and tile Jury to expect.
Lord MansHeld noW addressed the i,trv
lie told them that, in his opinion the ev-
dence was not sufficient to toiidaun the
prisoner, and if the Jury agreed with him
in opinion. tile c5ft would hischarga him.
Without leaving theft seats, tie Jury =
greed that the evidence was not sufficient
At this moment, when they were about
to render verdict of seuultal. lie prlso1er
rt'se a,il addressed the court II said tliit
lie had been accused Of Il foul crime, and
the Jury had said that there was not std-
fceht evidence against him. Did the
Jury mean that there was any evidence
against hilIif Was he to e. I'll. If ,otitt
with stspicions resting itp6i, hin, after
all! This lie was unwilling to do. lie
was al innocent man, and if the Judge
would grint him the opportunity he would
prove it. lie would dall his housekeeper,
who would confirm statement which he
would now make
The hrasekeeper had ndt appeared ii
court. Sl,e bad concealed herself or lad
been concealed By him But he himself
now altered 10 bring her forward, md
stated as the reason, moi that he was tin
WilHhg Thai slia ft,iili testify! l,,,t knowing
the e8uitemp,,t he was fearful that she
4iaiah. I've bribed to give testimony con.
tfaty to fact But he was now teady To
relate all the circumstances he kht tt-slte
might. then be called and he examined:
n her testimony doas nat confirm my story;
let me be condemned.
The request Of the prisoner seemed
reasonable, and I,ord Mansfield, contrary
to his usual rtactitle, grai,ted it.
The prisoner went on with Ills sfate-
n,eni He said he wished to 90 out Of
court relieved from the siispiBions wlieil
were resting upon him. As to the pttisor,
by ineniis u which The stranger was said
to have died, he knew neither the naniE
of it, nor even the existence Of it, until
,a,le known by The counsel. lie could
cail God to witness the truth Of what he
said
The housekeeper was now introduced,
and examined by the counsel for the
prisoner. S,a had not heard any part of
Smith, nor q single word Of the trial.
Her Story confirmed all he said
10 this ettfeeded the truss.eEtlnnatien
by the hotlnsel for The prosetution Dhs
pirerlnsthuae had mhde deep impression
on his mi,ld===this was, that willie the
prisoner and the holisnkarper we're in The
room of the fptuief something Ike door
had obstructad tie light OF the candle, ST
that the witness testified to the fact. but
could not see it, What was tbs obstTt,e-
ton? There wHs no door-nothng III the
room which could account for this Yet
the witness was positive that something
like II door, did, for q moment open between,
the window and the candle. This nsedsd
explanation. The hoisekeeper wns the
only person that could give it, Designing
to probe This rnntter, i'll the end, to the
bottom. but not wishing TO excite her
alarm, he began Try asklng her few TN
Important questions, and among others,
where the candle stood while she was III
Mr.. Amiths room.
In tho centre of tie room, she
replied
"Weu, and was The closet or cupboard,
or what ever yot, eall it, opened once or
twice while it stood there!'
She made no reply,
II viii help your recollection, " said the
counsel "After Mr. Smith bad taken
the medicine ont Of the closet, did he shut
the door, or did it reraain open -
"IIs slutit,
" And when he replaced the bottle In
the closet, he opened it again, did he 7
I" lie did.
"Apd how long was it open the last
time 2"
mot above minute.
"Well, md when open, would the door
be exactly between tho light and the
window !"
at would. "
II forget, " said the counsel, whether
you said the closet was on the right or left
hand side Of the window"
"On the left hand side. -
"Would the door Of the closet make any
noise in opening!' y
None. "
"Are you certain?' II am.
"Ilave you ever opened it yourself, OF
only seen Mr. Smith open it -
II never opened it myself. "
did you ever keep the key?'
Never. I"
"Who did ~
MIR. Smith always.
At this moment the hoiisekeeper chancea
cd to cast her eye toward Smith, the prjs-
oner. lis countenance suddenly changed
A cold, damp sweat stood upon his brow,
and his face had lost all its color he ap-
peared living image Of death.
SIZE no sooner saw him, than she shrek
ed and tainted. The consequence Of her
answers flashed across her mind. She
had been 80 thoroughly deceived by the
manner Of the advocate, and by the little
importance he had seemed to attach to
her statements, that she had been led on
by oiie question to another, till she had
told him all he wanted TO know.
She was obliged to be taken from the
court, and physician, who was present,
was requested to attend her. At this
time, the solicitor for the prosecution
answering to our States attorney left
the court, but no one knew for what pur-
pose Presently. the physician came into
the court, and stated that it would be
impossible for the housekeeper to resume
her seat in the box short Of an hour ori
two.
1t was almost twelve in the day. Lord