The Express.
London, England, 1857-07-10 00:00:00

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LONDON, FRIDAY, JULY 10.

A DOUBLE NUMBER of the " EXPRESS
will be published TO-MORROW.

FOR upwards of a week a criminal trial has ab-
sorbed the interest and attention not only of the
inhabitants of Edinburgh but of the whole Empire. In
the ancient city itself the Court of Justiciary has been
thronged, and the avenues which lead to it blocked
up. The successive editions of the local journals—
hourly bulletins of the progress of the trial—have
been eagerly bought up. Nor is all this anxious.
breathless listening more than could have been anti-
cipated. The sad story that was in the process of
development was replete with throes of passion;
to the last a strangely fascinating cloud of mys-
tery has continued to hang over its most impor-
tant incidents; and for the attack and defence were
retained the two counsel who stand indisputably at
the head of the Scotch bar, both as regards talent
and (past or present) political position.
L'ANGEUE• died at Glasgow on the
23rd of March. Suspicion having been ex-
cited, his body was exhumed, examined by medi-
cal men, and parts of it subjected to the tests
of chemists. An immense quantity of arsenic was
discovered. The circumstances attendant on his
death seemed to preclude any idea of suicide. He
had reached Glasgow from the Bridge of Allan the
previous afternoon, apparently in perfect health.
From the time he left Stirling in the train till he
started to walk from Coatbridge to Glasgow, is
company with another gentleman, the railway
curd had never lost sight of him ; during all that
time he was in good spirits, and at Coatbridge
he ate heartily tat plain and wholesome food.
On the road between Coatbridge and Glasgow he
was cheerful and communicative, entered no house,
partook of nothing. To his landlady at Glasgow he
appeared in perfect health, and partook of some tea
and toast. At nine in the evening he left home in
apparent health and spirits. About half-past nine
he called for a friend, and the servant who opened
the door remarked nothing particular about him.
About half-past two in the morning his landlady
was awakened by his violent ringing, though he
had obtained her pus-key foe the purpose of letting
himself in without anise. He was suffering excru-
ciating torture, and he had disturbed her for the
purpose of obtaining aid. He sent her for a physi-
cian. He evinced reluctance to die ; he expressed
no suspicion of what was the matter with him.
Everything in his demeanour on the fatal night is
utterly irreconcileable with the assumption that he
died by his own act. Against such clear evidence
to his deportment and state of mind at the time, it
is in vain to oppose vague recollections of boyish
eccentricities of long-past years.
Murder "by some person or persons unknown''
was the only alternative conjecture. A letter found
in his waistcoat pocket seemed to indicate that he
had returned suddenly to Glasgow for the purpose
of having au interview with a lady. A number of
letters from her were found in his repositories
some of which implied that he had had re-
peated nocturnal interviews with her in her
father's house. A fellow-lodger had understood
from the deceased that on more than one occa-
sion he had had such interviews with her; and
had reason to believe that ose of them had taken place
immediately previous to an attack (not fatal) the
symptoms of which were identical with those
of his mortal sickness. Further examination
of the lady's letters revealed a state of rela-
tions between them which made it plainly her
interest to get rid of him. The history of Scotch
criminal jurisprudence is full of instances in which
fear of exposure has driven women to murder their
own babes; was it not more easy to imagine fear of
exposure driving a woman to murder a paramour of
whom she was obviously sated? One or two of the
most recent letters had evidently been written in
paroxysms of fear and despair. Lastly, it was disco-
vered that in the course of the month preceding ,
I)A:it:Runes death, his correspondent had made
an abortive attempt to procure prussic acid, and had
at three different times purchased quantities of
in all to 31 ounces. Circum-
with suspicion left no alterna-
_ Prosecutor. A thorough investi-
appalling and mysterious history by
necessarily determined on.
preliminary investigation resulted
.MADELLINE SIIIMI fur the
AN6RLIER by poison. The
undertook to prove that on two
administered poison to him, with
tat without effect beyond the pro-
sickness; and that on a third occa-
administered poison, and rue-

her murderous intention into
the two unsuccessful and the
brought home to the accused,
regarded ss one continuous act. They
horrifying, relentless perseveres.* is
t to destroy, ender media
establish such e tudblit
prisoner, it was seessmry
attempt should be proved
independent evidence. The
called upon to return a Roe-
, each of three distinct charges is the

arsenic, amounting in all to 3) ounces. Circum-
stances so pregnant with suspicion left no alterna-
tive to the Public Prosecutor. A thorough investi-
gation of the appalling and mysterious history by
legal roma was necessarily determined on.
The customary preliminary investigation resulted
1 in the arraignment of MADELEINE SMITH fur the
murder of EMILE L'Anoextv.• by poison. The
Public Prosecutor undertook to prove that on two
i occasions she had administered poison to him, with
i intent to kill, but without effect beyond the pro-
auction of severe sickness ; and that on a third wea-
-1 Mon she bad again administered poison, and m-
a eseded in carrying her murderous intention into
affectln one sense the two unsuccessful and the
smeem ful attempt, if brought home to the accused,
1(11 amid only be regarded as one continuous set. They
1
woad imply a horrifying, relentless perseverance in
• malignant effort to destroy, under repeated
Ili ,
• &Hama, But to establish such • terrible
cue against the prisoner, it was necessary
each separate attempt should be proved
1, by separate and independent evidence. Tbe
jury was therefore called upon to return a spe-
cial verdict upon each of three diAinet charges in the
indictment.
There was great difficulty in fixing upon a precise
date tor the first attempt. Three witnesses--Mm.
Imams, the landlady of the deceased ; M. TEIVAr,
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