St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1893-09-02

| skeWer as part OF the usual contents 0
the plate chest, which led to the recall
of the butler, who, being asked whethe
he had counted the silver on the night 0
| the murder, answered in the affirmative
but being pressed admitted that he die
not often count the silver that was not IL
everyday use. Then finally, as if divin
ing at length his real position, he brok
down, calling on God to strike him deat
if he knew anything about his old mas
| ter's murder, and was led aside afte
saying it was a Judgment on him fol
"leaving the silver amounted"
The strongest evidence against tn
accused was found when search wa
made in his room. 1t looked as if ole
Thompson must have been almost mad tt
have left so many mute witnesses agains
himself. In tall vase on the mantel
piece was found a cheap file, which, whel
examined by an expert, proved to have
small particles of silver still adhering t.
it. On ledge in the chimney was Mr.
Weathercraft's purse, containing $40 il
notes and some change. Finally, at TIT
side of the coverlet, rather more thar
half way down towards tho foot of thu
bed, were discovered three distinct stains
which expert evidence asserted to bt
blood stains, and seemed to have beer
left by human right hand.
If motive were wanted for the crime
Mr.. Weathercraft's will seemed to offe1
it. The will lad been drawn up some
months previously, and witnessed by tht
two men servants, the last clause con
sisting of a. bequest of $4,000 to the
accused himself. 1t seemed possible
that Thompson knew of this bequest anc
that he had perpetrated this awful crime
in order to benefit by it the sooner.
1t is not surprising, in the face of al
the evidence, that James Thompson was
fully committed to take his trial for the
willful murder of his deceased master, OF
that public opinion almost unanimously
condemned him in advance.
During the four months that elapsed
between the arrest and the trial James
Thompson sat despairing in his cell. He
spoke little, answering his lawyer apa-
thetlcally, throwing no new light on the
case but continuing to deny everything.
He seemed like one in hopeless maze
who can't exactly understand how he got
there and has given up all hopes of ever
getting out. AS we have said before, the
public was tolerably unanimous in be-
leving him guilty, though strange to say
there Was one notable exception. His
lawyer, sharp criminal practitioner,
who had taken up the case with his eye
fixed ON the $40, 900, almost believed him
innocent, we may say almost, for Mr..
SHARPLY made point of never allow
ing himself to quite believe any
thing Or anybody. Mr. SHARPLY as rule
almost believed his client guilty; in the
present instance he almost believed him
innocent, and that was all
Indeed, there was something pathetic
in the puzzled expression which never
left the old mans face, and his coca
sional remark with melancholy shake
of the head, cit was all along of me
leaving my siller uncounted." Mr..
SHARPLY, who was practical even in his
softer moods, once expressed an opinion
to his partner in the privacy of their
inner office that eff the old fellow would
only get off that tommy rot about the
siller to the jury they would bring him
in insane without leaving the box"
But if the lawyer believed or half be-
lieved his client innocent he found it
difficult to offer even to himself any rea-
son for the half faith that was in him.
and it was with the worst forebodings
that he saw the day of trial dawn at
last.
The case was called and Sharpy did
his best, but there was indeed very little to
be done. There is an end to all things,
even things legal, an end to challenges,
an end to exceptions asked and taken.
The Judge delivered his charge and the
jury left the box. 1t is supposed they
did this as compliment to Mr. SHARPLY,
who was always popular with juries; at
all events, they soon filed back again
with a verdict Of "guilty as charged in
the Indictment. Old Thompson was
condemned to death.
He was led back to hi, CELL where his
lawyer visited him and tried to cheer
him by talking of "stays' and zap
peals." He recommended him to make
himself comfortable, explaining that, by
the grace of God and the laws of the
State, he had still couple of years or
SO to live, unless things went very badly.
But the old man shook his head and
said 'No !" lie had been condemned
to death, and the sooner he died the bet
ter; he didn't want any more paIavcr-
ing about it since it was all along of
that ciI1or ha hoI laft II
vain SHARPLY pointed out that uncounted
siller was not hanging matter; old
Thompson was firm, and the lawyer de-
parted not altogether without hope and
demanded commission to inquire into
bis clients sanity.
The doctors came in due time and ex-
amined the prisoner. Then they talked
it over among themselves and decided
that though he was certainly little odd
he was sane enough to hang satisfac-
torily and handed in their report in that
sense.
So old Thompson was It'd that he
had nothing further to hope for in this
world and sat down to wait through the
months which the wisdom rather than
the mercy Ct the law ordains shall elapse
between condemned mans sentence
and execution And here we must leave
him while we pay visit to the office of
Mr.. Fogey, the late Mr.. eathercraft's
lawyer and confidential man of bust
ness.
1t was a Monday morning just six
after Mr.. Weathercraft's death.
Mr.. Fogey was busy, but when his clerk
entered and handed him o card he
glanced ct it and ordered the visitor to
be admitted.
The card bore the name Mr.. G. 7.
Lacey, and underneath, con business
with the late George Weather
crafts estate.n He WAS lust acquainted