Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-08-24
EVENING STAR.
THE MURDERER,


A little more than fifty years ago, man by
the name OF Henry Thompson called at house
of Mr.. j. Smith, q resident in a retired part O,
England, and requested a nights lodging
This request was granted, and the stranger,
having taken.some refreshments, retired early
to bed, requesting that he might be awakened
at early hour the following morning.
When the servant appointed to call him en-.
tered the room for that purpose, he was found
in his bed perfectly dead
On examining his body no marks of violence
appeared, but his countenance looked ex.
tremeiy natural. The story of his death soon
spread among the neighbors, and inquiries
were made as to who he was and by what
means he came to his death
Nothing certain, however was known. He
hal arrived on horseback, and Was seen pass
ing through neighboring village about an
hour before he reached the house where he
had come to his end. And then, as to the
manner of his death, so little could be discoy-
cred that the jury which was SUI noned 20 in
We tigate the cause, returned verdict that he
died ''by visitation from God When thi.
Was done, the stranger was buried
Days and weeks passed on, but little further
was known. The public mind, however, was
not at rest Suspicious existed that foul mea
had fastened the strangers death. Whispers
10 That effect was expressed, and in the hearts
OF many, Smith was considered as the guilty
man.
The former character of Smith had not been
good. He had lived a loose and irregular life,
involved himself in debt by his extravagance,
ard at length being suspected of having OBJ
tained money wrongfully, he suddenly fed
from the town.
More than ten years, however, had now
elapsed since his return, during which he had
iiyed at his present residence apparently in
good circumstances, and with an impsoved
character. His former life, however, was now
remembered, and suspicion, after all, was fas-
tened upon him.
AT the expiration of two months a gentle
man one day stopped in the place for the pur-
pose OF making inquiries respecting the strar-
ger who had been found in his bed He sup-
posed himself to be the brother of the man.
The horse and clothes of the unfortunate man
still remained, and were Immediately known
as having belonged to his brother. The
body, also, was taken up, and though con-
siderably changed, bore strong resemblance
TO him. s.-F
lie now felt authorized to ascertain, if Do
sib!e, the manner Of his death He proceed
ed, therefore, to investigate the circumstances
as well as he was able. At length he made
known to the magistrate of the district the in
formation he had collected, and upon the
strength Of this, Smith was taken to the iail to
be tried for the wilful murder of Henry
Thompson.
The celebrated Lord Mansfield was then on
the bench. He charged the grand Jury to be
cautious as to finding a bill against the pris-
oner The evidence Of his guilt, if guilty
might be small. At future time it might be
greater. More information might be obtained
Should the jury now find bill against him,
and should he be acquitted, he could not be
mclested again, whatever testimony should
rise up against him The grand jury, how
ever, did find bill, but by majority of only
one.
at length the time of trial arrived. Smith
was brought into court, and placed at the bar.
A great crowd thronged the room, eager and
anxious to see the prisoner, and to hear the
trial. He himself appeared firm and collect
dicated guilt; and, when the question was put
to him by the clerk, care you guilty or not
guilty ~ he answered with an unfatering
tongue, and with a countenance perfectly un.
changed, "Not guilty"
The counsel for the prosecution now opened
the case But it was apparent that he had
little expectation of being able to prove the
prisoner guilty. He stated to the jury that
the case was involved in great mystery. The
prisoner was man of respectsbility and of
property. The deceased was supposed to have
bat the prisoner was not so much in want of
funds as to be under a strong temptation to
commit murder. And besides, if the prisoner
had obtained the property he had effectually
concealed it. Not trace OF it could be found.
Why, then, was the prisoner suspected He
would state the grounds of suspicion. The de-
ceased, Henry Thompson was d jeweler, resid-
ing in London, and q man of wealth He had
left London for the purpose OF meeting trader
OF Hu1 Of Ha goI A
purchase. That trader he did meet and after
the departure of thB latter, Mr.. Thompson
was known to have Az AIS possession Jewels and
gold to large amount.
With these in his possession, he left Hull on
his return to London. 1t was not known that
he stopped until he reached Smiths, and the
next morning was discovered dead in his bed
He died, then, in Smith s house, and if it could
be. shown that he came to his delth in an un-
natural way, it would increase the suspicion
that the prisoner was In some way connected
with the murder.
Now, then, continued the counsel, it will be
proved beyond the possibility of douLt, that
the deceased died by poison. What was thu.
poison Ii was recent discovery of some
derlnan chemists said to be produced from
distilling the seed Of the wild cherry tree. 1t
was poison more powerful than any O.Ler
known, and deprived of life so Immediately
as TO leave no marks Of suffering, and no con-
tOrtions II the features.
But, then, the question when, by whom was
il administered One circumstance, a small
one, indeed, and yet upon it might hang a
horrid tale, was, that the stopper of a small
bottle of very singular description had been
found in the prisoners house. The stopper
had been examined, and said by medical men
to have belonged to a German vial, contain
ing the kind of poison which he described.
But, then, was that poison administered by
Smith, or at his instigation? Who were the
priso ners family? 1t consisted only of him
self, housekeeper, and one man-servant.
The man-servant slept in an clubhouse adjoin-
ing the stable, and did so on the night Of
Thompson's death. The prisoner slept in one
end of the house, the housekeeper at the other.
and the deceased had been put in a room ad
joining 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 a figure holding the light was
seen to go from the room in which the prisoner
slept to the housekeeper's room; the light
now disappeared for a minute, when two per
sons were seen, but whether they went into
Thompson's room the witness could not swear;
but shortly after they were observed TO mass