The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1855-11-07

ne deeeasei, Henry Thompson, was a
Jewellers residing in London, and man
of We 'Ith. He had left London for the
urposee OF meeting n trader at Hull, o
whom he expected to make large pur
chase.-That trader he did meet: and af
ter the departure Of the latter, Mr.. Thomp
son was known to have in his posse sion
jewels and gold to a large amount.
With these in his possession, he left
liuil on his return to London. 1t was
not known that he had stopped until he
reached Smiths, and the next mornir
was discovered dead in his bed. lie di.
then in Smiths house, and if it could be
shown that he came to his death in an
unnatural way, it would increase the sus.
picloh that the prisoner was in some way
connected with the murder.
Now, then, continued the council, il
will be proved beyond the possibility OF
doubt, that the deceased died by poison.
What was that poisou' 1t was recent
discovery OF some German chemists sail
10 be produced rom dis,illing the seed OF
'he wild cherry tree. 1t was poision
moro powerful than any other known,
and deprived Of life so immediately AS
to leave no marks Of suffering, and no
contortions Of the the features.
Bu', then, the Question was, - whom
WAS it administered One circumstance
a small one, indeed, and vet upon it might
hang horrid tale, was, that the stopper
"t u small bottle of very singular dc
'crip,ion had been found in the prisoners
mouse. The stopper had been cxamin :,
and sid 10y medical men to have beIo
81 to II German vial, containing the XII
"t poison which he described. | u th 4
was that poison administered by nisl
"r at his instigatioa! Who were tie
prisoners amiIyl 1t consisted only q
himself, a hous Greper, and one man SER
want. The man-scr"an, slept in m ou
'',onSe adjoining the stable. and did so on
the night of Thompsou's death. The
prisoner SIeptin one end of the house, the
ii"4sckecpcr at the other, and the deccas
ei HAL been put in room adjoining the
homsekeepcr's. ...
IL woul. be proved, that about thr"c
hours after midnight, on the night of
lhoml sons death, n light had been
seen moving about he house, ,andthat a fiy.
ure holding the light was seen to 60 from
the room in which the prisoner slept t.
til" h"ns"krcper's room; the light now
disappeared for minute, when two Ter
sous were seen, but whether they "
III Thomp>on's room the witness cou'
not swear; but shortly after they were ob
served TO pass quite through the entr' to
Smlth's room. into which they entered
and IN about i've minutes tie light WAS
;,Xlnguished.
The witness would further state that NJ.
ter the person had returned with the light
into Shlths room, and before it WAS ex.
'mgu'Shed, he had twice preceived some
dark object TO intervene between the lirlys
and the window, aImo't as large as the
surface o. the window itself, and which
he descl Jed by saying il appeared as il
door had been placed before the LIGHT.
Vow, IN Smiths room, there WAS nothing
which could account for this appearance,
and there was neither cupboard nor press
in The room, which but for the bed, was
! entirely empty, the room in which he
dressed being distance beyond it.
Tnc counsel for the prosecution here
| concludedwhat he had TO say. During
his allre's, Smith in no wise appeared to
he agitated or distressed, al equally un.
moved was lie while the W uesscs testi.
lied in substance V hat the opening speech
! OF the counsel led the court and iury to
| expect.
Lord Mansfield now addressed the iurv.
He said: that in his opinion the evidence
was not sufficient to condemn the prison
or, and ifthe jury agreed with him in opin
ion, he would discharge Without
leaving their seats, the jury agreed that
the evidence was not sufficient.
At this moment, when they were about
to render yirdict Of accquittal the priso,
er rose aud addressed the conrt. lie
said he had been accused Of a foul crime,
and the jury had said that there was not
sufficient evidence against hint Was he
TO go out OF court with suspicious resting
upon him, after alll
This he was unwilling to DO. He was
an innocent man, and II the judge would
give him the opportunity, he would prove
1t. lie would call the housekceper, who
would confirm statement which he would
now make.
The housekeeper had not appeared in
court. She had concealed herself, or had
been by Smith. This was considered a
dark sign against him. But he himself
now offered to bring her toward and stated
as the reason, not that he was not willing
that she should testify, but, knowing the
excitement, he was fearful that she would
be bribcd to give testimony contrary tc
fact. But he was now ready to relate
| all the circumstances'he knew; ahe might
be called and examined. If her teslin D
ny does not confirm my story, let me bt
condemned. ~
The request Of the prisoner appeared
reasonable, and Lord Mansfield, contrary
10 his usual practice, granted il
The prisoner went ON with his state
ment. He said he wished TO 90 out o
the court relieved from the suspicious tha