The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-09-04
more favorable Influence on public morality, the
social aud domestic virtues, aud ON true rell-
gioa itself :

the Snasthusss Poisoning C~ss In Ensland-
Another Remarkable Crsminal CAuss.
A very remarkable murder trial has been at
trscsIpg much public attention In England, and
has ten minated in the conviction of tho accused
ana bis being sentenced to the death penalty.
We publish elsewhere the history of the case,
and a report of the close of the trial, comprising
the Judges summing up, the speech Of the pri-
soner, declaring his innocence, the rendering OF
the verdict and the solemn passing Of sentence
by Lord Chief Baron Pollock.
The facts ss developed BY the trial are these;
There were two maiden sisters residing ID Lon
don named Isabella and Louisa Bankea The
first nsmed, who was the victim Of the tragedy,
bad passed The period of life at which the tender
passion Is supposed to have most force. She
was forty three years Of age; and yet she fell
in love with retired physician named Thomas
Smethurst, man some FIVE years her senior, and
who, to her knowledge, had already one conju.
gal partner. The wife of Smethurst, 1t seems
was an old lady of seventy, who did not attempt
10 keep tight rein over her husband, but as
eented to the very agreeable and unusual ar
rapgement that she was to make no inquiries as
to the cause Of the Doctors repeated absences
from home, All parties appear to have been in
god circumstances, the Doctor having retired
from practice with competency, and the two
Bsrkes sisters enjoying each an income of over
a thousand dollars from invested property.
This was the condition of the parties when
they became acquainted, toward the close OF
1858, at lodging house where they re-
eided, in the suburban village of Bays
water. There the Doctor and Miss Isabella
appear to have conceived wonderful
fondness for each other; and so little regard did
they pay to appearances that the mistress Of the
establishment, with an eye to its good reputa-
ton, required them to find accommodations
elsewhere
Soon after this, at a date variously given in
the reports as the 9th, 18th and 10th of Deem
Der, 1858, marriage was celebrated between
Smethurst and Isabella at Battersea church. 1t
has not been explained how it was that this IN
fortunate woman was deluded into contracting
marriage which che must have understood,
from her knowledge Of the existence of Mrs
SmethuIst was void but it is supposed that he
persuaded her that his first marriage, CONTRACTED
In 1922 was not legal one, and that, as the old
lady was so far advanced in years, it was not
worth while going to the trouble Of having it
annulled in legal form. However it was, they
were married in public church, and took up
their abode at Richmond, in the neighborhood Of
London. The old lady, meanwhile, gave them
DO trouble, asked no questions, but continued to
occupy her apartments in Kildare terrace.
Whether it was that Smethurst was haunted
with fears lest he should be brought to account
for the crime Of bigamy, or whether he loved
Miss Bankes' money better than he loved herself,
is one of the secrets in this case. The motive
win, probably, never be divulged. At all events,
he resolved to get rid Of one Of his wives; and,
strange to say, it was the youngest and appa-
rently best loved whom he doomed to death.
She became Ill. Skilful doctors were sent for
and prescribed remedies for the disease, which
Of fret appeared to BIO dyaente-y. To SLoi. 1u.-
prise, however, the medicines prescribed had &C.
tually no effect whatever. They did not know
what to make Of it. Neither vegetable nor mine
raj drug appeared to affect the patient. At
length their suspicious were aroused, and each
came to the conclusion, independently Of the
other, that the malady was not natural one
and that the medicines ordered by them were be-
ing counteracted by an irritant poison. At their
request physician Of great eminence was sum-
moned, and he Immediately came to the same
conclusion.
1t is to be remarked that during the three
weeks Of the woman's illness Smethurst was her
sole nurse. BY day and by night he was by her
side, administering food and medicine, and at
tending to all the various unpleasant duties Of
sick room. Her sister he kept from her on the
pretence that her presence was source of rrita-
ton. 1t was also very singular circumstance
that during all that time no morsel Of food
or drink ever came again out of the sick
chamber. He accounted for it by saying
that he himself consumed what she did not; but
the prosecution referred to it as link in the
chain Of circumstantial evidence against him
tending to show that all the food and drink were
poisoned, and that therefore the residue was
made away with by him to guard against dis
covery. Finally, two days before her death,
and on the Sabbath day, he introduced an at
torney into the sick chamber, and had will
executed bequeathing to himself her whole for
tune, between eight and nine thousand dollars
The next day (Monday) the attending physicians
caused him to be arrested on suspicion; but there
was 80 little on which to ground the charge
his person and residence being searched and no
poison discovered-that he was discharged on
bis own recognizance. But, Immediately after
the death Of his victim, he was again arrested
and committed for trial, and, as we see, has
been tried and found guilty.
In all its aspects this was most remarkable
case. The prisoner was convicted altogether on