Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1874-01-29

/ found, he disowned all knowledge
, declared most solemnly that he ha'
never seen it before it was produces
. in court and he asked, could tn
! fact of its being in his house only
. few days ago, when hundreds of peo
pie had been there. produce upon 81
impartial mind even momentar'
prejudice against him? One fact. anC
only one has heen proved. to which
1t was possible for him to give an an
swer-the fact of his having gone t
the bedroom Of his housekeeper or
the night in question
He had been subject for mauv wears
of his life to sudden fits of illness
he had been seized with one on thai
occasion, and had gone to her 10 pro-
cure her assistance in lighting fire
She had returned with him to his
room for that purpose, he having
waited in the passage while she put
on her clothes, which would account
for the momentary disappearance OF
the light and after she had remained
in the room for a few moments, fnd-
ing himself better, he had dismissed
her, and retired again to bed, from
which he had not risen when he was
informed of the death of his guest
1t had been said that, after his
committal to prison, his housekeeper
had disappeared He avowed that,
finding his enemies determined, il
possible, to accomplish his ruin, he
had thought it probable they might
tamper with his servant; he had there
fore, kept her out of the way; but for
what purpose? Not to prevent her
testimony being given. for she was
now under the care of his solicitor,
and would instantly appear for the
purpose of confirming, as far as she
was concerned, the statement he had
just made.
Such was the prisoners address.
which produced a powerful effect. 1t
was delivered in q firm and impres
sive manner, and its simplicity gave
it an appearance of truth The house
keeper was then put in the box and
examined by the counsel for the pris
oner. According to the custom. at
the time almost universal, Of ex
cluding witnesses from court until
their testimony was required, she
was kept at house near at hand,
and had not heard one word of the
trial. There was nothing remarkable
in her manner or appearance; she
might be about thirty five, with reg
ular though not agreeable features,
and an air perfectly free from EN-
barrassment
She repeated, in the prisoners own
words, the story he had told of his
having called her up, and her having
accompanied him to his room, adding
that, after leaving him, she had been
awakened by the man servant in the
morning with an account of the trsv
eler's death.
She had now to undergo a cross
examination. and may as well state
here, which. though not known to
me till afterward, will assist the read
er in understanding the following
scene. The counsel for prosecution
had, in his own mind, attached con-
siderable importance to the circum-
stances mentioned by the witness who
saw the light; that while the prisoner
and the housekeeper were in the
room of the former, something like
door, had interviewed between the
door and the candle and the window
which was totally irreconcilable with
the appearance of the room when ex
amined, and had half persuaded him
sell that there must be a secret closet
which had escaped the officers of
justice, the opening of which would
account for the appearance alluded
to, and the existence of which might
discover the property which had so
mysteriously disappeared.
His object, therefore, was to obtain
from the housekeeper 1.-THE only per-
son who could give any clue to this, J
such information as he could get,
without alarming her 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
unimportant questions. he asked her
in tone and manner calculated rath-
er to awaken confidence than to excite
distrust.
During the time you we're in Mr..
Smiths room you stated that the
candle remained on the table in the
middle of the room?-Yes.
Was the closet, or cupboard, or
whatever 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 med
icine out of the closet did he shut the
door or did it remain openp-He
shut 1t.
Then it was opened again for the
purpose of replacing the bottle, was
it2-It was.
Do YOU recollect how long it was
omen the second time?-Not over a
minute.
The door when open, would be ex-
actly between the light and the win
dow, would it nOt?-It would.
1 forget whether you said the door
was on the right or left side of the
window2-The left.
Would the door make any noise in
opening it?-None.
Can you speak positively of the
fact? Have you ever opened it your
self or seen Mr.. Smith open it'll
never opened it myself.
Did you ever keep the keys?-Never.
Who did?-Mr. Smith.
a. SI:z -.o-oo1f fho Uifnaaa ham,