Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1860-03-10
THE MURDERER.


the name Of Henry Thompson called at house
OF Mr.. j. Smith, resident in a retired part Of
England, and requested nights lodging This
request was granted, and the stranger, having
taken some refreshments, retired early to bed,
requesting that he might be awakened 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 bed 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 to 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 pass
ing through a neighboring village about an
hour before he reached the house where he
had come to his end. And then. as to the
manner Of his death, so little could be discov.
cred that the jury which was summoned to
investigate the cause, returned n verdict that
he died "by visitation from God" When
this was done, the stranger was buried.
Days and weeks passed on, but little fur
ther was known. The public mind, however,
was not at rcsts-- Suspicious existed that foul
means had FASTENED the strangers denth.-
Whispers to that effect were expressed, and in
the hearts Of many, Smith was considered as
the guilty man.
The former character Of Smith had not been
good. He had lived loose and irregular life,
involved himself IN debt by his extravaganza,
and at length being suspected Of having OBJ
tained money wrongfully, he suddenly fed
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 improved
character. His former life, however, was now
remembered, and suspicion, after ALL was fast
ened upon him.
At the expiration of two months, a gentle
man one day stopped in the place for the pur-
pose of making inquiries respecting the stran.
ger who had been found in his bed. lie sup
posed himself to be the brother of the man.
The horse and clothes of the unfortunate man
still remained, and were Immediately known
as having belonged to his brother The body.
also, was taken up, and though considerably
changed, bore strong resemblance TO him.
He now felt authorized to ascertain, ifpOssi.
BILE, the manner of his death. lie proceeded,
therefore, to investigate the circumstances as
we'll as he was able. At length he made known
to the magistrate Of the district the informa.
ton he had collected. and upon the strength
Of this, Smith was taken to Jail to be tried for
the willful murder Of Henry Thompson.
The celebrated Lord Mansfield was then on
the bench. He charged the grand jury to be
cautious as to finding bill against the prison.
er. The evidence of his guilt, if guilty, might
be small. At future time it might be great.
err More information might be obtaincd.--
Should the jury now find bill against him.
and should he be acquitted, he could not be
molested again, whatever testimony should
rise up against him. The grand jury, howev.
err did find bill but by a majority Of only
one.
At length the time of trial arrived. Smith
was brought into court, and placed at the bar
A great crowd thronged the room, eager and
anxious to see the prisoner, and to hear the
trial. He himselfappeared firm and collected
Nothing in his manner or appearance indica-
ted guilt; and, when the question was put to
him by the clerk, Are you guilty or not
guity?" he answered with an unfaltering
tongue, and with countenance perfectly un.
changed, mot guilty"
The counsel for the prosecution now opened
the case. But it was apparent that he had
little expectation of being able to prove the
prisoner guilty. He stated to the jury that the
case was involved in great mystery. The priS
oner was man of responsibility and Of prop
erty. The deceased was supposed to have
about him gold and jewels to large amount !;
but the prisoner Avas not SO much in want Of
funds as to be under a strong temptation to
commit murder. And besides, il the prisoner
had obtained the property he had effectually
concealed it. Not trace Of it could be found.
Ahnn fho NfoI "
| He would sInte the grounds of suspicion. The
deceased, Henry Thompson, was jeweler, re-
siding in London, and man of wealth. He
had left London, for the purpose Of meeting a
trader at Hull, of whom he expected large
purchase. That trader he did meet and after
the departure of the latter, Mr.. Thompson was
known to have in his possession jewels and
gold to a large amount
With these in his possession, he left Hull
on his return to London. 1t was not known
that he stopped until he reached Smiths and
the next morning was discovered dead in his
bed. He died, then, in Smiths house, and if
it could be shown that he came to his death
in an unnatural way, it would increase the
suspicion that the prisoner was in some way
connected with the murder.
Now, then, continued the counsel, it will be
proved beyond the possibility Of doubt, that
the deceased died by poison. What was that
poison? 1t was . recent discovery Of some
German chemists said to be produced from dis
tilling the seed Of the wild cherry tree. 1t was
poison more powerful than any other known,
and deprived of life SO Immediately as to leave
no marks Of suffering, and no contortons Of
| the features.
But then the question, when and by whom
was it administered One circumstance, q
small one, indeed, and yet upon it might hang
a horrid tale, was, that the stopper of small
bottle Of very singular description had been
found in the prisoners house. The stopper
had been examined, and said by medical men
to have belonged to German vial, containing
the kind Of poison which he described. But,
then, was that poison administered by Smith,
or at his instigatiOn Who were the prison
er's familyH 1t consisted only Of himself, a
hOuse.kecper, and one man.servant. The
man-servant slept in an clubhouse adjoining
the stable, and did so on the night Of Thomp-
sons death. The prisoner slept in one end Of
the house, the house-keeper at the other, and
the deceased had been put in room adjoining
the hOuse-keeper's.
would be proved, that about three hours
after midnight, on the night Of ThOmpsOn's s
death, light had been seen moving about the
house, and that figure holding the light WAS
seen to 60 from the room in which the prison
er slept to the house.keeper's room the light
now disappeared for minute, in which two
persons we're seen, but whether they went in.
to Thompson's room the witness could not
swear but shortly after they were observed
to pass quite through the entry to Smiths
room, into which they entered, and in about