The evidence of these men merely shew, that Sellis was murdered by some one belonging to the house, which we see no reason to dispute.

"Thomas Strickland, under butler to his Royal Highness the

[[176]]Duke of Cumberland, said he saw the deceased in the duke's bed-room about ten minutes before eleven o'clock on Wednesday night; he was surprised at seeing him there, supposing him to be in close waiting upon the duke. The deceased appeared to have a shirt in his hand; he looked very earnest at him, but had a smile on his countenance. He went to take a cupfull of light drink for the duke to take in the night, which it was his duty to do. He never heard Sellis speak disrespectfully of the duke."

No satisfactory reason is here given why this man should have felt surprised at seeing Sellis in the bed-room of his master; for Sellis was there only in the performance of his duty, which the witness acknowledged. How ardently have those connected with this black affair endeavoured to fix the odium upon the murdered man! Yet how futile, to all reasonable men, must appear their observations! Sellis, with a "shirt in one hand," and "a cup of light drink" in the other, in the Duke of Cumberland's bed-room, ought not to have created surprise in any one, knowing the peculiar situation which Sellis filled in the household of his royal highness! Did Strickland really feel surprised, or was he anxious to say so? But, it will be observed, that even this witness confessed "he never heard Sellis speak disrespectfully of the duke." Can it, then, be believed, he was guilty of the attack upon his royal master?

"Sarah Varley, housemaid to the Duke of Cumberland, said she put two bolsters into the closet in the second anti-little room adjoining on Wednesday night, they being only put upon his royal highness' bed for ornament in the day-time; there was no lantern in the closet at the time she put them there, and the dark lantern found in the closet is like one she had seen on the deceased's dressing table. There was no sword or scabbard when she put the bolster there."

[[177]]The dark lantern, sword, &c., were not in the closet when this woman went there to put away the bolsters. Well, what of that? Might they not have been put there afterwards? As to "the dark lantern found in the closet being like one she had seen on the deceased's dressing table," proves nothing against Sellis, even if this lady had positively sworn to its being the same. It were very easy to place a lantern in Sellis' room, and afterwards remove it to the aforesaid closet! But we have little doubt that more than one dark lantern might have been found on premises where so many secret deeds had been done! To have made this matter better evidence, why did not some kind friend write the name of Sellis on the lantern, similar to the plan adopted with the slippers? Such a scheme might have brought the very scrupulous jury to their verdict three hours sooner, at least!

"James Paulet, a valet to the duke, first saw his royal highness in his room with Neale holding him up. The duke told him he was murdered, and the murderers must be in his room. The witness replied, he was afraid they should be all murdered, on seeing all the doors opened. The duke insisted they should both stay with him. His royal highness repeatedly called for Sellis. In a short time after, some person called at the door that Sellis was found murdered. The duke appeared very anxious for the safety of Sellis, and as soon as Surgeon Home had dressed his wounds, he sent him to attend to Sellis. Mr. Home soon returned, and said there was no doubt but that the man had killed himself. Sellis cautioned him not to be friends with Neale. He complained to him of the duke's making him ride in a dickey, as it shook him much, and riding backwards made him ill. Sellis, however, had the carriage altered to go easier, without asking the duke's leave, at Windsor, and he had appeared content with it ever since. Sellis often talked about leaving the duke's service, saying, he could not remain in the family if Neale did. He urged him to the contrary, reminding him how kind the duke was to him and his family."

[[178]]The duke's anxiety for the services of his faithful valet, Sellis, manifested itself by his royal highness repeatedly calling for him. "Some person called at the door that Sellis was found murdered,"—another proof that the first impression of the servants was the true one! Indeed, TRUTH is ever uppermost in the mind; but ARTIFICE requires time to mature its plans. We are sure that our readers WILL ADMIRE, with us, the "ANXIETY of his royal highness for the SAFETY of Sellis;" for, as soon as his wounds were dressed, the duke sent HIS OWN SURGEON to attend Sellis! Where shall we look for greater CARE or CONDESCENSION than this? How truly fortunate was the duke in being blessed with so expeditious and so penetrating a surgeon! "Mr. Home soon returned, and said there was no doubt that the man had killed himself!" Oh, talented man! who could perceive, at a glance, that "the man had killed himself!" Dr. Carpue must never more pretend to a knowledge of surgery, when his opinion can be set aside by a single glance of a man of such eminence in his profession as Mr. Home! As to the joint in his neck being cut through, Mr. Home easily accounted for. What! a man cut his own head off, and wash his hands afterwards! The further testimony of Paulet only proves the dislike which Sellis entertained for Neale, and the caution he gave to all the other servants to avoid him.

"The widow of the deceased was examined. Her appearance and evidence excited the greatest compassion and interest; it tended to prove he was a good husband, not embarrassed in his circumstances, and that he had parted with her in the usual way, without any suspicion on her part of what he had in contemplation."

[[179]]Well, even this admission of the substance of the poor woman's evidence is sufficient to throw discredit upon the jury, who, "after deliberating for upwards of an hour, returned a verdict of felo de se." As Mrs. Neale's evidence, however, "excited the greatest compassion and interest," "The Post," acting impartially, ought to have printed it at length, as tending to prove how little the interest of Sellis was involved in his master's murder, and how wholly unprepared the poor woman must have been to find her husband accused of committing such a deed. For instance: