The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-12-18 00:00:00

THE CHARGE AGAINST A SHEFFIELD

NURSE.

On Monday; the professional nurse, Mary Annie
Wilmot, from the Sheffield Nurses' Home, was again
brought before the magistrates—Messrs. Rodgers
and Bardwell—at the Sheffield Tovai-halls, charged
with haying administered, or caused to be admin-
istered, a quantity of poison to Mrs. Eliza Booth, the
wife of a Sheffield surgeon, with intent to kill her.
The prisoner, who was placed in the dock soon after
ten o'clock, was attired in mourning, and looked very
pals and thin. She had within the past few days been
able to take little food, and appeared very weak. She
was allowed a chair in the dock, and during the ex-
amination leaned upon the rails as if from exhaustion.
Mr. Lawrence Gane prosecuted; and Mr. J. E.
larker appeared for the prisoner.—We take the fol-
ibwing report of the proceedings from The Times
:
Dr. R.. J. Pye-Smith, continuing his evidence, said that on
the 21st of October he was summoned to see Mrs. Booth at
six o'clock in the evening. The message was urgent, and he
went iu a cab. Dr. Booth Vas also hurrying to the house at
the same time, and they went in together. The witness
went at once to the bedroom. Mrs. Booth was lying in bed.
Her face was rather congested; she was breathing very
quietly; and he found the pulse slightly slower and stronger
than usual. Her face was somewhat purple in colour. The
prisoner was in the room. On trying to arouse Mrs. Booth
he found her quite unconscious. He asked the prisoner
when Mrs. Booth got into that condition, and she said
"After Mrs. Booth took the last cup of coffee." He said to
the nurse, "Why did you not send earlier?"
Mr. Barker: In whose presence did you say that?

Dr. Pye-Smith said there were only himself, the nurse,
and Mrs. Booth present. The prisoner said she sent for him
as soon as Mrs. Booth became faint. He noticed at this time
that the pupils of Mrs.- Booth's eyes had become minutely
contracted. He called out for Dr. Thorpe, and, being un-
able to arouse Mrs. Booth, he used an infusion of brandy
and coffee. She was unable to use her mouth or to swallow.
Dr. Thorpe came, and with that gentleman's assistance Mrs.
Booth was aroused sufficiently to enable her to swallow.
Dr. Thomas had been sent for in the meantime, and the three
medical men then used the stomach pump. The stomach
appeared nearly empty. The pump brought up about 16oz,
of coffee-coloured fluid from the stomach. He took the con-
tents of the stomach in a basin downstairs, and placed
them in a glass-stoppered bottle. After securing the
stopper he placed the bottle in his pocket, and sub-
sequently gave it to Dr. Thomas. lie then began to
search Mrs. Booth's bedroom, and took the bottle
from which the dose of medicine was said to have been
given in the morning—a mixture containing digitalis. He
also took a wine-glass containing two or three drops of the
medicine, which the prisoner stated was the remains of the
morning's dose. Ile then went into the kitchen, and got a
cup containing a small quantity of soup, which Emily
Parker told him something about. He took also Hoz. of
dirty water in which the tea-things were being washed.
He took the bottles and the wine-glass home, and gave them
to D. nomas the next day. On the evening of the 21st
he had a conversation with the prisoner, after he had
partially searched Mrs. Booth's bedroom. He told her he
thought Mrs. Booth had been poisoned, and that he
should have an analysis made of the fluid he had obtained
from the stomach. He told her he thought it would be
well if she would tell him, although she was not bound
to, if she knew 'anything of how Mrs. Booth had come
by the poison. He asked her whether she knew if Mrs.
Booth had taken any or whether she had given Mrs. Booth a
little laudanum or anything else to quiet the patient think-
ing to do her good. She said she knew nothing at all about
it. Subsequently, before he left the house' he told the
prisoner that if poison should be found in the fluid from the
stomach it was obvious that suspicion would rest upon
her, inasmuch as she alone had given food and medicine to
Mrs. Booth during the day, and that, in these circum-
stanees, he thought it would be best for her to return to
the Nurses' Home. The prisoner replied "I don't see why
I should, as I have done nothing wrong." He sail he
thought differently, and that she must leave the house.
After that he searched Mrs. Booth's bedroom again, looking
into the drawers, washstand, and dressing-table, and took
away several bottles, one containing eardrops and another
a small quantity of wine. He also took a brandy flask.
On the 21st, in the evening, he carefully searched Mrs.
Booth's bed, and did not find anything there. After-
wards he asked the nurse, in the presence of Mrs. Roberts
(who was staying at the house) whether she would object to
his searching her boxes before she left. She said "No," and
he went with her and Mrs. Roberts to the room, where
there was a large tin box, labelled "Wilmot, Sheffield" He
asked her whether the tin box was hers. She said "No,"
and pointed to another, although previously she had moved
towards the other. He and the prisoner then unpacked the
box owned by the nurse. It contained clean under-linen
and a small packet of tea, some of which he took at the
prisoner's suggestion, as well as a few chocoate sweets.
He saw nothing there that was poisonous. He then spoke
to the prisoner about the other box with the label on. lie
said, "How comes this box to have your name upon it ? "
She said, "I don't know. I suppose the label has got stuck
on." The label was firmly adhered to the box. The box
was not fastened. He opened it, and found it to 'contain a
sealskin jacket, a bonnet, and some other articles of ladies'
apparel. The prisoner stated the clothing did not belong to
her. She did not say it belonged to the late Miss Booth. He
took away a medicine bottle containing a quantity of fluid,
which prisoner stated had been Miss Booth's medicine. He
also looked through a number of drawers in Mrs. Roberts's
room, and took away a bottle of toothache drops. He then
went to the surgery, together with Dr. Thorpe and Dr.
Booth, but the prisoner was not present. Dr. Thorpe drew
his attention to a bottle labelled "liquor strychnine." It
was less than half full. The witness took the bottle into
his possession. He labelled the bottle, and made some
marks upon the label in consequence of something Dr.
Thorpe told him. The witness had had the bottle in his
possession ever since, but owing to a leakage a drop or two
had gone from the contents. He produced the strychnia
bottle. His attention was also called to another bottle
labelled "Morp. Acet." in the surgery. The bottle contained
scarcely a drachm, and stuck to the shelf when he tried to
lift it off. At ten o'clock that night a nurse came tp the
house from the Sheffield Public Hospital, and he had pre-
viously made a statment to the principal of the Sheffield
Nurses' Home. He passed the night between Thursday and
Friday at Dr. Booth s house, and noticed that Mrs. Booth's
eyes continued fully contracted throughout the night, but
the contraction of the pupils passed off in a few days. He did
not notice any twitching of the muscles that night. In his
opinion, as a medical man, the symptoms of Mrs. Booth's
illness on Thursday, the 21st, and subsequently were due to
poisoning by morphia in some form.
- - -•- •

Cross-examined by Mr. Barker: It was about two years
since he was first called in to attend Dr. Booth's family.
He had attended Dr. Booth's son from that time until his
death, during the latter part of his illness in conjunction
with Dr. Thomas. .With his approval strychnia had been
prescribed for young Mr. Booth, but he did not know who
had made up the medicine. He was present at the post
mortem examination of young Mr. Booth and his sister
Miss Lucy Booth. He saw Miss Booth shortly before her
death. In both cases he signed the death certificates and
gave evidence at the inquest. Mr. Bell, analytical chemist,
was also 'present at the post mortem examination made by
the order of the coroner. The contents of Mrs. Booth's
stomach were submitted to Professor Tidy and Mr. Bell,
the analysts. He had an interview with Mr. Bell, and told
him he suspected morphia, and also told him generally
what were the life symptoms exhibited by young Mr. Booth
and his sister. He first heard the result of Dr. Tidy's and
Mr. Bell's analyses of the contents of Mrs. Pooth's stomach
on the 26th of October. On the 16th of October lie, did not
prescribe for Mrs. Booth at all. On the 17th he noticed that
her hands occasionally twitched, but he did not prescribe
anything at the morning visit. He was in doubt as to the
twitching at the morning visit, but (lid not attach very
serious importance to it; he attached some importance to
a. It was by no means an unusual symptom in those suffer-
ing from any nervous shock. Mrs. Booth had undoubtedly
suffered from a nervous shock. In the evening he prescribed
an anti-spasmodic and that was the occasion when Mrs.
Booth asked him to prescribe neither opium nor morphia,
adding that they did not agree with her. He understood
from what Mrs. Booth said that se was acquainted with
the effects of morphia to some degree.
Mr. Barker here asked Dr. Pye-Smith to remember that
he was not a detective, and to try not to qualify his answers
so very ingeniously.

. - -
Dr. Pye-Smith said he only wished to speak the whole
truth. On the 18th Mrs. Booth's manner was very excited,
and then he prescribed the effervescing medicine. On this
day he first met Dr. Thomas and Dr. Thorpe in consulta-
tion with Mr. Booth, and they agreed with his treatment.
Vomiting was not one of the commonest symptoms after an
overdose of laudanum or morphia. It was a somewhat un-
usual symptom. Vomiting after taking a dose of whiskey
and water would not be a sufficient ground for concluding
that morphia had been mixed with the whisky and water.
It would, standing by itself, be a sufficient ground for sus-
pecting that laudanum had been mixed with the whisky
and water, because the effect of laudanum or morphia was
sometimes to cause vomiting, whereas whisky and water, if
not taken to excess, had not that effect. Many other things
would produce vomiting, and he mentioned laudanum be-
cause it was suggested by Mr. Barker. But there would be
no more reason to suspect the presence of morphia than any
other thing. An average dose of laudanum for an adult was
fifteen minims, but up to forty drops might be given safely,
without expecting that vomiting would be produced.

Mr. Barker: If there had been laudanum in the whisky
and water in sufficient quantity to produce vomiting from
a sin:de tablespoonful, what quantity do you suppose there
would be in the whole glass of whisky and water?
Dr. Pye-Smith thought about ioz.
Would it be possible to put lioz. of laudanum in a glass
of whisky and water without detecting its presence?
He should certainly detect it. Digitalis was said by
some authorities to be very uncertain in its action but he
did not think so. His opinion differed from Dr. action,
on
this. point. The appearanceit with two exceptions were

often the same from an overdose of digitalis as from an over-
dose of morphia. Insensibility, drowsiness, and irregular
pulse were symptoms common to both. He had not seen a
case of poisoning by digitalis. Vomiting was an indica-
tion of poisoning by digitalis, but not so usual in the case of
morphia. The action of the heart was about 80 to 100, and
at ten o'clock on the night of the 21st it was at 120. At six
o'clock he did not count tre pulsation. He was not sur-
prised that the pulsation was not more depressed. It had
been recorded in some cases that the pupils of the eyes in
morphia poisoning were dilated at certain stPges, but he
should not expect to find dilatation at any stage in a case of
morphia poisoning. He had known several cases of morphia
poisoning—one that ended fatally. He saw them as a
student in the London Hospital. The cases were mostly
adults from laudanum. In liquor strychnine there were
four grains of strychnia to the ounce. The reasan he asked
the nurse why she did not send for him earlier was because
he thought the condition of coma could not have come on
suddenly, and also that the prisoner stated that it came on
after Mrs. Booth had taken her last cup of tea. He believed
she usually had tea much before six o'clock, between four
and five o'clock. The bottle of ear-drops had not been
analyzed. It might contain opium in some form. The pri-
soner did not object to her boxes being searched. The shelf
in the surgery did not appear to have been recently painted.
Some of the bottles stuck to the shelf, and others did
not. He did not search the boxes of the housemaid or the
cook. •

Tie-examined by Mr. Gane, Dr. Pye-Smith said he told the
prisoner he suspected poisoning by morphia before he had
any conversation with Mr. Bell, the analyst. The twitchings
would be important in connexion with other facts of the
case. It was not possible to estimate the importance of
vomiting standing by itself alone. He had no knowledge of
the quantity of whisky and water of which Mrs. Booth
partook on the 21st. The quantity of morphia that would.
produce sickness would depend upon the condition of the
patient. Two or three drachms of laudanum in a glass
of whisky and water would produce a darker colour. A
small quantity of laudanum would not make it perceptibly
turbid, but the addition of 500 drops would do 80, and
give it a darker colour. The dilatation of the pupils of
the eyes was an evidence of the final stage of poisoning
by morphia. The dose of digitalis prescribed for Mrs.
Booth was 5 minims of the tincture. At six o'clock on the
21st only one dose had been taken out of the bottle. Some-
times doses as large as from SO to 40 niininis were given as
medicinal doses, and not followed by poisonous symptoms.
Ten and 15 minims were frequently given, and he never
knew of poisonous effects resulting from such doses. The
prescription he gave would certainly not produce the
symptoms from which Mrs. Booth suffered. It was a
long time since young Mr. Booth was prescribed strychnia.
During the whole time he had attended Mrs. Booth he had
not prescribed strychnia, laudanum, or morphia, nor had
he prescribed anything which would acoount for the
symptoms from which Mrs. Booth was suffering. Those
symptoms, in his opinion, pointed to poisoning 16y morphia.
Mr. G. K. Thorpe, surgeon, Glossop-road, Sheffield, said
on Monday, the 18th of October, he was sent for to see Mrs.
Booth, about hall-past ten. Dr. Thomas was in the house
when he got there. Mrs Booth was tubed. She was very ex-
cited and nervous. She had some slight twitchings about
the mouth. The prisoner was in the room. He asked Mrs.
Booth if she had any difficulty in swallowing or dryness of
throat. She replied " Yes." No other symptoms struck
him at that time. He requested the prisoner to give Mrs.
Booth some water to drink. As soon as she had drank the
water there were convulsive twitching in the mouth, and
difficulty in swallowing. He then left the bed-room, and
went into Dr. Booth'i, surgery alone, and looked at some
medicine bottles on Hie shelves. He looked at the strychnia
bottle (produced), and noticed that it was nearly full, not
quite. He replaced the bottle, and saw it again on the even-
ing on the 21st. The bottle was on the same shelf. Dr.
Booth and Dr. Pye-Smith was then in the surgery. He
noticed that about loz. had been taken out of the 2oz. bott4e
of strychnine. In the evening of the 21st he saw Mrs. Booth
suffering from narcotic poisoning, pupils contracted, and
eyes closed. She was unconscious. He adopted special
treatment, and, among other agencies, the stomach pump
was used. Before that, while with Dr. Booth, and in Dr.
Pye-Smith's absence, but in the prisoner's presence, he
ordered a large mustard poultice to the back of the neck,
and after some trlme begot her to swallow a little coffee. In
the course of some hours she recovered consciousness, about
nine o'clock at night. There was nothing in the five-drop
doses of digitalis to account for the symptoms he found in
Mrs. Booth. He ascribed the narcotic poisoning to some
form of opium.

Cross-examined by Mr. Barker: He had previous to being
sent for had no conversation with Dr. Pye-Smith as to Mrs.
Booth's case, but he had some conversation with him relating
to Miss Booth. Dr. Pye-Smith had not, however, communi-
cated to him his suspicion that Miss Booth had died from
strychnia poisoning. He did not know anything when he
went except that Mrs. Booth was ill. Neither himself nor
Dr. Thomas prescribed anything for Mrs. Booth. When he
first saw Mrs. Booth he was suspicious that she was suffer-
ing from strychnia. It amounted to nothing more than
suspicion in his mind. It struck him that the symptoms
resembled those of Miss Booth. If he had not heard of Miss
Booth's case he should not have suspected poisoning.

- - _
In his re-examination, Dr. Thorpe stated that he tried to
rouse Mrs. Booth, and he had no doubt that it was a case of
narcotic poisoning, and not a deep sleep.

Dr. W. R. Thomas, surgeon, who had also attended M.
Booth, said on the 11th of October he saw the prisoner
before he saw Mrs. Booth. At the nurse's request he went
upstairs and saw Mrs. Booth in bed. She had twitclungs
about the mouth, complained of feeling sick, appeared
haggard, and said she had pain at the stomach. She also
complained of cramp and pain in the legs and feet. She
seemed exceedingly uneasy and restless, and on examining
her heart he heard a doubling of the first sound. He saw
Dr. Pye-Smith and Dr. Thorpe below stairs, and an
effervescing mixture was prescribed. He did not see Mrs.
Booth again until the following Thursday. On the evening
of that day he found Dr. Pye-Smith and Dr. Thorpe in the
bedroom. He found Mrs. Booth in bed perfectly insensible.
He endorsed all that had been said by Dr. Pye- Smith an&
Dr. Thorpe as to her symptoms. The medicine he prescribed
would not produce such symptoms, which were, in his
opinion, caused by poisoning from opium or morphia. In
the afternoon of the 22nd he received a number of bottles
from Dr. Pye-Smith, and he was present when the stomach.
pump was used. One of the bottles contained the contents
pumped from Mrs. Booth's stomach. He handed the bottles
to Mr. Bell, the analyst.

Cross-examined by Mr. J. Barker: Having heard of the
daughter's death, he called casually at the house and the
nurse asked him to go upstairs to see Mrs. Booth. She
said she was glad he had come ; Mrs. Booth was very ill,
and Dr. Thorpe had alreaqy been seSt for. She at once
took him to Mrs. Booth's bedroom. She appeared anxious,
so far as he could judge, al the state Mrs. Booth was in.
He did not see anything in the prisoner's conduct that was
not perfectly proper in an efficient nurse. In cases.of poison-
ing by strychnia the first symptom was almost always a
hot, bitter taste in the mouth. One of the next symptoms
was a feeling of suffocation. Mrs. Booth did not complain
of either of these two symptoms. There was no peculiarity
in the twitching he observed in Mrs.' ,Booth that was
distinctive of poisoning by strychnia. One of the symptoms
of acute poisoning by strychnia was an intense dread of
being touched. He had recommended "liquor strychnine"
for young Mr. Booth. He did not think that morphia was
usually prescribed as an antidote for strychnia poisoning.
There was a great antagonism between the two. Opium
and morphia were used as remedies in cases of strychnia
poisoning.
Re-examined by Mr. Game: In strychnia poisoning there
was great rigidity of the muscles, and chloroform was used
to counteract that effect.

Mr. Bell, the analyst, was the next witness, but as it was
five o'clock the magistrates decided to adjourn the case
until Tuesday morning

The case was resumed on Tuesday, when the court was
again crowded, and among those present were several
nurses from the Home.

Mr. H. S. Bell, the analyst, was the first witness exa-
mined. He said that on the 22nd of October he received
from Dr. Thomas several bottles, one containing medicine
labelled. Another bottle contained dirty water, another loz.
of soup, another was marked " vomit—or rather contents
of the stomach-pump." There was also a wine-glass con-
taining the dried residue of some medicine. The whole of
the bottles bore the initials of Dr. R. J. Pye-Smith. He
first examined the contents of the stomach-pump physically.
He took about half the quantity, about 70z., and found it
had a slight acid reaction to litmus paper, and had,a light
reddish-brown colour. There was very little solid matter
present, and he acidified it with acetic acid, and evaporated
it. This was done two or three times, the object being to
break up the organic matter as much as possible. It was
evaporated on a water-bath. He then took up the residue
with acetic acid and water, and filtered it. He washed the
residue on the filter, and evaporated the filtrate nearly to
dryness. Then he added a little water and divided the
filtrate into two separate portions, which he marked A and
B. He examined pntion A. To this he added bicarbonate
of potash, then shook it up with acetic ether, and then
poured off the ethereal solution into three porcelain dishes.
Then he allowed the other to evaporate. On tasting the
residue it had a distinctly bitter taste, the taste being more
marked on the front part of the tongue. That indicated
morphia. To the dish No. 1 he added peroxide of
manganese and sulphuric acid, and after a short time the
acid assumed a purplish tinge. To dish No. 2he added
feric chloride, and it gave a blue colour, which passed into
green on adding a little of the feric chloride. To dish No. 2he
added nitric acid, which destroyed the blue colour and re
placed it by an orange red. 19 No. 3 dish he added iodic
acid, which gave a rather reddish-brown colour, and to this
was added starch, with.the formation of a blue colour. He
further acted on the residual liquid A with chloroform and
ether, and then poured off the chloral-ethereal solution into
two dishes. To No. 1 dish he added peroxide of manganese
and sulphuric acid. The latter was another test for
strychnia. So far as the tests went, he came to the conclu-
sion that morphia was present. The result of the tests he
applied was that morphia was present in the contents of the
stomach, and he had no doubt about it. He afterwards
applied other tests similar to those previously mentioned,
and with the same result. He did not find strychnine or
morphia in any of the other bottles handed to him.
Cross-examined by Mr. Barker : He wag present at the
Inquest on the bodies of young Mr. Booth and Miss Booth.
Afterwards, in conjunction with Dr. Tidy, he made an
elaborate analysis of the viscera and various portions of the
bodies of those two persons. Possibly he had communicated
to Dr. Tidy what he had seen at the post-mortem examina-
tion and what he had heard of the symptoms preceding
death. From the result of their analysis Dr. Tidy and him-
self arrived at a decided opinion that neither Mr. Booth,
jun., nor Miss Booth, died from the effects of poison.
Mr. Hedgers: Are you of opinion that both died from
natural causes?
Mr. Bell observed that he did not say that ; he only
Judged from the results of his work.
Mr. Barker was continuing his cross-examination, when
Mr. Lawrence Gane objected to Mr. Barker's,.questions,
saying whatever Mr. Booth, jun., and Miss Booth died from
was no evidence in the. present case. Mr. Barker must
either go to the credit of the witness (xi* else to the issue
before the Court.

Mr. Barker said the names of Mr. Booth, jun., and Miss
Booth had been freely mixed up in connexion with the case.
It had been suggested that one or both had died from poison
and in circumstances which had directed suspicion to the
prisoner. If he could remove that impression, as the first
step of establishing her innocence, he was entitled to do so.
Mr. Rodgers thought it would not be well to go too far
in that direction, and that Mr. Barker had better keep to
the issue before the Court.
In his further cross-examination, Mr. Bell stated that he
had no doubt whatever that there was morphia in the 'con-
tents- of Mrs. Booth's stomach, but neither strychnine nor
morphia in the Gontents of Mr. Booth, jun.'s, or Miss Booth's
stomach. He stated, however, that the analysis of the
contents of the stomachs of the two last named persons
were not made until 16 and 21 days after death.

police-constable Alfred Thornton was next called, and he
said he read the warrant for the prisoner's apprehension at
the police-station on the let of December. She made no reply.
Cross-examination by Mr. Gene :On the same day the
prisoner voluntarily came with her solicitor and surrendered
arthe town-hall. He had spoken an hour and a half previously
about it to her solicitor, and he arranged that she should go
to the town-hall and surrender. He went to the police-
station voluntarily.
At this point Mr. Gane asked if he might recall Mrs.
Booth and Miss Harrison for further important evidence,
and Mr. Barker, although he said there had been ample
time to get up the case, made no objection to the additional
evidence, but before these witnesses were recalled the de-
positions were read, and the prisoner, who bent eagerly
forward, listened to the evidence with great attention.

Mrs. Booth, on whose illness the prosecution was founded,
was re-called. She stated that she wished to alter her evi-
dence on one point. When she was very ill and she told the
nurse to open the window and give her a little brandy, she
did not remember hearing the nurse say that she would send
for Dr. Thorpe and Dr. Booth.
Re-examined by Mr. Barker: As far as you know, did the
nurse ever leave the house after attending your daughter's
funeral until she was dismissed?
The Witness : am not aware that she did.

Emily Parker, the housemaid, had stated that she herself
found the money to pay for•the morphia at the druggist's,
and also that the nurse found her the money. In the course
of her cross-examination Mr. Barker asked her why she told
two,stories and made a false statement.
Mr. Rodgers now expressed the opinion that the term
should be incorrect, and not false, especially as the girl had
no intention of making a false statement. To arrive at the
truth it was necessary, he said, to treat tke witnesses with
courtesy and delicacy.
The additional evidence was not called, and this concluded
the case for the prosecution.

Mr. Rodgers then read the charge over to the prisoner,
and asked her if she had any reply to make.

The prisoner, who was pale and composed, replied : All
I have to say, Sir, is that I am entirely innocent of the
charge made against me. I never sent the girl Emily Parker
to Mr. Goucher's for either morphia or opium, or for any-
thing that would injure Mrs. Booth, and I only gave the
foods and medicines, which were always prepared for me,
and I should have been very sorry to have injured Mrs.
Booth or any of the family. They were very kind to me.
That is all I have to say.

The prisoner, who was now almost in tears, was asked if
she wished to call any witnesses, and said, "No, I don't;
I leave that to my solicitor."

Mr. Barker (barrister), on behalf of the prisoner : I say,
no. But may I ask as a favour Whether you will be good
enough to tell me whether the Bench have come to any
conclusion as to what is their duty in this case?

Mr. Rodgers: We have, with the exception of any
further evidence.

Mr. Barker : Then it would be a waste of time for me to
address you.
Mr. Rodgers : That is hardly a fair way to put it, beoause
in dealing with a case like this we might change our minds
a dozen times over as further facts come to light.
Mr. Barker: I hope you will not charge me with any un-
fairness. It will be to some extent unfair to the prisoner
to enter upon her defence if you have decided to send the
case to a jury. I have announced that I am not going to
call any evidence, and I cannot alter the facts as they stand
to-day; and your decision, I take it, will be upon the facts,
and not upon any comments of mine. I shall be glad if you
will tell me whether upon the evidence as it now stands you
think you will be justified in wifluirawhig the case from a
jury.
Mr. Rodgers : Certainly not upon the evidence as it now
stands.

Mr. Barker: Then I think it would be a waste of time and
bad policy if I occupied the time of the Court in addressing
you to-day.
Mr. Rodgers: What we have to say is (reading from a
document,) the Bench are of opinion that the edence
is sufficiently strong to snake it their duty to commit the
prisoner for trial.
The prisoner was then committed for trial at the assizes,
no wppliEation for bail being made.

Mr. Emmy (her solicitor) had an interview with her before
she left the dock, and the Rev. J. Dixon and two nurses
accompanied her when she was removed to the cell.