Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1857-07-31
From the London Times. |

1cqatdt u Mss SmHh on The Charge Of Murder
deception ofMe Ferdict IN London Comments If
The Journals upon i'll Repieie dad Asdiysis uf re
ichole case.
ltromnnce and mystery can insure remembrance
the terrible case which was yesterday concluded Mt
Edinburg will have abiding place in the annals of
criminal justice. Madeline Smith has after nino
day trial been acquitted and goes forth again FREQ
into the word.-On the first charge OF attempt to
poison she has been found mot guilty. while the Sc
eond charge to the effect and the actual murder
have been declared mot proven" The death of
Pierre Emile LAngelier is pronounced by the Jury
mystery which the evidence brought before them was
unable to solve, Thus ends the case2 Human irs-
tee acknowledges itself baiiicd aud ceases lis at
tempt to unveli what, pehapS is forever destined to
be hidden.
The dead man LAugclier is not Que whose fate
there is any need to commiserate His condust to
one who had been his Victim, was base mud unmanly
10 the last degree and car only be excused on the
ground stated by the Lord Advocate that by The law
OF Scotland mn Irregular marriage might be held to
have taken place, and that LAngeer had Il right to
consider Madeline Smith MS his wife aud 10 prohibit
her union with another man. II appears the pris-
oner left her Clapton boarding school in 800 when
she was only seventeen years old, and that within
two years Of that time she the deceased said to
be native of Jersey and at that time in the employ
ment ola Glasgow warehouseman at salary of
eight shilings OIL ten shilngs week with his board
and Acknowledgements paid his addresses, which
were well received by the young lady, but forbidden
and prospects not such MS would entitle him to ask
their daughters hand Months passed, however, and
The intimacy oi the pair continued Madeleine slept
on the ground floor, and used to receive the visits of
her lover first at the window, and then in the room
itself. In the spring OF 1886 find from her letters
that she had been sednced by LAngclicr, aud from
that time to the close Of the year she writes to him
almost daily in the wild style with which the readers
OF the trial are familiar BY the beginning of the
! present year, however, her passion lad cooled A
n al in NIL han
and, in spite ofstoen nterN and boarding school
herocs, she thought it better TO have solid man of
| business than French clerk n salary of $50 a
/ year, who boosted to everybody OF his success with
women in general and herself in particular.
But L'Angelier had notion OF giving her up
lie did not, ~ appears insist on her marrying him,
/ but he would not allow her to marry any Que Else
IL was IN vain that she wrote him that their love
had mutually grown cold and that they had better
forget each other. Emile would show her letters to
her father and To Mr.. Minnoch if the match were not
ut once broken Off This was the motive for the crime
alleged ny the prosecution Under the threa, of the
frenchman, Madeline is obliged TO write back that
the affair with Mr.. Minnoel is false report. She
seems DESTROYS TO get LAngeer away so that her
marriage nigh take place before he could prevent it,
| L'Angelier, however, remains, aud persists in his
threats On 9th February she is distracted with ter
ror. She implores him not to bring her to open
shame, and solemnly declares that she has no other
engagement--havng, however, promised her hand
TO Mr., Minnoch on the 2Sth of the previous month
Dates now become of Importance The prisoner for
some reason or other fegns renewal of her attach
ment for LAngelier. She wishes To bring him back
to her the prosecution say that she may poison him
she says that she might coax him 70 give back the
letters. On February II, he dimes with Miss Perry
he tells her that he is to Miss Smith on the 10th
We know not il he did see her that day, but we
know from the testimony of his landlady, that on
that night he was seized with sudden ness-a ms men
i'll from arsenic. That the prisoner administered
arsenic on this 18Th OF February is the first charge
| which she WAS not guilty
Every Glasgow chemists books were searched and
no purchase of arsenic proved prior to the 10th
so that with respect to this first day there were sui
cien doubt to justify verdict of full acquital But
on,the 2ls Madeleine purchases arsenic at the shop
of Mr. Murdoch. She signs her name ms REQUIRED by
act OF Parliamenand not only gives her real address
but has the DOSE value sixpence onlv nut dowr TO
her fathers account. Miss Smith explains the pur-
chase by stating that she used arsenic as cosmetic
by dissolving II in the water with which she washed
"a process respecting which scientific opinions arc
divided However, LAngelier is i'll again on the night
OF the 22d, but RECEIVERS a second time Time passes
on,and we must conclude there are more negotiation,
for the surrender OF the letters for Miss Smith still
keeps on her engagements with Mr.. Minnoch On
March 9th she again buys arsenicto Loison rats o,
improve her complexion, according to various &C.
counts--aud this time il is in company with Miss
Buchanan, young lady from the Clapton school
LAngeer goes to the Bridge of Allan to recruit his
health. and not to the Isle of Wight 500 miles Off a,
his mistress advises him. There he writes her a let.
ter, saying he believes that she is going to marry Mr.
Minnoch, and demands direct answers to severa
questions on the subject He is proved to be anxious
for letter in answer to this last missive: when III
receives it, he returns in perfect health He comes
home in the highest sprtsand says the letter brough
him back. On the 22d Of March he goes out It'll,
before nine o'clock lie is seen saunterng along il
the neghborhood of Bythswood Square about TWEEN