Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1873-01-04
TIL / seer EFT CLOSET.

IN the year 1S-, John Smith q use fc-
It'll us names) was Indicted for the wilful
murder Of Henry Thompson The case
was one of q most extraordinary nature,
aud the interest excited by IL was almost
Unparalleled. The accused was o gentle
msn of considerable properly, residing
up,n his own estate. A person, supposed
10 be an entire stranger to him, had late In
summers day, requested and obtained
shutter aud hospitality for the night. He
had, II was supposed, after teking some
light refreshmeuI, retired 10 bed In perfect
health requesting TO be awakened ~ an
ear y hour the following morning, When
the servant appointed TO call him Entered
the room for that purpose, he was found in
his room perfectly dead and from the ap-
pea ance of the body II was obvious that be
had been so fer many hours. There was
not the slightest malk of violence upon his
person, and the countepance retained the
same expression II had borne during life.
Days aud weeks passed on, and little fur
tht was discovered In the meantime ru
NOR bad not been idle. Suspicious were
vague, indeed, aud undeined, and were at
first, whispered, aud Afterwards boldly ex.
pressed. The precise object Of these Gus
poons was not clearly indicated some
impleattd d one person and some anotheri
but hey all pointed to Smith, the matter of
the house, as concerned in the death Of the
strargcr; and, in fine the magistratts were
induced to commit MIR. Smith 10 jail to take
his trial for the wilful murder of Henry
Thompson. As II was deemed essential to
the attainment of justice 10 keep secret the
examination of the witnesses who produced
before the magistrates all the information
Of which the public were 10 possession be-
aN..n a.Na hat alala
have narrated. Such was the state OF
things upon the morning Of the trial.
The counsel for the prosecution opened
his case 10 the jury In manner that ind
Gated very little expectation of convic-
ton. He began by imploIiug them Ia
diyest their minds of all that they had
heard before they came into the box he
eEtreated them to attend TO the evidence,
and Judge from that alone.
II would be proved beyond the possibility
OF doubt that the deceased died by poison
--Ioison of most subtle nature, most &c
tive in its operation, and possessing the
wonderful and dreadful quality Of leaving
no external mark or token by which iii
presence could be detected. The ingredi'
euts of which II was composed were of sc
scdatyc nature that, Instead of the bodJ
on which II had bern used exhibiting any
upon the features nothing but tho calm
and placid Of rcposc.
The prisoners family consisted only oi
himself, bousokeeper, and one man ser
want. The man servant slept iI an out
house adjoining the stable, and did so OF
the night of ThOmpson's death. The pri
soner slept a. ono end Of the house and thl
honsekecper at tie other, and The deceases
had been put into room adjoining th,
housckceper's.
II would be proved by person who hap
pen,d to be passing by the house on tn
night in question, about three hours atte
midnight, that he had been induced to re
main aud ch from having his attention
excited hy tho circumstances, then yer
unusual, of light moving about the hous
at that late hour. That person woull
state most positively that he could dis
timely SEE n figure, holding light, x
from the room In which the prisoner slep
TO the housekeepei's s room, that two per
sons then came out Of the housekeopr
room, and the light disappeared for a min
ute. Whether the two persons went lot
Thomson's room he could not see, as th
window Of that room looked another way
hut in about minute they returned, past
ing quite along the house TO Smiths roof
again, and in about five minutes the iigl
was eXiiugnishcd and he saw il no NOR
Such was the evidence upon which III
magistrate had committed Smith and sil
gularly enough, since his cOmmittal Il
housekeeper had disappeared, nor coul
any trace of her he discovered.
Within the last week the witness wi
saw the light had been more PARTICULAR
examined, and In order to refresh b
memory, had been placed at dark in Il
very spot where he had stood that nigh
and another person was placed with hit
The whole scene, as he had described
was acted over again, but IL was utter
impossible, from the cause above mentiO
ed, to assert. when the light disappeare
VIII ther the PARTIES had gone into Ihom
sons room. As If, however, 10 throw st
deeper mystery over this eXiraordina
transaction, the witness persisted In addil
new feature to his former statement, tn
after the persons returned with the llg
into Smiths room, and before IL was e
tinpuished, lie had twice perceived SOL
dark object TO intervene between the lig
aud the window, almost as large as I
surface of the window itself, and which
described by saying IL appeared as dc
had been placed before the light.
Now in Smiths room there was n0thl
which could aceount for this appearanc
hit bed was in different part, and th'
was neither cupboard nor piess In the rot
which, but for the bed, was entirely emp
The room in which be dressed being at
distance beyond.
lie would state only one fact more 81
the learned counsel), and having done
duty, II would be for the jury 10 do thel
Within a few days there had been found
the prisoners house the stopper of a snl
bottle of very singular appearance
was apparently not of English mdnut
ture, and was described by the medi
m,n as being used by chemists to prese
iho-e liquids which are most likely 10 j
Their virtue by exposure TO the air.
whom il belonged, or TO what use II
boen applied, there was no evidence
thow.
Such was the address of the counsel
the prosecution, and during its deliver
had earnestly watched tic counienanc'
the prisoner, who had listened, too,
deep attention. Twice only did pcrc,
thai it produced in him tho slightest el
iion. When the disappearance of
htuseAeeper was mentioned smile a
sCorn, passed over his lips, and the no
of the discovery of the stopper obvloi
excited an interest and, thought, an
prohension, but il quickly subsidized
need net detail the evidence that WAS q
for The prosecution, IL amounted in
stance to that which the counsel stated,
Was II varied in any particular. The Fl
per was produced and proved 10 be 70
IN the house, but no attempt was mad
trace il to the prisoners possession
even knowledge.
When the case was closed tho Leaf
Judge. addressing the counsel for the
secution, said he thought there was ha
sufficient evidence to call upon the pris'
for his defence and if the jury wer'
opinion they would at once stop the c
Ulun this observation from the Judge
jury turned round for a moment, and
intmatcd their acquiesccnce in his
ships views of the evidence. The cou
folded up their briefs, and a verdict Of
qu tla was about to be taken, when
pii.untr addressed the court. He u
the court to permit him TO stste his cal
th jury, and to call bis housekeoper
so much earnestness, and was seeondC
ably by his counsel, that Lord Mansi
Though very much against his inclina
and contrary to his usual habit, gave
and yielded 70 the request.
The prisoner then addressed the jury
cntreatcd their patience for a short
H.. repeated to them that he never {
feel satisfied to be acquitted merely bee
III evidence was not conclusive,
pledged himself in very short time
tn few obs 'rvations he should max
obtain their verdict upon nueh b