The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1880-02-20
NUMBER 5.

unlmportant questions he asked her In a
tone and manner calculated rather to
awaken confidence than to excite dis
trust
During the time you were in Mr..
Smiths room you stated that the candle
stood on.the table in the centre of the
room ?''
''Yes.o
''Was the closet, OF cupboard, or
whatever you call it, opened once or
twice while it stood there P''
A pause no answer.
II will call it to your recollection
After Mr.. Smith had taken the medi-
cine out of the closet, did he shut the
door or did it remain open 2"
''He shut it.''
"Then it was opened again for the
purpose of replacing the bottle, was it ?''
''It was. -
''Do you recoTect how long it was
open the last time ?''
Not above a minute -
1.-The door when open would be exact
ly between the light and the window,
would it not ?''
'FIt would -
81 forgot whether you said the closet
was on the right or left hand side of the
window 2"
ne l6IE.r
''would the door of the closet make
any noise in opening it ?''
IN Zone"
''Can you speak positively to the fact
Have you ever opened it yourself. oI
seen Smith open it ?''
II never opened it myself. -
did you ever keep the keys I''
''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 wa.
almost electrical. A cold, damp sweat
stood upon his brow his face had loSt
all its color. She no sooner saw hin
than she shriel5ed and tainted. The
consequence 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 at
tach to her statements, that she haC
been led on by one question to another
till she had told him all he wanted &
/ know.
/ During the interval-occasioned BY
/ her illness-as to the proceeding, thi
I solicitor left the court. 1t was between
4 and O'Clock when the Judge resumed
/ his seat upon the bench. the prisoner hi,
station at the bar, and the hOusekeepel
hers in the witness box. The court il
the interval had remained crowded Will
/ spectators, scarce one of whom had lef
his place. lest during his absence il
should be seized by some one else. Th'
| cross examining counsel then addressed
the witness:
4 have a very few more questions tC
ask you, but beware that you answer
them truly, for your own life depend:
upon thread. Do you know this stop
peT?''
/ Il do
/ ''To whom does it belong ?"
ITO Mr.. Smith,
''When did you see it last ?''
''On the night of Mr.. ThOmpOn'
death %
At this moment the solicitor for tn
| prosecution entered the court, bringin.
with him, upon a tray, a watch, tw,
+ money bags, a jewel-case, a pocket
! book and a bottle of the same manufac
I ture as the stopper, and having no cOrl
/ in it. The tray was placed upon tn
table in sight of the prisoner and wit
ness, and from that moment not doub
remained in the mind of any man of tn
guilt of the prisoner.
a few words will bring my tale to
close. The house where the murde
had been committed was between min
and ten miles distant. The solicitor, a
soon as the crOsS-eXamination, had dis
covered the existence of the closet an
its situation, had set off on horsebac
with two sheriff's officers, and afte
pulling down part of the wall of tn
house, had detected this place of cor
cealment
The search was well rewarded tn
whole of the property belonging to NJ
Thompson was found there, amountin
in value to several thousand pounds
and to leave no doubt, a bottle wa
discovered, which the medical man il
stantly pronounced to contain the vel
identical poison which had caused tt
death of the unfortunate Thompson.
The result is too obvious to need e,
} PLANTATION.
The case presents, perhaps, the uppa
alieled instance of a man accused
murder showing such defence as to i
duce the judge and jury to concur in
, verdict of acquittal, but who, persistin
: in calling a witness to make his inn
cence more emphatic, was, upon Il
= testimony of that very witness, CO
victed and executed.