The Sun.
London, England, 1859-05-20 00:00:00

7HE SUSPECTED CASE OF POISONING
AT RICHMOND.

This morning Mr. Thos. Smethurst, lately holding a tern-
, poraryresidence at 10, Alma-villas, Richmond, was brought
again before E. Penrhyn, Esq., and a full bench of magis-
trates, at the Richmond Court of Petty Sessions, charged
with the wilful murder of a lady, named Isabella Bankes,
by the administration of poison in small doses.
Mr. Sergeant Ballantine, instructed by Mr. Teesdale, of
the firm of Symes, Teesdale, and Sandiland, appeared for
the friends of the deceased ; and Mr. H. S. Giffard, in.
structed by Mr. Humphreys, attended for the accused.
The prisoner, a gentlemanly-looking man, wearing a
moustache, having been brought into court, was allowed to
be seated during the examination.
Mr. Ballantine said it would be in the recollection of the
court that when he last had the honour of appearing he
carefully avoided alluding to the allegations that had been
made againsttheprisoner, but since that time Dr. Taylor had
made an analysis of all things found on the premises belong-
ing to the prisoner, which it would be recollected had been
removed previous to his return, and the secretions of the
deceased. The learned gentleman then entered at some
length into the report of Dr. Taylor, during which he re-
marked that certain bottles had been found that contained
different kinds of liquids, some of which contained arsenic
in combination with other medicines, the nature of which
was to work through the human system in the most rapid
manner. Traces of antimony and arsenic had also been
found in small particles in the stomach of the deceased.
Dr. Julius was the first witness, and his former evidence
having been read over, in answer to further questions he said
—When I first went to attend deceased, Dr. Smethurst
told me she had previously been in perfect health, and had
been in the habit of walking seven or eight miles a day,
so that the attack was quite sudden. He told me he was of
opinion she was suffering from bilious diarrhoea. I believed
such to be the case, and I simply administered chalk mix-
ture. My mixtures were chiefly to allay irritation of the
bowels, which was excessive. I have witnessed the de-
ceased vomiting and screaming violently. There was
intense thirst. It was continuous, and she made
a daily complaint of it. It first occurred to
me that there were some other causes at work which I
was not aware of. This occurred to me on the 13th of
April. When I first saw blood in the motions I had been
four or five days in attendance. That decidedly is incon-
sistent with bilious diarrhcea. Up to the 18th of the month
there was a continuous increase of blood in the motions.
I saw the deceased daily after that. The symptoms ap-
peared to be the same, only increased in intensity. Dr.
Smethurst told me he used to administer 10 drops of opium
with an enema. He said it would control the
diarrhoea. He told me he always administered the opium
himself. There was not what I should call a bilious mo-
tion after the first week I saw the deceased. Other me-
dical assistance was called in, and the opinion was that
the deceased was dying. I had had some former conversa-
tion with the deceased. Dr. Todd never saw the deceased
without Dr. Smethurst was present. I sent some pills to
the deceased. Each pill contained a quarter of a grain of
sulphate of copper and a quarter of a grain of opium. A pill
was ordered to be taken three times a day. On the Friday fol-
lowing Dr. Smethurst told me " the pills" had been taken,
and had had a most terrible effect. It was as if she had
taken a coal of fire. That there had been intense vomiting
and fifteen motions the day after. There was nothing in
the pills to produce that result. I saw the lady again on
Sunday. She was then in a very weak and exhausted
state, suffering from nausea and great activity of the
bowels. I only saw the deceased two or three times
in the absence of Dr. Smethurst. He appeared
to me as a medical man. On the Friday when I saw her
she was then in a very prostrate condition. On the Sun-
day following I spoke to a magistrate about the circum.
stances, and on the Monday night Dr. Smethurst was taken
into custody. I gave directions that a nurse should be sent
to the deceased immediately. I saw the deceased after
Dr. Smethurst was taken into custody. She was very ill,
and I thought sinking. I felt it my duty to go to Dr.
Taylor previous to going to the magistrate. I sent him an
evacuation. The lady died on Tuesday morning from ex-
haustion. I have a careful record of all the medicines sent.
Mr. Ballantine—Was there any arsenic in the medicines
you supplied ?
Witness—l am certain there was not.
Mr. Ballantine—Or antimony ?,
Witness—No, none whatever.
Mr. Ballantine—Or chlorite of potash.
Witness—Certainly not.
Mr. Ballantine—This bottle with a mixture and Dr.
Julius's label on it was found in the prisoner's house. Did
it come from your surgery ?
Witness—Assuming it to contain chlorite of potash and
arsenic, it most certainly did not. I saw apthous spots on
the tongue. This effect would be produced by any exhaust-
ing disease.
Mr. Ballantine—l believe you have received a letter from
Dr. Smethurst since he has been in Horsemonger-lane
Gaol ?

Witness—Yes. I hold it in my hand.
Mr. Ballantine—Read it.

Witness then read the letter as follows :

" Horsemon ger-lane Gaol, May 5.
"Dr. Smethurst will feel much obliged by forwarding, as
above, by return of post, copies of the prescriptions of the
following medicines prescribed and dispensed by the firm of
Julius and Bird (required for defenoe) :
" 1. The sulphate of copper and opium pills (Dr. Todd).
" 2 Nitrate of silver.
" 3. The Bismuth mixture.
" Also please to send him word if arsenic is kept by them
in the surgery, or what other part of the premises ?
" To Dr. Julius and Mr. Bird."
I sent the following answer :

" May
.5, 1859.

" In answer to Dr. Smethurst's communication of the
sth inst., Dr. Julius begs to state that Donovon's and
Fowler's solution of arsenic are the only preparation of that
mineral nature kept in his surgery or in any other part of
his home."
A number of other letters from the accused to Dr. Julius
for the recepts, from which the medicines sent to deceased
were prepared, and also when the evacuations were taken
to Dr. Taylor, were also read.
Witness, in answer to further questions, said—l have not
prescribed antimony or arsenic in any of the medicines I
supplied.
Mr. Gifford, for the accused, cross-examined the witness.
He said—l have a correct record of the medicines I have
supplied to the deceased. At first I attended her alone.
The violent retchings were after taking food or medicines,
but when it was given in my presence it was given by Dr.
Smethurst. Dr. Smethurst gave the details of the case of
the deceased to Dr. Todd, and gave them correctly. Dr.
Todd's prescriptions were perfectly in accordance with my
treatment for the purpose of allaying irritation.
Mr. Bird's former evidence was next read over. It was
to the effect that there had been arsenical poisoning.
Mr. Ballantine—l will ask you this question. Having
watched the symptoms of the deceased carefully, can you
account for their arising from any natural or known
causes?
Witness—l cannot.
Mr. Ballantine—Would arsenic or antimony, or both of
them, produce effects similar to those you witnessed?

Witness—Yes.
Mr. Ballantine—Did the prisoner ever allude to any
disease of the womb ?

Witness—Never.
Mr. Ballantine—You haveheardthedeceased complain of
her throat. What did she say ?
Witness—She complained of an uneasy sensation in her
throat as if a ball were there.
Mr. Ballantine—Did Dr. Smethurst make any remark ?
Witness—Yes. He said it might be caused from hysteria.
I coincided, because I believed it might be caused by what
was going on.
Mr. Ballantine—Would that be a symptom given by a
person suffering from motallie poison ?
Witness—That would not be such a description as I could
expect.
Mr. Ballantine—Have you any opinion as to the cause of
death of Miss Bankes f
Witness—l have.
Mr. Ballantine—What is it !
Witness—That she died from the effects of irritant
poison.
Mr: Ballantine--Have you ever had a conversation
with Dr. Smethurst about Miss Bankes' sister being pre-
sent ?
Witness—l recollect that the prisoner told me that her
sister's presence always Elicited deceased, and I think
said, under those circumstances it would be better she
should not come.
By Mr. Giffard—l said the deceased ought to be kept
quiet. I thought possibly the deceased might be suffering
from hysteria, but I formed Ito decided opinion. I at this
time thought the lady was suffering from poison.
Mr. Caudle, the assistant Ito Dr. Julius, said—l have
held that situation for nearly two years. I made up the
prescriptions ordered for Mrs. Smethurst -(Miss Banks).
From after the 29th of April l'lr. Julius superintended
the making of the medicines hituself. Either he or Mr.
Bird were always present when th ey were made up. The
medicines were correctly entered in the daily entry. I never
mixed any arsenic with Mrs. Smothurst's medicine. I
knew where it was kept. It was in a cupboard apart from
the ordinary medicines. We kept Fo wlees and Donovan's
solution of arsenic—no other. I never mixed antimony
with the medicine. I know we have chlorate of potash.
It is kept in crystals in an eight-oune:e phial. I never
mixed chlorate of potash in any medicines supplied to Mrs.
Smethurst. The bottle produced is like those we used. I
sent out a mixture on the 14th of April. The mixture was
not of the same colour as that now in the bottle.
Mr. Ballantine—Supposing this bottle contains chlorate
of potash and arsenic, did it come from your surgery ?
Witness—Certainly not.
Mr. Ballantine—You had charge of the evacuations
before they were sent to London ?
Witness—Yes LI sealed them with a Turkish impression
from the ring of Dr. Julius. Mr. Julius, jun., took them
to London.
By Mr. Cidard—Thebottle of autimopy, ha our bursorn