The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1853-07-28

: poison more powerful than any othe
| known, and deprived one of life SO i'm
mediately as to leave no marks of suffer
ing, and no contortions to the features.
But then the question was, by whom
was it administered! One circumstance
small one indeed, and yet upon i
might hang horrid tale, was that thC
stopper of small bottle of very singular
description had been found in tho pris
oner's house. The stopper had been ex
amined, and said by medical men tt
have belonged to German phial, con
tanning the kind of poison which he had
described. But then was that poison ad.
ministcred by Smith, or at his instigation!
Who were the prisoners family? 1t con-
sisted only of himself, housekeeper, and
one man servant. The man servant slept
in an out house adjoining the stable, and
did so on the night of Tohmpson's death
The prisoner slept at one end of the house,
the housekeeper at the other, and the de-
ceased had been put in room adjoining
the housekeeper's.
1t would be proved that about three
hours after midnight, on the night Of
Thompson's death, light had been seen
moving about the house, and that figure
holding the light was seen to 60 from the
room in which the prisoner slept, to the
housekceper's room; the light now dis
appeared for n minute, when two persons
were seen, but whether they went into
| Thompson's room, the witness could not
swear; but shortly after they were OBJ
served passing quito through the entry to
Smiths room, into which they entered,
and in about FIVE minutes the light was
extinguished.
The witness would further state, that
after the person had returned with the
light into Smiths room, and before it
was extinguished, he had twice perceived
some dark object to intervene between
the light and the widow, almost as large
as the surface of window itself, and
which he described by saying it appeared
as if door had been placed before the
light.
Now in Smiths room, there was moth
ing which could account for this appear
ance; his bed was in q different part; and
there was neither cupboard nor press in
the room, which, but for the bed, was en-
tirely empty, the room in which he dres-
sed being at distance beyond it. The
counsc! for the prosecution here concluded
what he had to say. During his address,
Smith appeared in no wise to be agitated
or disturbed, and equally unmoved was
he while the witness testified in substance
what the opening speech of the counsel
led the court and jury to expect.
Lord Mansfield now addressed the jury.
He told them that in his opinion the cv-
idence was not sufficient to condemn the
prisoner, and that if the jury agreed with
him in opinion, the court would discharge
him. Without leaving their seats, the
jury agreed that the evidence was not
sufficient:
At this moment, when they were about
to render verdict of acquittal, the pris-
oner arose and addressed the court. He
said he had been accused of foul crime,
and the jury had said that the evidence
was not sufficient to convict him. Did
the jury mean that there was any evidence
against himl Was he to go out of the
court with suspicion resting upon him,
after all? This he was unwilling to do.
He was an innocent man, and, if the
judge would grant him the opportunity,
he would prove it. He would call his
housekeeper, who would confirm state
ment which he would now make.
The housekeeper had not appeared in
court. She had concealed herself, or had
been concealed by Smith. This was con-
sidered dark sign against him. But
himself now offered to bring her forward,
and stated as the reason, not that he was
unwilling that she should testify, but
knowing the excitement, he was fearful
that she might be bribed to give testimo-
ny contrary to fact
But he was now ready to relate all the
circumstances he knew; she might then
be called, and be examined. If her tcs-
timony does not confirm my story, let me
| be condemned.
The request of the prisoner seemed re-
asonable, and Lord Mansfield, contrary
to his usual practice, granted it.
The prisoner went on with his state
ment. He said he wished to 90 out of
the court relieved from the suspicious
which were resting upon him. As to the
poison, by means of which the stranger
was said to have died, he knew neither
the name of it nor the effect of it, nor
even the existence of it, until made known
by the counsel. He called God to witness
the truth of what be said.
And then, as to Mr. Thompson, he was
perfect stranger to him. How should
he know what articles of value he had
with him7 He did not know. If he had
such artiles at Hull he might have lost
them on the road, or, which was more
probable, have otherwise disposed of
them. And if ho died by means of the
fatal drug, he must have administered it
himself.
He begged the jury to remember that
his premises had been repeatedly and
infinitely searched and not the most tri-