White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1858-05-27

addressed the court He said he had been &C
cused of a foul crime, and the jury had sal
there was not sufficient evidence against him
Was he TO go out of court with suspicious rest
ing upon him, after all?
This he was unwilling to do. He was an limo
cent man, and if the judge would grant him tn
opportunity, he would prove IL. He would cal
the house-keeper. who would confirm state
ment which he would now make. ',-- ~ h.
The house keeper had not appeared in court
She had concealed herself, or had been by Smith
This was considered dark sign against him
but he himself now offered to bring her forward
and stated as a reason not that he was not vii
ling that she should testify, but, knowing tn
excitement, he was fearful that she would b,
bribed to give testimony contrary to fact. Blu
he was now ready to relate all the circumstance
he knew; she might be called and examined
If her testimony does not confirm my story, le
me be condemned.
The request of the prisoner appeared reason
able, and Lord Mansfield, contrary to his usua
practice, granted it.
The prisoner went on with his statement. lie
said he wished to go out of the court relieved
from the suspicious which were resting upor
him. As to the poison BY means of which the
stranger was said to have died, he knew neither
the name of it, nor even the existence of it
until made known by the counsel. He would
call God to witness the truth of what he said.
And then, as to Mr.. Thompson, he was per-
feet stranger to him. How should he know what
articles of value he had7 He did not know
If he had such articles at Hull, he might have
left them on the road, or, which was more prob
able, have otherwise disposed Of them. And II
he died by means of the fatal drug, he must
have administered it himself
He begged the jury to remember that his
premises had been repeatedly and infinitely
searched, and not the most triAinS article that
belonged to the deceased had been discovered
in his possession. The stopper of vial had
been found-but of this he could only say, he
had no knowledge, and had not seen it before it
was produced in court.
One fact had been proved, and only one. That
he would explain. and his house keeper would
confirm the statement. A witness had testified
that some one had gone to the bedroom of the
house-kceper on the night in question. H. was
ready to udmit thati was himself. He had been
subject for much of his life to sudden fits of ILL.,
ness; he had been seized with one on that occa-
sion, and had gone to procure her assistance in
lighting fire. She had returned with him to
his room for that purpose, he having waited for
minute in the passage, while she put on her
clothes. This would account for the momentary
disappearance of the light. After remaining a
few minutes in his room and finding himself
better, he had dismissed her, and retired to bed,
from which he had not risen when he was in
formed of the death Of his guest.
Such was the. prisoners address, which pro-
dueed powerful effect 1t was delivered in a
firm and impressive manner, and from the sim
pie and artless manner of the man perhaps not
one present doubted his entire innocence.
The keeper was now introduced and
examined by the counsel of the prisoner. She
had not heard any part of the statement Of
Smith, nor single word of the trial. Her story
confirmed all he had said. - p '-'s-'
Te this succeeded her croSs-examination by
the counsel for the prosecution. One circum-
stance had made deep impression on his mind
that was, that while the prisoner and the
house-keeper were in the room Of the former,
something like door had obstructed the light
of the candle, so that the witness testified to the
fact, but could not see it. What was this OBJ
struction7 There was no door-nothing in the
room which could account for this. But the wit
ness was positive that something ike door did
for moment come between the window and the
candle This needed explanation. The house
keeper was the person that could give it. De-
signing to probe this matter in the end to the
bottom, but not wishing to excite her alarm, he
began BY asking her few unimportant ques-
tons, and among others, where the candle stood
while she was in Mr.. Smith'sroom. a-sT
elm the centre Of the room," she replied.
swell, was the closet, or cupboard, or what
ever you call it, opened once or twice, while il
stood there7"
She made no reply. 7 o
81 viii help your recollection" said the coun-
sci; =" after Mr.. Smith had taken the medicine
out of the closet did he shut the door, or did il
remain openw
"He shut It's
" And when he replaced the bsttle in the clos
ct, he opened Il again, did he1' '-
"He did" -. vei..--. 4 .frs7
"And how long was it open the last time7"
"Not above a minute"
"well, AID when open would the door be ex'
actIy between the light and the Windowi''
ait would" 81 .-..--.
al forgot" said the counsel, " whether YOU
said the closet was on the right or on the lef
hand side of the window7"
son the left hand side"I .si -e
"would the door of the closet make any
noise in openingl" 7-t4
"Nune."
"Are you certaini"
ala
"Have you ever opened it yourself, or only
seen Mr.. Smith open iti'' t= lc
at never opened ii myself"
"Did you ever keep the key7'
"Never.'
"who didi" "Mr. Smith, always"
AT this moment, the housekeeper ehanced t.
cast her eyes towards Mr.. Smith, the prisoner
A cold damp sweat stood upon his brow, and
his face had lost all its colori he appeared {
living image Of death. She no sooner saw hin
than she shrieked and tainted. The consequence