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

W. ''NNN'''ff'
Within tho last week tho witness
who san, tho light had been NOR
particularly examined, and In order Il
refresh his memory, had been at darl
IN the very spot where he stood tha
night, aud another person was PLACED
with him. The whole scene as hC
described It, was acted over again, buI
II was utterly impossible, from the
case above mentioned, to assert when
tho light disappeared, whether the
parties had gone to Th hompsons room,
As II however 10 throw still q deeper
mystery over the extraordinary trans
action, the witness persisted in add,
ing q new feature to his former state
ment, that after the person returned
with the light into Smiths room, aud
before II was extinguishcd he had
twice precelvcd some dark object to
intervene between the light and the
window, almost rs large as the surface
OF tho widow itself, and which he des-
cribed by saying it appeared as II a
door had been placed before IT,
Now in Smiths room there was
nothing which could account for this
appearance his bed was in q diff
iercnt part, and there was neither cup
board nor press in the room, which,
but for the bed, was entirely empty,
the room in which ho dressed heing
at distance beyond.
He would state one fact more, said
the learned counsel, and having done
his duty it would be Tor the jury to
perform theirs.
Within few days there had been
found in the prisoners house the stop
per Of small bottle Of very singular
appearance. 1t was appearantly OF
of foreign manufacture, and was des'
cribed by medical men as being used
by chemists to preserve those liquids
which are most likely to loose their
virtues by exposure to the air. 10
whom it belonged or to what use it
had been applied. there was no evil
dence to show.
Such was the address of the counsel
for the prosecution, and during its
delivery I had earnestly watched the
countenance OF the prisoner, who had
listened, too, with deep attention.
Twice did I perceive that it produced
in him the slightest emotion. When
the disappearance of the housekeeper
was mentioned, smile of scorn pass
ed over his lips, and the notice of the
discovery of the stopper excited an
interest, and I thought an apprehen'
sion, but it quickly subsided. need
not detail the evidence that was given
for the prosecution ; it amounted in
substance to that which the counsel
stated nor was it varied in any partic-
ular. The stopper was proved
to be found in the house but
no attempt was made to trace it to
the prisoners possession, or even
knowledge.
When the case was closed the learn
ed Judge, addressing the counsel for
the prosecution, said he thought there
was hardly sufficient evidence to call
upon the prisoner for his defence; and
if the jury were Of the opinion they
would at once stop the case, Upon
this observation from the judge, the
Jury turned around for moment, and
then ntimated their acquiescence in
his honor's views of the evidence.
The counsel folded their briefs, and a
verdict of aquittal was about to be
taken, when the prisoner addressed
the court He urged the court to per-
nit him to state his case to the jury
and call his housekeeper with so much
earnestness, and was seconded 80
ably by his counsel, that the learned
Judge though very much against his
inclination, and contrary to his usual
habit, gave way and yielded to the re-
quest.
The prisoner then addressed the
jury, and entreated their patlences Tor
short time.
He repeated to them that he never
could feel satisfied to be aquitted mere
rely because the evidence was not
conclusive, and pledged himself in a
very short time, by the few obseva-
tions he should make TO obtain their
verdic, upon much higher grounds,
upon the impossibility of his being
guilty of the awful crime.
OF the stopper which had been
found he disowned all knowledge; do.
clared most solemnIy that he had never
- :, boc,ro ~ was nroducpd i'm court