Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1863-05-29

Sunday bonnet ana sna"Ij Wnen sue
heard a noise, as of persons entering by
the back way, and walking gently across
the kitchen floor. Alarmed as to who
it could be, Mr.. and Mrs. Armstrong not
being expected home for several days,
she gently closed her door, and locked
it. A few minutes after, she heard
stealthy steps ascending the creaking
stairs, and presently her door was tried,
and voice in low hurried whisper
said, MARY, are you there p She was
positive it was Mr.. Armstrong; voice,
but was too terrified to answer. Then
Mrs. Armstrong-she was sure it was
she-said also in a whisper, and as il
adressing her husband, " She is never
back at this hour" A minute or so
after there was tap at Mr.. Wilson's
door. She could not catch the answer
was made but by Armstrong; reply,
she gathered that Mr.. Wilson had lain
down, and did not wish to be disturbed.
He was often ir the habitof lying down,
with his clothes on. Armstrong said,
:" will not disturb you, sir; I'll only
just put this parcel on the table" There
is no lock TO Mr.. Wilson's door. Arm
strong stepped into the room, and almost
Immediately she heard sound as of a
violent blow, followed by deep groan
and then all was still. She was para
lyzed with horror and alright. After
the lapse ola few seconds, a voice-Mrs.
Armstrong; undoubtedly-asked in a
tremulous tone if all was over ?" Her
husband answered Yes: but where be
the keys of the writing-desk kept? p "In
the little table-drawer," was the reply.
Armstrong then came Out Of the
b droo and both went into Mr..
Wilson's sitting apartment. They soon
returned, and crept stealthily along the
passage to their own bedroom on the
same floor. They then went down stairs
to the kitchen. One of them-the
woman, she had no doubt-went out the
back way, and heavy footsteps again as
cended the stairs. Almost dead With
fright, she then crawled under the bed
stead, and remembered no more till she
found herself surrounded by villagers"
In confirmation of this statement, a
large clasp-knife belonging to Armstrong
and with which il was evident the mur-
der had been perpetrated, was found in
one corner of Wilson's bedroom and a
mortgage deed, for one thousand pounds
on Craig Farm the property of Wilson,
and which S:rugnell swore was always
kept in the writing-desk in the front
room, was discovered in chest in the
prisoners sleeping apartment, together
with nearly one hundred and fifty pounds
in gold, silver, and county banknotes,
although it was known that Armstrong
had but a fortnight before declined a
very advantageous offer of some cows
he was desirous of purchasing, under
the plea of being short of cash, Worse
perhaps than all, key of the back door
was found in his pocket, which not only
confirmed Strugnell's evidence, but clear
ly demonstrated that the knocking at the
door for admittance, which had reused
and alarmed the hamlet, was pure sub
terfuge. The conclusion, therefore, al
most universally arrived at throughout
the neighborhood was, that Armstrong
and his wife were the guilty parties; anc
that the bundles, the broken locks, the
sheet hanging out of the window, the
shiny, black hat, were, like the knock
ing, mere cunning devices to mislead in
quiry.
The case excited great interest in The
county, and / esteemed myself profes-
sionaIly fortunate in being selected tC
bold the brief for the prosecution.
had satisfied myself, by perusal OF the
depositions, that there was no doubt o
the prisoners guilt, and l determined
that no effort on my part should be spar
ed to insure the accomplishment of th'
ends of justice.
Idrew the indictment myself; and il
my opening address to the jury, dwell
with all the force and eloquence Of which
was master, upon the henious nature
of the crime, and the conclusiveness o
the evidence by which it had beer
brought home to the prisoners. l MAJ
here, by way of parenthesis, mentor
that resorted to plan in my addres
20 the jury which have seldom know
to fail. 1t consisted in fixing my eye
and addressing my language to each jur
or one after the other. In this way eacl
considers the address to be an appeal Il
his individual intelligence, and respond
to it by falling into the views of the bar
rister. On this occasion the jury easil.
fell into the trap. could see that ha'