Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1872-06-15
'SSEE, SATURDAY, JUNE Is, 1872.

| secret closet which had escaped fhe
! search of the officers of Justice, she
| opening of which would account Tor
! the appearance alluded to, and the
existence of which might discover
the property which had so mystic
riously disappeared.
| His object therefore, was toszsb-
tain from the housekeeper (the eEly
person except the prisoner who
/ could give any clue to this) such in
formation as he could get, witheut
alarming her by any direct inquiry
on the subject, which, as she could
not help seeing its importance,
would have led her at once to a posi-
| tive denial. He knew, moreover,
! that as she had not been in court,
! she could not know how much or
how little the inquiry had brought
| to light; and by himself treating the
matter as immaterial, he might lead
/ her to consider ii so, also, and by
that means draw forth all that she
! knew. After some unimportR2t
questions, he asked her in a tone
and manner calculated to excite dis
| trust: -
During the time you were in .
I ,
candle stood on the table, in fae
center of the room?-Yes.
Was the closet, or cupboard, er
whatever you call it, opened one !
or twice, while it stood therc2-E
pause; no answer.
l will call it to your recOllectioR.
After Mr.. Smith had taken the mc,ES
cine out of the closet, did II
f1,a 1apr. ~ fTFT
He shut it.
Then it was opened again for the
purpose of replacing the bottle, was
1t? 1t was.
Do you recollect how long it was
open the last time?-NOt above a
minute.
The door, when open, would g
exactly between the light and tue
window, would it not?-It would.
forget whether you said the clo-
set was on the right or left hand
side of the windOW?-The left.
Would the door of the closet make
any noise in opening?-Nonc.
Can you speak positively to that
fact? Have you ever opened it your
self or seen Mr.. Smith open it'll
never opened it myself,
Did you never Keep the keys?-
Never.
Who did?-Mr. Smith always.
At this moment the witness
chanced to turn her eyes toward the
spot where the prisoner stood, and
the effect was almost electrical. A
cold, damp sweat stood upon his
brow, and his face had lost all its
color; he appeared living image of
death. She no sooner saw him than
she shrieked and tainted. The con
sequences of her answers flashed
across her mind.
She had been so thoroughly
deceived by the manner of the advo-
cate and by the little importance he
had seemed to attach to her state
ments; that she had led on, by one
question to another, till she had
told him all that he wanted to know.
During the interval (occasiOned by
her illness) to the proceedings, the
solicitor for the prosecution left the
court. 1t was between four and
five O'Clock when the judge resumed
his seat upon the bench, the prison
er his station at the bar, and the
hOusekeeper hers in the witness box;
the court, in the interval, had re-
manned crowded with spectators,
scarce one of whom had left his
place, lest, during his absence. IL
should be seized by some one else.
The cross-examining counsel then
addressed the witness: l have q
very few more questions to ask.you;
but beware that you answer them
truly, for your life depends upon a
thread.
Do you know this stopper? l do.
TO whom does it belong? To Mr..
Smith.
When did you see it last? On the
night of Mr.. Thompson's deaths Z
At this moment the solicitor Tor
the prosecution entered the court,
bringing with him, upon a tray,
watch, two money bags, a Jewel
case, a pocketbook, and bottle of
the same manufacture as the stop
per, and having a cork in it; some
other articles there were in it, not
material to my story. The tray was
placed on the table in sight of the
prisoner and the witnesses, and from
that moment not doubt remained
in the minds of any man of the guilt
of the prisoner.
a few words will bring my tale
to its close. The house where the
murder had been committed was be-
tween nine and ten miles distant
The solicitor, as soon as the cross
examination of the housckeeper had
the existence of the clos
ct, and its situation, had set off on
horseback, with two sherifr's Off
GERS, and, after pulling down part
of the wall of the house, had detect
ed this important place of conceal
ment.
Their search was well rewarded;
the whole of the property belong
ing to Mr.. Thompson was found
there, amounting in value to some
thousand pounds; and, to leave no
room for doubt, a bottle was discov-
cred, which the medical men in
stantly pronounced to contain the
very identical poison which had
caused the death OF the unfortunate
Thompson. The result is too obvi-
Gus to need explanation.
The case presents the, perhaps,
unparalleled instance of man ac-
cused of murder, the evidence a.
gainst whom was so slight, as to in
duce the judge and jury to concur
in verdict of acquital; but who,
persisting in calling q witness to
prove his innocence, was, upon the
testimony of that very witness, CON
victed and executed.