Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1880-03-10
"iIs shut IT,"

Pb'PVhV w 'pP'aV'"b tHV pVt"" wa
itT
ut was"
Do you recollect how long 1t was
open tho last time 7"
"Not above q minute"
"The door when opened would DO
exactly between the light and tho
window would 1t not 7"
ut would"
~ forgot whether you said tho clos
Ct was on the right or left hand side
Of the window y
"Thc left"
"Nyould the door Of the closet make
any noise in opening 1t 7"
"Nonc."
"Can you speak positively to the
lact1 Have you ever opened It your
self, or seen Smith open IL =
II never opened mysclfT
"Dld you ever keep the key "
"Nevcr,'
"Who did "
"Mr. Smith, always"
AT this moment the witness cbanc-
ed to turn her eyes toward tho spot
where the prisoner stood, aud tho
effect was almost electrical. A cold
damp sweat stood upon his brow; his
face had lost all its color. She no soon'
cr saw him than she shrieked and
tainted. The consequence OF her
answer flashed across her mind.
She had been so thoroughly deciey-
cd 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 after an
other until she had told him all he
wanted to know.
During the interval (occasioned by
her illncss) as to the proceedings, the
solicitor lett the court. 1t was be-
tween four and five o'clock when the
judge resumed his seat upon the bench
the prisoner his station at the bar, and
the housekeeper 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
addressed the witness
81 have very few more questions
to ask you, but beware that you an.
swer them truly, for your own life de-
pends upon thread. Do you know
this stopper p
81 do
"To whom does it belong"
"To Mr.. Smith"
"When did you see it last?'
"On the night Of Mr.. Thomp sons
DEATH
AT this moment the solicitor for the
prosecution entered the court, bring
ing with him, upon tray, q watch,
two money bags, jewel case, pocket
book, and abottle of the same manufac-
ture as the stopper, having no cork in
it. The tray was placed upon the
table in sight of the prisoner and
witness, and from that moment not a
doubt renamed 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 ST. II as the cross-examination had
discovered the existence Of the closet
and its situation, had set off on horse
back with two Sheriff's officers and
after pulling down part of the walls
CT 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 to the value Of several
thousand pounds and to leave no
doubt bottle was discovered, which
the medical man instantly pronounced
to contain the very identical poison
which caused the death of the untor-
tunate Thompson. The result is too
obvious to need explanation.
The case presents, perhaps, the un-
paralleled instance of a man accused
of murder, showing such defence as
to induce the judge and jury to con-
cur in verdict of acquittal, but who
persisted in calling witness to make
his innocence more emphatic, was up
OH the testimony Of that very witness,
convicted and executed.
The Syracuse Times tells off smart
boy in that town who took his sister
to meat market TO see ground
y L. II.