Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1893-07-29

4
entered as usual at o'clock, scarcely
waiting to knock, and had made arrange
ments for his masters toilet. thinking
him asleep. Mr.. Weathercraft was a
heavy sleeper. but usually awokc when
the bath was being filled. As his
master did not move the witness went
to the bedside and. to use the
| poor fellows own expression, LAS hope
for mercy, sir, the face was the face of
a dead corpse This witness further
| added that the bed was but little disor-
dered, the lamp was out and the novel
lay open on its face on the floor. He
did not remove the skewer or attempt to
do so, but ran and told the housekeeper,
who sent him for the police. The house
keeper being summoned identified the
skewer as part of the usual contents of
the plate chest, which led to the recall
of the butler, who, being asked whether
he had counted the silver on the night OF
the murder, answered in the affirmative.
but being pressed admitted that he did
not often count the silver that was not in
everyday use. Then finally, as if divin-
ing at length his real position, he broke
down. calling on God to strike him dead
if he knew anything about his old mas
ter's murder, and was led aside after
saying it was judgment on him for
leaving the silver uncountcd."
The strongest evidence against the
accused was found wlen search was
made in his room. 1t looked as if old
Thompson must have been almost mad to
have left so many mute witnesses against
himself. In tall vase on the mantel-
piece was found cheap file, which, when
examined by an expert, proved to have
small PARTICLES of silver still adhering to
it. On ledge in the chimney was Mr..
Weathercraft's purse, containing $40 in
notes and some change. Finally, at the
side of the coverlet, rather more than
half way down towards III foot of the
bed. " ere discovered three distinct stains,
which expert evidence asserted to be
blood stains and seemed to have been
left by human right hand.
If motive were wanted for the crime,
MIR. eathercrafts will seemed to offer
it, The will lad been drawn up some
months previously, and witnessed by the
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 and
that he had perpetrated this awful crime
in order to benefit by it the sooner.
1t is not surprising, in the face of all
the evidence, that james Thompson was
fully committed to take his trial for the
wilful murder of his deceased MASTER or
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 a 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-
lieving 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 a. a 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 occa-
sional remark with melancholy shake
of the head, cit was all along of me
leaving my siler 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 ''if the old fellow would
only get off that tommy rot about the
siler to the jury they would bring him
in insane without leaving the box"
But if the lawyer believed or half be-
Ilieved 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 Sharply 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.. Sharpy,
who was always popular with juries; at
all events, they soon filed back again
with verdict Of guilty as charged in
the indictment" Old Thompson was
formally condemned to death
He was led back to his cell, where his
lawyer visited him aud tried to cheer
him by talking of "stays" and sap
peals" He recommended him to make
himself comfortable, explaining that, by
the grace of God and the laws of the
State, he had still n 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 palaver-
ling about it since it was all along Of
that siler he had left uncounted. In
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
Memanded "A commission to inquire into