The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1835-04-17 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTEL LIGENCE.

BRISTOL ;ASSIZES.—SATURDAY, APRIL 11.
TRIAL OF MARY Asa BURDOCK.
(Continued from 'the STANDARD of Tue‘day last.)
At 9 o'clock this morning Sir Charles Wetherell entered the
court, and the prisoner was placed 'at the bar, and the examina-
tion of the witnesses proceeded with.
Mary Ann Allen recalled and • examined by- the court and
jury.—l shall be 16 next July. Ism aware that the strongest
parts Of my evidence against the prisoner Were not Stated by me
before the coroner. 1 omitted to state those facts, because I
was afraid to do so. I was then aware arsenic was a yellow
powder, and that it was poison. ••I was afraid if I•stated all, that
I should be the cause of the prisoner's death. I !petitioned
them lately, because I was•.not happy in my mind, fearing I
should tell an untruth if I did not state these facts. I first'men-
tioned them to Mr: Godfrey; but I only told him part. I sent
for him because' I knew he was a relation of Mrs.'Smith. It
was some weeks after the inquest. I afterwards mentioned it
to my fellow-servants at Mr. Vining's. I swear that no person
had told me what had passed before the coroner. ' I read my
evidence in the newspaper, but thy' own evidence only. had
no occasion to•read any other. person's testimony. heard tiny
brother read some other parts. I hail not heard anything about
the powder being in two papers. (The witness'here had a basin
and a piece of paper given her, and she' described 'the' way in
which the prisoner held the basin of gruel and the peivder.) I
had never been in Mrs. Burdock's bed-rdona.' was' close to
her when she put in' the powder. I thought it was medicine:
I did not suspect it was poison'.
Mary Evans .—I lived servant with the prisoner at the time
she was apprehended. Wade died in Alma last year. lie used
to liye with the. prisoner. t I recollect Mrs. Smith coming to
ledge with her. She lived there abilut a month beedre she died.
pefore Mrs. Sinitbeame the prisoner seemed' in very cottifort
able circumstances.' I pledged Wade'S watch before Mrs."Stnith •
caifie; and it
.was taken out soon after she Came; and betireber
'death. I, have also .pledged things for the prisoner.. I pledged
dome of her tlothes. Mrs. Smith had a large and a small trunk
End a egflaet bag; they were very heavy. The deceaSed
Watch. There were ntit any nits in the house: .1 iaeVer heard
Mrs. Burdock complain of there being any. - The day before
Mrs. Smith died,, the. prisoner told.nie she was !Midi tvor,e.
While Mary Ann Allen was gone house' to tea, the prisoner
said Mrs. Smith wanted some whey: She told me td-turn it with
a little vinegar.- I made it, and she took it away. ' She took
her some tea, some whey twice, and then some milk twice.
Mary Ann Allen was upstairs when she took heithe first milk.
I went to bed, leaving some of the milk in a Satlceptid:. Mrs.
Burtleck gave me directions to make up the fire. • Mary Ann
Allen was present. Wade was very unwell, and I' had made
him some gruel. I left half a packet of the groats in the kitchen.
I put some water in the' kettle before I went to 'bV.' 'was
Called up in the night, the :prisoner telling me -itith was
Bead. I said, "That can't be," and Mary Allen"aaid she was,
and begged me to get up. Mrs. Burdock told me' to get some
Water 'and lay her out. After I had 'laid out the'bod!l,-Mts.
burdock gave me the things to put on it. She took them from
4 chest of drawers-. .Mrs. Burdock then opened the cupboard,
and took out different things. There were several hits of sugar,
tat the cupboard. ' She said how covetous she.inust be to save up
those things, and that the sugar 'Must have been taken from
, she. said she must be a drunkard, to have so many bottleS.
I saw Iter take some. bits of candle.fretn 'the table drawer. She
called her 'an old devil. I did:not pay particular attention 'to
what, she said. 'The prisoner laughed. She'llas sonietvhat
-better since. Mrs, Smith's 'death. She 'has kept a shop since.
Alter her death her bed-rooln deo!. *as kept lockelL
• Witnesses were called, who stated that. the AeceaSed was a
very, clean woman. in her habits, and that she bad d'very hand-
some gold watch and bracelets. [She was very temperate.
, • Other' witnesses proved the'deceated to have been in Posses-
lion of at least £l,OOO shortly before her death.' •
Paul, a banker's clerk,. proved that £,400 was deposited in
the bank on,the 30th of January, 1831, in the name bf.AlarY
Williams." • s

Norman, another clerk in the same bank, proved that on
the'2oth'ef May; 183.1; he received £lOO in gold, which,, toge-
ther with the £4OO, were deposited in the names of Collins and
•Blethyn as trustees for, the prisoner.
Vlera Bonner.=—l saw prisoner at her house in Nov., 183.3. i '
said to her," I understand Mrs; Smith has died at your houie."
• She' ansivered.slie,had, and she had buried her • that she had
:pq iiit-4ie'rty her house, and she could ill afford to do it, but
ahat-Watle did not like to have her buried . from his house by
thieiqrigh: The prisoner, in reply to, my question, said that
theqeeeated had-no good clothes or trinkets or a gold watch;
thitt she had had a sore throat and died very suddenly ; that she
bald no“relatiOng. 'her she had,
,and, ow they were corn-
oing to claim her properti.±:'She said they might, for she had ,
'nothing for them. •
The preparations of the stomach, the duodenum, arid a por-
tion of the Jejunum, were produced, and there appeared to be a
yellow patch, as. large as a crown piece, with a large number of
smaller patches on the stomach, at its pyloric extremity. These'
preparations were considered to be of the most splendid de-
scription. They were. prepared by Mr. S. Stuchbury, the 'O-
rator of the Bristol Institution.
Babiiigton.-1 knew the prisoner-about six months
before. Octiiber, 1833. 1 had known Wade five or six years;'
he'lived withthe prisoner as her husband. Wade had a wife,
who is still living. In October, 1833, before Mrs. Smith's
death, the prisoner said she did not know what she should do,
as Wade had been so long ill upon her hands that almost every
thing was gene; Wade was indebted to me at that time
• 13s. -1(.11.,.and I made application to the prisoner for the pay-
ment of that debt. She told me she had not a shilling in the
word, and could not pay me. f was at their house the day after
the raneral.' I then,saw the prisoner, who asked me why I did
not come down to see the funeral. -She told me the old lady
had died very poor, and she hail had much trouble to bury her;
as the things she had left behind her were not worth lbs. I
afterwards saw that they were 'getting things comfortable about
*them.. The prisoner said she had a good property 'left her "by.
her uncle. Wade,set up in business:, and she told me it was
with £-100 of her money. 'lbis was tour months alter Mrs:
Sniith's depth.. I never knew of any rata,at the prisoner's house.
CiuSs-examined.—l am indebted to the prisoner now. 1 be:
lieve I told, the same story before the coroner. I •saw a new
chest of drawers in the parlour after the old lady's death, they
were ukahogany with wooden knobs. Wade set up in business
six rivutlis.before his death. He died in April. ' I don't know
• whether I said ausitaing about We (AGOlefore the coroner.
Charles Real—l am a wine-merchant. I knew Mrs. South's
brother-in-law at Oporto. Upon hearing of her death I went to
the, prisoner's house on the" pith November, I then saw Mrs.
Burdock and Wade. I made inquiries as to. Mrs. Smith's pro-
perpi.• The prisoner said she died very poor, 'and that hor
clothes were in so bad 'a
state that she was compelled to burn.
theni, and rhht. 'she" Would' Would' net produce anything helongiarg to.,
her till 1-oKthe eunei.ai.exirerasei, which anac?anted to, £15..
I WenraAaln the nett 'Miming, When Wade said there was a
hot which-contained scene' pipers belonging' to. the prisoner ;
she ultimately agreed that we should tad' get' a professional
man tri meet. We Went again the next inothibe, arird the box
was at length. produced and opencd, and .th'e papers were ex-
amined, and there was an old will of 'Alt: Smith's in favour of
his wife. .There were no deeds: Mrs. Smith had dressed ;wet/
respectably since the death of her hu'sband, five years ago.
kriew she had I",gsess'ed' property'. ' I'hid, paid terl7oo in 1829.
I paid her an ammity '6f - "
Nv td
es
ate t!
He ;liedkineiv 'Wadein in November, 1833. I.
wit
application to me for advice at -to provingTa hwC•ilfiris'6lnseiristu:landeer
agnin; and she asked me to be ttustee to a settlement on her
marriage with Mr. Burdock. She wished Or transfer £5OO into
her trusteee' names.- There was' another ail into the
bank:- There was'some stuck in trade:valued at retX) which was
also' settled:open her. .. . •
Elisabeth Hayman stated' that prisoner had' told her that a
rich old lady was 'living with her who' had left- her property to
Wade. • -
eross-examined.—l was never called Fry. lam married.and
live with roy' husband. Irold Mr. Peters 'that Watkins. said
"Tell me'a'l you know, and I'll make von ❑ present." , •
Thoinas'lllanly.,--I'ani nephew to the detehSed. 'I had not
seen her'tbr form.ears before her death.
.71144 Teen in het box
7!..)0 sovereigns and .€ll./` note;' and two gold watches; one o
„ Tval ..creptater: a va'riety'ef gold rings, and other t rinketsf
':hie wasin August, • •
'Moines Griffitbs.---I ant a conqtable, and I called at prishii.-
ariiraSkeir for Alary Erins,.as 1 ha‘liat7y-t,a,ykoetihkertiotwo.ntloie. er's
sPhr.eisf?,;lll„rwraidhe—r.t'oMtteds,treet door and repeated
t(i;,ni
the caution: She s_alid
tiint toa hcenrnsmtaolrieethaln
hsaitvetimbeeesn.
F. ern;loyed
this N.
in the llth of DeceniWr last I accompanied
~ business. NNratkins,
On
Mr. Short, Miss Manly, and Alt. and' Mrs. Oodirev to the house
,if theprisoner. M
She and Burdtick were there. "r. Short gave
,
.
ois name, stating thathe-was the solicitor fir Miss Manly, 'the
adininistratroi of the deceased, and requested her to. give up all
t4e'preperte she possessed of the deceased. She stated't hat' she
had nos' t•, for that she did net die worth ',K N. Mr. Shur.
prop..r y

. -
-said she had a gold watch, and that there mast have. been some
money. She said it -was no such tiling, and she had not a ;six-
pence when she died, nor had she seen a watch or any trinkets.
'She said there" Wis a bill, due to her of 4:25, and when ttiat was
paid she would eve up what she had belonging to Mrs. Smith.
Mr. Short said "You'll be good enough to furnish hie with a
bill of particulars.'"" ,She then kft the roont,and returned aitL
a 'paper in her hand: Mr. Short rose up:to 'receive it,..but she
refused to give it him, anti giVe it to ilnril6ek,' who read
,over
the item's. - Short asked him for a copy,,but Mrs. Burdock
refused to let,him have it then,•but if he would send the folloW
ing day the bill or a copy of it should Shey said she
bad paid LI to a medical man for examining the buslY.. Mr.
Short said " You have paid it."
,She replied she ha not, hut
she should have to pay it. I afterwards called for the and
she said her'solieitor hid desired them not to furnish it.
Mar. Ann -Allen 'recalled by the Court.'r his is not at all
like the basin in' whicii the gruel was brought in ;, it
.was a
dark blue figured upon white. In this,,pattern there is gieen
and yellow.
By the Jiirv..—The drawers had brass knebs front, with a
square top.• did'aot notice of what colour they were. There
was a looking-glass standing on the table. The ,drawers were
not very high:
This'elosed the case for the prosecution.
The prisoner, in her defence, said she was innocent.
'fhefolloWing witnesses were calledfor_the prisoner:—

Charlotte 'Thernis:—ln October, 1833, I lived with Mrs.
Smith. • I stayed there nine days. I left hecau,e I was taken
very ill. Mrs. Smith hired me at 2s. 6d. a-week Mrs.:Bur-
dock.paid me when I left. Mrs. Smith was in bed, and ap-
peared to be very ill. She did not take her clothes off
,when she
went to bed.. I never saw her have more than
,a cap of tea 411
the tithe I was there. Mrs. Berdock asked her
,every day _if she
would have something to take.' She waS very kind to her. She
asked her to let, her send for a doctor, but she said she.did not
*ant ti'doctor to murder her: 1. fetChed brandy, and rum, .and
wine, for her. I heard Mrs. Burdock tell her she wished.she
would leave her, as she did not pay her reut. She was not_at
all a clean woman. She used i 3 spit blood. Mrs. Smith toAd
me to take lodgings for her. I partly took a room ,tor her, in
College-Street, but Mrs. Smith said. it was too dear: as it wasBs.
a-Week: I did 'Oat see any money, or watches, or trin‘tets, or
parchment's. •
Cross-examined.—l fetched half a pint of brandy every night.
She put it Under her pillOW. Mrs. Burdock .gave roe qs. e,very
night: for it. I-bought the wine three times .a-week,. in •41111
morning, but I don't knoW the quantity • but I paid Is. for it.
Mrs'Srilith' washed her mouth with it. I fetched a noggin of
rim-every other day; nit. which ripaid Is. ii-day.• She drank it
oat of a teacup. 1 fetched medicine for her every otlleti day . I
always had the Money from Mrs. Burdock. I never saw Mr.
HugheS When I Went for the medicine. am sure it was Mr.
Hughes's shop. The Sunday after I left (While Mrs. Smith
was lying dead) I c,alled to see Mrs. Smith, hnd Mrs. B.urdoek
told me she had left her, and she suppose,' she was gone to-Batb.
I did not knOW that was dead till the frlAy 91,the in-
, quest: Mri.: Smith's cups' and saucers were dark blue,..,
MarY'Mider.—l saw EVans. at my house on the day after
Mrs Smith died; he said the devil had fetched her, mid he was
afraid if he went home he would fetch him, andhe would not go
horrie that night.
CrosS-examitied.This was at half-past eleven o'clock at
night.' It was in the bar.- He was the worse for liquor.
laughetfat the time.' I thought he was romancing.
was the case for the prisoner.
For the prosecution the following witnesses were called:—
Mr. am a druggist. My house. and Shop .were
' burnt down on the 7th of August, 1833, and I did not carry on
bosiness as a druggist in September or October, 1833. ,
Cross-eiamined.—lt frequently happened that persons Went
into my neighbour's shop by mistake. .
Dr. hiley.—l have never seen anything on the part of the
prisoner but what was respectable and proper.
Another witness also spoke to her character.
The learned Recorder then stated to the jury, that it being
' now half-past ten o'clock, it would be impossible for him to sum
up to-night; every attention would be paid to their convenience
and comfort, but .the further proceeding must be' adjenreed to
nine o'clock on MOnday morning. r