The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1880-02-20
THE SECRET CLOSET.

''FOT murder, though it have no tongue,
will speak with most miraculous organ"
In the year IS, John SMITH use
fictitious names-was indicted for the
willful murder of Henrys Thompson.
The case was one of a most extraordina-
ry nature, ard the interest excited by it
was almost unparalleled. The accused
was a gentleman of considerable proper
ty. residing upon his own estate. A
person, supposed to be an entire stranger
to him. had late in summers day re-
quested and obtained shelter and hospi-
tality for the night. He had, it was
supposed, after taking some light re-
freshments. retired to bed in perfect
health, requesting to be awakened at an
early 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 appearance of the body it
was obvious that he had been so for
many hours. There was not the slight
est mark of violence upon his person,
and the cOuntenance retained the same
expression it had during life.
DAYS and weeks passed on, and little
further was discovered. In the mean
time rumor had not been idle. Suspic-
ions were vague indeed, and underlined,
and were at first whispered and after
ward boldly expressed The precise Oh
ject of these suspicious was not clearly
indicated but they all pointed to Smith,
the master of the house, as concerned in
the death of the stranger and, in fine,
the magistrates We're influenced to COM
NIT Mr.. Smith to Jail to await his trial
for the murder of Henry Thompson. AS
it was deemed essential to the attain
ment of justice to keep secret the exam
ination of the witness before the magis-
trates all the information of which the
public were in possession before the trial
took place was that which ] nave nara
ted. Such was the state of things upon
the morning of the trial.
The counsel for the prosecution open
ed his case TO the Jury in manner that
indicated very little expectation of {
conviction. He began by implorine
them to divest their minds Of all they
had heard before they came into the box
he entreated them TO attend to the evi
dence and Judge from that alone.
Il would be proved beyond the posi-
bility of doubt that the deceased dice
of poisOn-pOison of a most subtle ma
ture, most active in its operation, anC
possessing the wonderful and dreadful
quality of leaving no external mark b,
WHICH, It's DtCStl1tN SOuiNl Dt uENCIACu
The ingredients of which it was com
/ posed were Of 50 sedatiye a nature that
/ instead OF the body on which it had beel
used exhibiting any contortlons or mark
I Of suffering, it left upon the feature
n5thing but the calm and placid appear
I ance of repOSe.
/ The prisoners family consisted onl
! of himself. housekeeper, and one mai
J servant. The man servant slept in n
! Outhouse adjoining the stable, and di'
/ so on the night of ThOmpson's death
I The prisoner slept at one end of tn
/ house and the housekeeper at the other
and the deceased had been put into
room adjoining the housekeeper's.
1t would be proved by person VIII
/ happened to be passing by the house o
the night in question. about three hour
after midnight, that he had been induce
to remain and watch from having hi
attention excited by the circumstance
! then very unusual, of a light movin
abodt the house at that late hour. Th
! person would state most positively tha
he could distinctly sec a figure, holdin
a light, go from the room in which tn
prisoner slept to the housekeeper' room
and the light disappeared for minute
| Whether the two persons went int
=
the window of that room looked anothe
way; but in about minute they II
turned. passing quietly along the hous
to Smiths room again, and in about tiy
minutes the light was eXtinguished an
he saw it no more
Such was the evidence upon which I'll
magistrate had committed Smith, an
sirgularly enough, since his commits
the housekeeper had disappeared, III
could any trace of her be discovered.
Within the last week the witness WI
saw the light had been more particular
| examined, and in order to refresh h
memory had been placed at dark in tt
very spot where he had stood that nigh
and another person placed with hin
| The whole scene. as he had described
was acted over again, but it was utter
| impossible, from the cause above mel
toned, to assert when the light disa
peared whether the parties had gone I'M
| Thompson 5 room. As if, however,
throw still deeper mystery over this e.
traoTdinary transaction, the witness pc
sisted in adding a new feature TO h
former statement, that after the perSOl
returned with the light into Smith
room, and before it was extinguishe
he had twice perceived some dark obie
TO intervene between the light and Il
window. almost as large as the surfa
of the window itself, and which he d
scribed by saving it appeared as If do
had been placed before the light.
Nn-u N Ernit l. . roam there WAC NOT