Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1854-12-07


1qnrst in, and Mrs Strugnel was soon pulled
out, apparently more dead than alive, from IN.
derneath the bedstead, where she, in speochlosG
CONSERVATION, lay partially concealed. Placing
her in chair, they soon, succeeded-more ca
silly, indeed, than they anticipated-in restor-
ing her to consciousness. Nervously she glanced
round the wide circle of eager faces that envi-
roned her, till her eyes fell upon Armstrong and
his wife, when she gave a loud shrek, and NUT
tering, !" They, they are the murderers, ''swoon-
Fed, orappeared to do SO, again instantly.
The accused persons, in spite of their frenzed
protestations of innocence, were instantly seized
and taken off to- place of security. Mrs.
strugnell was conveyed to n nejghbor 'sclose by,
and the agitatcd and wondering villagers depart
ed to their several homes, but not, fancy, to
slsepan more for that night, -
The deposition made by Mrs. Strugnell at the
lnMqasst M on the body was ip substance as follows
"0n the afternoon in question she had, in
: esaance sHith hsr. .aasual custom, proceeded to
town, She called on her auasss tookliAs with
her, and afterwards went to thcI Independent
Chapel. After ssssice she called losee Miss
Wilson, but pformed that, IL consequence
/ LOT pseSere cold, The young lady had gone to
ped. Shs then Immediately proceeded home
wards, and consequently arrived at Craig Farm
Eanore than an hour before her usual time She
let herself in with her latch and proceeded to
her bedroom. There was no light in Mr.. Will
sons chamber, but she could hear him moving
aboutinit. She was just about to 60 downstairs,
having put away her Sunday bonnet and shawl,
when she heard a noise, as if of persons enter
ing the back way, and walking gently across
the kitchen floor Alarmed as to who it could
be, Mr. and Mrs Armstrong not being expected
home for several days, she gently closed the
. door and locked it. A few minutes after she
heard stealthy steps ascending the creaking
stairs, and presently her door WAS tried, and a
voice in o low. hurried whisper said, "Mary,
are you there ~ She was positive it was Mr..
Armstrong; voice. but was too terrified to an
swer. Then Atr@ Armstrong, she was sure it
was she-said also in a low whisper, as if ad-
dressing her husband, She, is never back at
this hour A rainutc or 50 after there was a
tap on Mr.. Wilson's door She could not catch
what answer was made butby Mr.: Armstrong
reply, she gathered that Mr. Wilson had laid
down and did not wish to be disturbed. lie
was often in the habit of lying down with his
clothes on. Armstrong said, Il will not dis
trrb you sir; I will only just put this parcel
on your table There is no lock to Mr.. Will
sons door Armstrong stepped into the room,
and almost Immediately she heard sound as OF
aviolent blow, followed by II deep groan, and
then all wAs still. She was paralyzed with hor-
fof and alright. After the lapse of few Sec
londs, d voice, Mrs Ar,nstrnngs undoub,sdly--
aSkel in . tremulous tone, if all was over
lier husband answered, 'Yes, but, but where
be the keys to tho writingdesk keptp : In the
little tabo-drawcr, was the reply. Armstrong
then came out of the bedroom, and both wen,
into Mr.. Wilson's sitting aprtment. They
ssealthily returned along tho passage to theil
own bedroom, on the same floor. They ther
went down stairs to the kitchen. Ono of them
the woman, she had no doubt--went out tht
back way, and heavy footsteps ascended thc
stairs. Almost dead witlifright, she then crawl
ed under the bed, and remembered no more un
til she found herself surrounded by the villa
gers"
The confirmation of this statement, larg
clasp-knife belonging to Armstrong, and will
which it was evident the murder had been per
petrated, was found in one corner of Wilson
bedroom; and mortgage deed, for one thou
sand pounds on Craig Farm, the property @
Wilson, and which Strugnell swore WAS alway
kept in tho twriting-des in the front room, wa
discovered in the prisoners sleeping apartment
together with nearly one hundred and fft
pounds in gold, silver and country-bank notes
although it was known that Armstrong had b,l
o fortnight before declined very adsantagoou
offer Of some cows he was desirous Of purcha'
ing, under the plea of being short of cash.
Worse perhaps, than all, a key of the bac
door was found in his pocket, which not onl
confirmed Strugusll's evidence, but clearly d'
!. monstrated that the knocking vt Che door fo
adnlttance, which had aroused and alarmed I'll
hamlet, was pure ,sub,crfuge The conclr
sion, therefore, sylmost rnivcrsallE arrived {
throughout the SpeighborhoGd was, that the
s: wero the guilty parties and TINT the bundle
the broken locks, the shiny black hat ,swss6, ,lil
de knoskias, mesSssaniag devices to mislea
inquiry. 81
1.-THE case excted!great interest in the coul
try, and esteemed myself Professionally fort'
natsin .tsing selected to hold tho brief for tt
prosecution. | had satisfied myself, by a per,
sui of the depostions, that thors was no doal
of the prisoners guilt, and Undermined that I
effort Oh my part should bespared to insure I'll
accomplishment of the ends Of justice. | DIRE
the indictment myself, and, in opening my a
dress to the jury, dwolt with all the force NJ
! eloquence OF which / am master, upon the he
nous nature of the crime, and the conclusivene
of the evidences, by which it had been broug
, home to the prisoners. l may here, by way
parenthess, mention, that resorted to pl'
in my address to the jury which | had scldo
known to fail. 1t consisted i'll fixing my ey
and addressing my language to each jnror, o.
after another. In this way he considered the u
dress to be an appeal to his individual inteligor
and responds to it by falling in with the vie
of the barrister. On this occasion the jury 6
n silly fell into the trap. could see that
= got them into the humor of putting con6der
in the evidence had to produce.