Year: 1874

ceased died by poisou-poison of .
most subtle nature, most active in its
operation. and possessing the won


derful and dreadful quality of leaving
no external mark or token by which
its presence could be detected. The


ingredients of which it was composed


were of so sedative a nature that, in


stead of the body on which it had


been used exhibiting any contortion


or marks of suffering, is left upon


the features nothing but the calm and


placid quiet of repose.


The prisoners family consisted of


himself, a housekeeper and one man
servant. The man servant slept in
an outhouse adjoining the stable. and
did so on the night of Thompson's
DEATH The prisoner slept at one
end of the house and the bousekeep


er at the other, and the deceased had


been out into room adjoining the
housekeeper's.


1t would be proved by a person
who happened TO be passing by the
house on the night in question, about
three hours after midnight, that he
had been induced to remain and
watch, from having his attention ex-
cited by the circumstances, then very
unusual, of light moving about the
house at that late hour The person
could state most positively that he
could distinctly see figure, holding
6 lIoht, 60 from the room in which the
prisoner slept. to the housekeeper's
room, that two persons then came out
of the honsekeeper's room, and the
light disappeared for a minute.
Whether the two persons went into
Thompson's room he could not see,
as the window of that room looked
another way; but in about minute
they returned, passing quite along
the house TO Smiths room again; and
in about five minutes the light was
extinguished and he saw no more.


Such was the evidence upon which
the magistrate had committed Smith;
and singularly enough, since his com
initial the housekeeper had been
missing, nor could any trace of her
be discovered.


Within the last week, the witness
who saw the light had been more par
ticularly examined, and in order to
refresh his memory had been placed
at dark in the very spot where he had
stood that night, and another person
was placed with him.


The whole scene as he had de
scribed it, was acted over again, but
1t was utterly impossible, from the
cause above mentioned to assert,
when the light disappeared, whether
the parties had gone into Thompson's
room. AS if, however, to throw still
deeper mystery over this extraordina-
ry transaction, the witness persisted |
in adding new feature to his former
statanent-that after the persons had |
returned with the light into Smiths |
room and before it was extinguished,
he had twice perceived some dark OBJ
ject to intervene between the light |
and the window, almost as large as
the surface of the window itself, and |
which he described by saying it ap
peared as if a door had been placed |
before the light.


Now, in Smiths room there was
nothing which could account for this
appearance; his bed was in different |
part, and there was neither press nor
cupboard in the room, which, but for
the bed, was entirely empty. the
room in which he dressed being at a
distance beyond.


He would state only one fact more,
said the learned counsel. and having
done his duty, it would be for the
jury to do theirs. Within few
days there had been found in the
prisoners house the stopper of a
small bottle of very singular ap
pearance; it was apparently not OF
English manufacture, and was de-
scribed by the medical men as being
used by chemists to preserve those
liquids which are most likely to lose
their virtue by exposure to the air.


Such was the address of the coun-
sci for the prosecution; and during
its delivery l had earnestly watched
the countenance of the prisoner, who
had listened to it with deep attention.
Twice only did | perceive the slight
est emotion. When the disappear
ance of the housekeeper was men,
toned, smile, as of scorn, passed
over his lip; and the notice of the
discovery of the stopper obviously
excited an interest, and thought an
apprehension; but it quickly subsidized.
| need not detail the evidence shat
was given for the prosecution; it
amounted in substance to that which
the counsel stated, nor was it varied
in any particular. The stopper was
produced and proved to have been
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 |
learned Judge, addressing the coun-
sci for the prosecution, said he
thought there was hardly sufficient
evidence to call upon the prisoner for
defence, and if the jury were of
the same opinion they would at
once stop in the case. Upon
this observation of the Judge, the
Jury turned round for q moment
and then intimated their acquies
cence in his lordship's views of
the evidence The counsel folded up
their briefs, and verdict of acquit-
tai was about to be taken when the
prisoner addressed the court. He1
urged the Judge to permit him to
state his case to the jury, and to call
his housekeeper, with much earnest
ness, and was seconded so strongly
by his counsel, that Lord Mansfield,
though very much against his inclin
II