Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1857-08-08
NJ IS c L L L A n Y.
THE MURDERER.

A little more than fty years ago, a man by
the name Of tlenry Thompson called at the
house Of Mr. j. Smith, a resident in retired
part of England, and requested nights lodg
ing. This request was granted, and the stran-
ger, having taken some refreshments, retired
early to bed, requesting that he might be awak-
encd at an early hour the following morning.
When the servant appointed to call him en-
tered the room for that purpose, he was found
in his he'd perfectly dead.
On examining his body, no marks of violence
appeared, but his countenance looked extreme
ly natural. The story of his death soon spread
among the neighbors, and inquiries were made
as 10 who he was and by what means he came
to his death.
Nothing certain. however, was known. He
had arrived on horseback, and was seen passing
through neighboring village about an hour
before he reached the house where he had come
to his end. And them as 10 the manner of his
death, 81 little could be discovered, that the
Jury returned a verdict that he died by a visi-
tttion from God When this was donc the
stranger was buried
Days and weeks passed on, and little further
was known, The public mind, however, was
not at Iest. Suspicious existed that foul means
had hastcned the strangers death. Whispers
to that effect was expressed and in the hearts
or many smith ,vns cons;dnred the cuilt, man
TLe former character or Smith had not been
oood lie had lived a loose and irrccular fife.
involved himself in debt by his cxtfayarance.
and at length being suspected of having OBJ
tanned money wrongtully, he suddenly fled from
the town.
More than ten years, however, had now
elapsed since his return during which he had
lived at his present residence. apparently in
GOOD circumstances. and with an aDproved char
acter His farmer life. however. was now re-
membered. and suspicion was fastened upon
him.
At the oxniration ortvo months. a gentleman
one day stopnel in the place for the purpose of
makinr innuiries respertnr the stranger who
had been fund dead in his bed He supposed
himself 10 be the brother of the man. The horse
and clothes of the unfortunate man still remain
ed, and were Immediately known as having be-
lonncd TO his brother. The body also, was taken
up, and though considerably changed, bore
stronr resemblance TO him.
He now felt authorized to ascertain, if posi-
bic. the manner of his death. He mocecded,
therefore, to investigate the circumstances as
well As he was able. Atienrth he made known
10 the MAGISTRATE of the district the information
he had collected. and upon the strength of this,
Smith was taken TO iail to be tried ior the will
lnl murder of Henry THOMPSON.
TIL. celebrated Lord Mansfield was then on
the bench. lie CHARGED the Grand Jury TO be
cautious as to fndinG a bill alainst the prisoner.
The evidence of his Guilt. if guilty, might be
small. More information mioht be Obtained.
Shoud he he acnuitted he could not be mo.
les,ed ouain whatever testimony should rise up
arainst him. The Grand Jury, however, did
find hill but by a majority of only one.
Al lenoth the time OF trial arrived. Smith
was hrou0ht into court and nlaced at the bar.
A rreat cyowd thronoed the room, eaper and
anTous 70 see the prisoner and TO hear the trial.
| IT,. himself onneared firm and collected. Moth
inr in his manner or aupcarance Indicated uuilt !;
and when the oucstion was nut TO him by the
clerk :. Are Won uuiltv or moi guilty 2" he an
swcred with AN unGItrrinr touGue. and with a
countcnance perfectly unchanged, not guilty."
The counsel for tlr nrosecntion now opened
the case. But it was anparent that he had lit
tie exppctalion of being able to prove the pris-
oner ruiltv. He stated 10 the Jury, that the
case was in great mystery. The prisoner was
man of respectahiiltv and of property. The
deceased was supposed TO have had about him
pod and Jewels TO a large amount but the pris-
oner was not so much in want of funds as to be
undcr a sirouo termination to commit murder.
And besides. if the prisoner had obtained the
properlv. he had e1tcluallv concealed it, Not
a trace of 1t could be found.
WHY, then, was the prisoner SUSPECTED The
deceased, Henry Thompson. was a ieweer, re-
sidinp in London, and a man of wealth. lie
had left London for the purpose of meeting a