Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1872-12-19

i oAVy Win the double crown.
Asd tho aes-kaa=teaaeycs, -.
i Paps's saseewM, volume e-strewn,
| .:N II 70 thee Paradise. :~,~
l. Iforgive thee when feel
Breath and lips upon me pressed,
Sweet - any alien air,
| Blown from harbors Of the bleet
"Papa, something whispers me,
"Better every lsdon shelf
Emptied by her baby hands,
Than the house an to thyself."
! -Scvtbners.
THE SECRET CLOSET.
For murder, though Il hath NO tongue. v,l
speak with most miraculous organ"
In the year l8-John Smith II us<
fictitious Rames) was indicted for the viii.
iul murder Of Henry Thompson. The
case was ono Of the most extraordinary
nature, and the Interest excited bv it was
almost unparalleled. The accused vas q
man OF considerable property, residing
upon his own estate. A person, supposed
to be An entire stranger to him, had, late
in o summer day, requested and obtained
shelter and hospitality for tho night. He
had it was supposed; after taking some
light refreshment, retired to bed in perfec,
health, requesting to be awakened at an
early hour the following morning. Whom
the servant appointed to call him entered
his room Tor that purpose, he was found in
his bed perfectly dead and from the ap.
Pearance Of the body it was obvious that
hs had been 90 for many hours. There
was not the slightsst mark of violence M.
on his person, and the countenancc retain.
cd the came expression it had borne
during life.
Days and weeks passed on, and little
further WAS discovered. In the meantime
rumor had not been idle. Suspicious were
vague, indeed, and underlined, and were at
first whispered, and afterward boldly
expressed. The precise object of these
suspicious was not clearly indicated; some
implicated one person, some another but
they all pointed to Smith, the master of
the house, as concerned in the death If
the stranger; and in fne, the magistrates
were induced to commit Mr.. Smith to Jail
to take his trial for the wilful murder of
Henry Thompson. As it was deemed e.
sentiaI to the attainment Of Justice to keen
secret the examination of the witnesses
who were produced before tho ma 4istrates.
oil the information OF which the public
were in possession before the trial took
place was that which have narrated.
Such was the state Of things upon tho
morning Of the trial.
The counsel for the prosecution opened
his case to the jury in u manner that indi-
Gated very little expectation Of a convic-
ton. He began by imploring them to
dlvest their minds Of all that they had
heard before they came into the box he
entreated them to attend to tho evidence
and judge from that alone.
1t would be proved beyond tho poesibil.
ity0f doubt that tho deceased died BY poi.
eon-poison OF q most subtle nature, most
active in its opera alton, and possessing tho
wonderful and dreadful quality of leaving
no external mark or token by which its
presence could be detected. Tho ingre.
dients of which it was composed were of
so sedative nature that, instead of the
body on which it had been used exhibiting
any contortion. or marks of suffering, il
left upon the features nothing but tho
calm and placid quiet Of reposo.
The prisoners family consisted of him
self, y housekeeEe or and one man servant.
The man servant slept in an outhouee ad.
joining tho stable, and did 80 on the night
of Thompson's death. The prisoner slept
at ono end of the house and the house.
keeper at the other, and the deceased had
been out into a room adjoining the house.
keepers.
1t would b. proved by person who
happened to be passing by tho house ON
the night in question, about three hours
after midnig ght, that he had been induced
to remain and watch, from having his at
tention excited by tbs circumstances, then
very unusual, Of light moving about the
house at that late hour. That person could
state most positively that he could distinct.
~ see figure, holding a light, 20 from
the room in which tho prisoner slept, TO
the housekeeper's room, that two persons
then came out Of the housekeeper q room,
and the light disappeared for . minute.
Whether the two persons went into
ThompsoHs room he could not see, as the
window Of that room looked another way:
but in about minute they returned. pas
sing quite along the house to Smiths room
again and in about five minutes the light
was e1tinguished and he saw no moro.
Such was the evidence upon which the
magistrate had committed Smith: and
singulariy enough, since his committal tho
housekeeper had been missing, nor could
any trace Of her be discovered.
Within he last week, the witness who
saw the light had been more particularly
examined, and in order to refresh his
memory had been placed at dark in the
very spot whore he had stood that night.
and another person was placed with him.
The whole scene az he had described il,
was acted over again. but it WAS utterly
impossible, from the cause above mention.
ed to assert, when the light disappeared,
whether the parties had gone into Thomp-
sons room. As II, however, to throw still
deeper mystery over this extraordinary
transaction, the witness persisted in adding
new feature to his former statement
that after the persons had returned with
the light into Smiths room, and before it
was cxtinguished, he had twice perceived
seme dark objotc to intervene between The
light and the window, almost az large as
the surface of tho window itself, and which
he deserted by saying it appeared as if a
door had been placed before the light.
Now, in Smiths room there was nothing
which could account fcr this appearance ::
his bed was in different part, and there
was neither press nor cupboard in tho
room, which, but for the bed, was entirely
empty, the room in which ho drcssed be-
ing at a distance beyond.
lilo would state only one fact more,
said the learned counsel, and having done
bis duty, it would be for the jury to do
their q. Within few days there had been
found in tho prisoners houso the stopper
of small bottle Of Il very singular ap-
poarance it was apparently not Of Eng
lish manufacture, and was described by
the medical men as being used by chemists
to preserve those liquids which arc most
likely to lose their virtue by exposure to
the mir.
Such was the address Of the counsel for
tho prosecution; and during its delivery
had earnestly watched the co,,"tcnnnce o'
the prisoner, who h ID listened to it. with
deep attention. Twice only did | perceive
the slightest emotion. When the disap,