South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1881-07-01


until their testimony was required, she
had been kept at house near by, and
had not heard n single word OF the trial.
There was nothing remarkable in her
manner or appearance. She might be
about thirty-6ye or little more. with
regular though not agreeable features,
and an air perfectly free from embar-
rassment.
She repeated, almost in the prisoners
own words. the story he had told OF his
having called her up and she having
accompanied him TO his room, and had
been awakened by man. servant in The
morning with account of tho travellers
death.
she hal now. La snndarq0 a. cross 4 Ia.
animation, and l may rs we'll state here
what-though not known to me till af-
terward-will assist tho reader in un-
Outstanding the following scene The
counsel for the prosecution had. in his
own mind, attached considerable im-
portance 10 the circumstances mention.
ed by the witness who saw the light.
That while the prisoner and housekeep-
er were in the room Of the former some
thing like door had interviewed be-
tween the window and the candle. which
was totally irrccouciisble with the APP
pearance OF the room when examined,
and be had persuaded himself that there
must be secret closet which had es-
caped the officers of justice, he opening
Of which would account for the appear
ance alluded 20, and the existence Of
which might discover the property which
had so mysteriously vanished.
His object. therefore, was to obtain
from the housekeepcr (tho only person
who could give any clue TO this) such
information as he could get without n
farming her 10y the direct inquiry, and,
lie asked:
Daring the time you were in Mr..
Smiths room you stated that the camille
stood on the table in the centre OF the
room?' Yes
WAS the closet, or cupboard, or what
ever You call it, opened onco or twice
while it stood the:ef
a pause; no answer.
4 will call i, TO your recollection. AZ.
ter Mr.. Smith had taken the medicine
out of the closet dill he Shut the door or
did it remain opcn?'
lie shut IT,
Then it was opened again for the pur.
pose of replacing the bottle, was it p
1T was
Do you rccollect how long it was
open the last time 2
Not above n minute
The door when open would be exact
Iy between the light and the window,
would it not p
1T would
Il forget whether you said the closet
was on the right or left hand side Of the
window 2
''Tbe left.
would the door Of the closet make
any noise in opening it p?
None
Can you speak positively TO the fact?
Have you ever opened it yourself or seen
Smith open III?
Il never oDenei IL mvsclI'
Did you ever keep tue keys?'
Never
who did?'
Mr.. Smith, always.'
At this moment the witness Glanced
to turn her eyes toward the spot where
the prisoner stood, and the effect was
almost electrical. a cold, damp sweat
stood upon his brow; his face hal lost
all its color. She no sooner saw him
than she shricked anu tainted. The con.
sequences Of her answers flashed across
her mind
She had been so thoroughly deceived
by the manner OF the advocate AMI by
the litllo Importance lie seemed 10 nt-
tach 20 her statement that she hal been
led on By one question to another ill
she had told him al be wanted to
know.
During the interval occasioned by her
illness the solicitor left the court. It
was between four and Eve o'clock when
the Judge resumed his seat upon the
bench, the prisoner bis station az tho
bar, and The housEecpcr hers in the
witness box. The court in the interval
had remained crowded with spectators,
scarce ono Of whom hal LEFT his place.
les, during bis absence 10 should be
seized by some one else.
The cross-examining counsel then
addressed the witness: