River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1872-12-27

housekeeper were in the room of the for
mer, something like door, had interven.
ed between the door and the candle and
the window which was totally irreconcil.
able with the appearance of the room
when examined; and had half persuaded
himself that there must be secret closet
which had escaped the officers Of Justice.
the opening of which would account for
the appearance alluded to, and the exist
ence Of which might discover the property
which had so mysteriously disappeared.
His object, therefore, was to obtain from
the housekeeper (the only person who
could give any clue to this,) sach lntor.
nation as he could get, without alarming
hor by any direct inquiry on the subject,
which, as she should not know how much
or how little the inquiry has brought to
light and by himself treating the matter
as immaterial, he lightly led her to con-
slider it so, also, and by that means draw
forth all she knew After some unimpor-
tant questions, he asked her il tone and
manner calculated rather to awaken con-
fdence than to excite distrust.
During the time you were in Mr.. Smiths
room you stated that the candle remained
on the table in the middle Of the room p
Yes.
Was the closet, or cupboard, or what.
ever you call it, opened once or twice
while it stood there "A pause and no
answer.
| will call it to your recollection
After Mr.. Smith had taken the medicine
out of the closet dld he shut the door or
did 1t remain open? lie shut it.
Then it was opened again for the pur.
pose of replacing the bottle, was it?-It
was.
Do you recollcct how long it was open
the second time ?--not over minute.
The door when open, would be exactly
between the light and the window, would
it ot?-It would.
| forget whether you said the door was
on the right or left side of the window ?
The left.
Would the door make any noise in open.
ing it'-None.
Can you speak positively Of the fact
Dave you ever opened it yourself or seen
Mr.. Smith open it FL never opened it
myself.
Did you ever keep the keys?-Never.
Who did MIR. Smith.
At this moment the witness happened to
turn her eyes toward the spot where the
prisoner stood, and the effect was almost
electrical. A cold. damp sweat stood up
on his brow; his face had lost all its color;
he appeared living image ofdeath. She
no sooner saw him than she screamed and
tainted. The consequences of her answers
flashed across her mind
She had been so thoroughly deceived by
the manner of the advocate and by the
little importance he seemed to attach to
her statements, that she had been 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) as to the proceedings, solicitor
the prosecution left the court. 1t was
between 4 and o'clock when the Judge
resumed his seat on the bench, the pris-
oner his station at the bar, and the house.
keeper hers in the witness box; the court
in the interval had remained crowded
with spectators, scarce one of whom had
left his place, lest during his absence, it
should be seized by some one else.
The cross.examining counsel then adj
dressed the witness: | have very few
more questions to ask Of you but beware
that you answer them truly for your own
life depends upon thread
Do you know this stopper 2
do.
To whom does it belong?
To Mr. Smith.
When did you see it last ?
On the night of Mr.. Thompson's death.
At this moment the solicitor for the
prosecution entered the court, bringing
with him, upon tray, a watch, two mo-
neY Lays, a jewel case, pocket-book, and
bottle Ct the same manufacture as the
stopper, and having no cork in H.: some
other articles there was in it not material
to my story. The tray was placed upon
the table in sight Of the prisoner and wit
ness, and from that moment not doubt
remained in the mind of any man of the
guilt of the prisoner.
A few words will bring my tale to a
close. The house where the murder had
been committed was between nine and ten
miles distant. The solicitor, as soon as
the cross.examination had discovered the
existence of the closet, aud its situation,
had set off on horseback, with two sheriff's
officers, and after pulling down part Of the
wall Of the house, had detected this place
of concealment.
The search was we'll rewarded, the
whole of the property belonging to Mr..
Thompson was found there. amounting in
value to several thousand pounds and to
leave no doubt, bottle was discovered
which the medical man instantly pro-
nouuced TO contain the very identical poi
son which had caused the death of the
unfortunate Thompson. The result is too
obvious TO need explanation.
The case presents the perhaps unparal.
leled instance of a man accused OF murder,
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