The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1857-05-23

he begged The jury % rsmsmbsr hat his psen 2.
ises had bsen repeatedly, and minutely searct %,
and not the most trifiing article that belonged 20
the deceased had been discovered Ia his possession
Thestopper Of . vial had been found-but q ,nls
he could only say, be had no knowledge. ana nao
not seen u before u was produced In court. mr.
One fact had been proved and only one ln .',s
he would explain, and his housekeeper wou'u
confirm the statement "A witness had tes % ~
that some one had gone to the bea-loom o. ene
housekeeper on the night In question ne Va
ready TO admit that u was himself he nAn oee s
subject for much Of his life TO sudden hn OF Ill
ness; be had been seized with one on tnas occas
sion. and had gone to procure her assistance IN
i lighting q Are She had returned With him TO
bis room for that purpose, he having waited for .
| minute In the passage, while she put on her
| clothes. This would account for the momentary
disappearanceo of the light Amer remaining . few
i hs had dismissed her and retired TO bed, from
| which he had not risen when he was informed Of
the death of his guest.
| Such was the prisoners address, which produced
apowerfui effect. 1t Was delivered in firm and
| impressive manner, and from the simple and art
less manner Of the man, perhaps not one present
| doubted his entire innocence
| The housekeeper was now introduced and ex.
amined by the counsel of the prisoner. She had
not heard auy part of the statement Of Smith, nor
single WORD Of the trial. Her story confirmed all
| he had said.
| To this succeeded cross examination by the
| counsel for the prosecution One circumstan
had made deep impression on his mind-that
waa, that while the prisoner and the house.
| keeper were In the room of the former, some
thing like door had obstructed the light Of the
candle, go that the witness testified to the fact but
| could not see it. What was this obstruction
There was no dsor-nothing In the room-which
could account for this. But the witness was pc,
| sitive that something like q door did for q MOI
| ment come between the window and the candle
| This needed explanation. The housekeeper " as
-. A. I-s- - 10
this matter In the end to the bottom, but not
wishisg to excite her alarm, he began by asking
her q few unmportant questions, and among 9TH
ers, where the candle stood when she was In Mr..
Smiths loom.
so the centre of the ROOM" she replied.
"Well, was the closet, or cupboard or what
ever you call it, opened once or twice while it
| stood therei"
| She made no reply.
Il will help your recollection" said the cour.
| sci; latter Mr. Smith had taken the medicine out
of the Closet did he shut the door, cid 1t remain
| openl'
"ue shut it,
And " hen he replaced the bottle in the closet,
he opened it again, did he?"
| HE did,"
"And how long was 1t open the last time :"
about minute"
"Well, and when open, would the door be exact
!. ly between the light and the Window
at would
81 forget" said the counsel, whether you said
the closet as on the gQ or on the lett Qan0 SlQe
: of the window 70
"On the left hand side"
"Would the door of the closet make any noise
in opeuins'
"NoDe"
"Are you certaina'
"Have you ever opened it yourself or only seen
Mr. Smith open it''
| 81 never opened it myself"
"Did yoa sver keep the key?"
| Never"
"Who dii?'
"Mr smlth alwaysn
| At that nom pt the housekeepsr CHANGED to cast
her eyes wards air. Smith, the prisoner. A cold,
damp sweat stood upon his brow and his face had
lost all its colo he appeared living image Of death.
She sooner h n than abe shIieked and faint
ed. Tue consequences Ct her answer flashed scross
her mind She had been SO thoroughly deceived bJ
the manner OF the advocate and the little imprr
lance he had seemed to attach 10 her statements,
that she had been led BY question to another
| ii she had told him all he wanted 20 know.
She was obliged to be taken from the court, and
physician who was present was requested to at
tend her At this time the solicitor for the prosecu
tion (answering to our States Attorney left the
court, bat no one kusw for what purpose. Present.
y the physician into court, and stated that it
| would be impossible for the housskeeper 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
a room. where they could be kept by themselves ad-
jouraed the court two hours. Yhe prisoner, in the
meantime, was remarded to jail.
1t was between four and Ave O'Clock, whea the
judge resumed his seat upon the bench. The pris-
oner was again placed at tie bar, and the house.
keepe. brought In and led t, the box. The court.
| room was crowded to excess, and an awful silence
| pervaded the place.
The cross examining counsel again addressed the
| housskeeper. Il have but few questions to
ask you" said he, take heed how you answer, for
your lie hangs thread"
"Do you know this stopper?"
"To whom does it bslongr"
ITO MIR smith"
| "Whea die you Last see it?"
mn ha
| bringing with him upon tray, watch, two money
bags. jewel case, and bottle of the same manu-
tray placed the table in sight OF the prisoner
aud the witness, and from that moment doubt
manned in the mind Of any man present Of the guilt
few words will bring this m elan choly tale to its
s'osa The house where the murder hsdbeen commit
| ted a. between nine and ten miles distant. The
solicitor % soon as the cross examination OF the
housekeepsr. had discovered the existence OF the
closet, and i's situation had set off horseback,
with two Sheriff. officers. and after pulling down q
part of the wall, had detected this important
cealment. The search was we'll warded; the whole
ottne properly ne;onelns to MI THOMPSON vas found
and to leave no room for doubt, bottle eiscov-
cred which the medical men instantly pronounced
to cont the very dentica poison which had caused
the death of the unfortunate Thompson The result
was too obvious to need explanation.
Itsesrcely need be added, that Smith was convict
cd and executed, and brought his awful punishment
by lis owu means Had be sid nothing-had he not
persisted in calling witness to prove his innocence,
ne hlsht nave escaped BOT dod nad evidently lett
him to work out his own ruin, just reward Of his
awful crime.
| A SOUTHERN OR GAN IN TIA E
| NOKTH.-The undersigned has determined to
establish weekly journal in Philadelphia, be
titled the
| SOUTHERN MONITOR.
1t will be conducted ON the plan of his memorial
to tue Southern Convention, IS published in the
| March number of De Bows Review.
The Southern Monitor will defend the decision and
opinions OF the Supreme Court of the United States
in the bred Scott and it will advocate the Con-