The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1857-11-04
SIN the centre of the room," she re-

the counsel; after Mr.. Smith had ia
ken the medicine out of the closet, did
he shut the door, OF did it remain open?''
'Ho shut it."
"Atd when he replaced the bottle in
the closet, he opened it again, did he?''
;. "He did,
"And how long was it open the last
time ?"
"About q minute"
"Well, and when open, would the
door be exactly between the light and
the window ?''
"It would"
II forget" said the counsel, "wheth-
er you said the closet was on the right
or on the left hand side of the win
dow?"
"On the left hand side.''
"Would the door of the closet make
any noise in opening ?"
None"
"Are you certain ?' %
~ am"
Have you ever opened it yourself or
only seen Mr.. Smith open it?"
81 never opened it myself"
"Did you ever keep the key?
"Nevcr."
"Who did ?''
.'Mr. Smith, always"
At that moment the housekeeper
CHANGED to cast her eyes towards Mr..
Smith, the prisoner. A cold, damp
sweat stood upon his brow, and his face
had lost all its color; he appeared liv-
ing image of death. She no sooner saw
him than she shrieked and fainted.-
The consequences of her answer flashed
across her mind. She had been so
thoroughly deceived by the manner of
the advocate. and the little importance
he had seemed to attach to her state
ments, that she had been led on, by one
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 pl esent
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 in
to court and stated that it would be i'm
possible for the housekeeper to resume
her seat in the box short of an hour or
two.
1t was almost twelve in the day
Lord Mansfield, having directed that
the jury be accommodated with room,
where they could be kept by themselves,
adjourned the court two hours. The
prisoner, in the meantime, was remand
ed to Jail.
It was between four ard five o'clock,
when the judge resumed Lis seat upon
the bench. The prisoner was again
placed at the bar, and the housekeeper
brought in and led to the box. The
court room was crowded to excess, and
an awful silence pervaded the place.
The cross ss-e4amining counsel again
addressed the housekeeper. L have
but few more questions to ask you, ="
said he; take heed how you answer, for
your life hangs upon a thread"
"Do you know this stopper2"
"I do" .-.-..---
ITO whom does it belong ?''
"To Mr.. Smith"
"YYLen did you last see it?''
At that moment the solicitor entered
the court, bringing with him upon a
tray, a watch, two money bags, a jewel
case, and bottle of the same manufac-
ture of the stopper, and having cork
in it. The tray was placed on the table
in sight of the prisoner and the witness,
and from that moment tio doubt remain
ed in the mind of any man present of
the guilt of the prisoner.
A few words viii bring this melan-
choly tale to its close. The house where
the murder had been committed, was
between nine and ten miles distant. The
solicitor, as soon as the cross -eXamina-
tion of the housekeeper had discovered
the existence of the closet, and its situa-
ton, had set off on horseback, with two
Sheriff. officers, and after pulling down
a part of the wall, had detected this i'm
portant concealmcnt. The search was
we'll rewarded. The whole of the prop
erty belonging to Mr.. Thompson was
found there, amounting in value to some
thousand pounds; and to leave no room
for doubt, bottle was discovered which
.he medical men instantly pronounced
20 contain the very identical poison
which caused the death of the unfor-
.unate Thompson. The result was too
obvious to need explanation.
1t scarcely need be added, that Smith
vas convicted and executed, and brought
o his awful punishment by his own
Means Had-he said nothing-had he
iot persisted in calling witness to prove
lis innocence, he might have escaped. y
But God had evidently left him to work
ut his own rain, as a just reward of his
.Wful crime.
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So 50 = So