Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1872-12-26
THE SECRET CLOSET.

.For murder, though it hath no tongue, win
speak with moet miraculous organ
In the year lS-Jnhn Smith Il use
fictitious names) was indicted for the will
full murder of Henry Thompson. The
case was one of the most extraordinary
nature, and the interest excited by it was
almost unparalleled The accused vas a
man of considerable property, residing
upon his own estate. A person, supposed
to 90 an entire stranger to him, had, late
in asummer day, requested and obtained
shelter aud hospitality for the night He
had it was supposed, after taking some
light refreshment, retired to bed in perfect
health, requesting to be awakened at an
carly hour the following morning. When
the servant appointed to call him entered
his room for that purpose, he was found in
his bed perfectly dead and from the APP
pearance Of the body it was obvious that
he had been so for many hours. There
was not the slightest mark OF violence up
on his person, and the countenancc retain
ed the same expression it had borne
during lie.
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 enc person, some another but
they all pointed to Smith, the master of
the house, as concerned IN the death OF
the stranger; and in fine, the magistrates
were induced TO commit Mr.. Smith TO Jail
to take his trial for the wlltul murder of
Henry Thompson. As il was deemed es-
scnhai 60 the attainment If Justice TO keep
secret the examination of the witnesses
who were produced before the ma cisrates.
all 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 the
morning Of the trial.
he counsel for the prosecution opened
has Case 10 the Jury in 4 manner that indi
Gated very httle expectation OF oonviC-
ton. lie began by mploring them TO
divest their nu DIS OF all that they had
heard before they came into the box he
''ANA NAktA lutllf W blltlh W lut pNlutntt
and Judge trcm that alone.
IL would be proved beyond the possjbil.
ityot doubt that the DECEASED died by poi.
son--poison Of 4 most subtle nature, most
active in It's oper ltion. and possessing the
wonderful and dreadful quality of leaving
no external mark or token by which its
presence could be detected. The ingre-
dents OF which it was composed were of
SO sedauye naure 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 the
calm and placid quiet ot reposo,
The prisoners family consisted of him
self, housekeeI err aud one man servant.
The man servant slept in an clubhouse ad.
Joining the stable, and did so on the night
of ThompSou'S death. The prisoner slept
at one 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 be proved by person who
happened TO be passing by the house on
the night in question, about three hours
after midn -ht, that he had been induced
60 remain and watch, from having his at
tention excited by the circumstances, then
very unusual, Of a light moving about the
hous" at that hate hour That person could
safe most positively that he could distinc.
iy see a figure, holding light, 20 from
the room in which the prisoner slept, 10
the huusckeeper's room, that two persons
then came cat of the lousekeeper room.
and the lsa, disappeared for a minute.
Whether The TWO persons Went into
Thompson 5 room he could not see, as the
window Of that room looked another way;
bur r. about minute they returned, pas
sing quite along the house to Smiths room
again aud in about five minutes the light
was extiuguished and he saw no more.
Such was the evidence upon which the
magistrate had committed Smith; and
singularly enough, since his conmittal the
honsekeeper had been missing, nor could
any trace of her be discovered
Within be last week, the witness wko
saw the light h4i been more particularly
examined. and IN ordep to refresh his
memory ha been placed at dark in the
very spot where he had stood that night
,ua mother person was placed with him.
l.~ - Oa SCENE IL liz had described Ii,