Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1859-09-05
the GREAT POISONING CASE.
" no Smethurst Was, and why he Poisoned
Miss Bankes.
[Frorn the london News. Anrnst a0,h

RIchm0nd
hns, after trial of five days, been cond emned
- death. Like the infamous Palmer the poi
s0ner was OF the medical profession, and like
falmerf TOO, the crime with which he was
charged was secret poisoning 1t was difficult
10 Imagine case more atrocious than the muir
der OF Cook, but it seems that the crime of
SInethurss Is even more daring and more heart
less Even now that the jury have pronounced
their verdict, 1t is difficult to believe that any
human being should be elDilty of the charge
although, after reading the evidence, it is well
nigh impossible to doubt that the verdict is
thoroughly justified by the facts
The story is full of mystery This man was
not only man Of education, burt he had re-
tired from his profession and was living with
his wife IN furnished lodgings. His wife was
certainly an old woman, above 40, he having
married her some thirty years ago; but az he
himself told the jury after the Judge had as
sumed the black cap, he had taken her on an
excursion to Paris and Heidelburg last year.
had behaved to her with the utmost kindness
and had brought her back safe to England -
And 1t must be admitted that no single word
or act OF unkIndness appears to have escaped
from MIN No account Was given of his pre-
viOus life, except that he had kept water
cure establishment in the neighborbood of
Farnhsm. 1t is singular that a man of indie
pendent means and respectable connections
should have been left alone in his difficulties
Not a single friend came to support him in the
dock, or even TO veuch for his former respeeta-
Dility
Sometimes the appearance and manner of a
man furnish indications of his character The
murderer shows it in his face. The innocent
man accused falsely has a calm dignity, which
inspires respect. Smethurst displayed neither
of these charaeteristics short, rather thick
set man, with brown hair and somewhat hafd
his expression betrayed none of those ,renul-
sIye features which sometimes mark great
crimInals. In fact, even the sister of the poor
rnurl ral a .b..xlL L IT,
tender nurse and with a countenapce showipo
amlablIty. 1t is true that in addressing the
court his voice mbled, but at the awful mo-
ment after the verdict of guilty had been
pronounced and the Judge had assumed the
black cap, the man spoke with audacious self
possession and deliberate fuency of fsIsebood
which cOnfOunded those who heard him.
Towards the close Oflast year Mr.. and Mrs
Smethurst went to reside ut the house of "A
Miss Smith, at Bayswater. At this same house
lived two ladies', Miss Louisa and Miss Isabella
Bankes. Their connexions were respectable
and their peeuniary means. amounting to some
thing about 600 year each, rendered them
independent. Neither of them were Young
Miss Isabella had reached the age of 43. and
did not enjoy the best Of health Although
she was somewhat beyond the age of passion,
she seems to have conceived a liking for DR.
Smethurst, and in fact their conduct so scan
daiiIed Miss Smith that she insisted upon their
leaving the house.
II is not quite clear whether Miss Bsukes
knew that Smethurst was a married man.
though having lived in the same house with
him and his wife it is difficult to understand
her Ignorance of the fact The probability is
that Smethurst had persuaded Miss B that
the old lady above seventy was not his real
wife, and this conjecture is confirmed by the
fset that the marriage ceremony between
Smethurst and Miss Bankes was performed at
Battersea church at the beginning of last De-
cember.
However that might be, they left Miss
smiths, and, after staying a short time at
Mrs Grab1wskis, they finally took up their
abode at the house of Mrs Wheatley. Mt Alma
Villas, Richmond, for which they paid I5s. a
week According 10 Smethurst, he had set
tied the whole matter with his legitimate
wife. and she had agreed to accept a certain
som Tor her lodgings. and to ask no questions
a. to where or how he lived. Smethurst and
Miss Bsnkes lived on at Mrs. Wheatley's until
the end of last March, when the lady became
very Ill. For some time previously she had
suffered from sickness and diarrhea, but the
disease was now serious; moreover it appeared
that the lady had become pregnant.
In fact, II was necessary TO call in doctor
and after some deliberatiOn it was decided to
summon DIR. Julius, the leading practitioner in
Richmond LII as the poor woman was Smeth-
urst himself was the only attendant. A nurse
had been suggested by the landlady, but Smeth-
urst objected, saying that he was too moor.
u
some f29o at the bank. On this afeetionate
quasi husband therefore, deyolved all the dis
agreeable duties Of the sick .room ----~>.z------
The food Was mixed and administered by his
own hand; the chamber utensils were placed
outside the bedroom door by his own hand
During the day no human being entered that
rO0m but Smethurst; during the night no hu-
man being sat by the bedside but Smethurst
The complaint under which the poor woman
suffered required, above all things, cleanliness
ana pure AIR; and this Smethurst as a medical
man must have well known, and yet during
the many weeks OF Illness, 50 the bedroom was
never thoroughly cleaned out" though in
deed, the bed was made by the landIady eyery
day 1t was surely sh ange fancy for man
with more than goo at his brokers' to insist
upon acting the nurse to q sick woman and
performing all the most tender and disgusting
offices.
1t Was perhaps, stranger still that, of all the
varieties Of rice, beef, tea blanemange, meal
coffee, and jelly, that entered that bedroom,
not one serap-except some sour rice-eyer
came out again If anything was mixed with
the poor womsns food, no human being ever
had an opportunity Of tasting it, According
to Smethurst, indeed, his tender regard for
Miss Bankes and his parsimony made him con-
sumo all the remnants. Nor is it surprising to
Ind that living upon this diet with such ia
ugue, and under such anxiety, the afflicted
husband, US he told the jury in his parting ad
dress; should have lost In weight some sixteen
pounds.
1t was on the 5th of April that DIR. Julius
hrst saw the poor lady, whom he took for tb.
VIE OF Smethurst; Having learnt the symp-
toms Of the case from him, he prescribed GER.
tain remedies They gave no relief. They
neither stopped the vomiting nor the diarrbps
From the 5ih TO the 18th ho went ON irving NIL
sorts of prescriptions but without the slightest
effect AT length, completely puzzled, he
handed over the patient to his partner, DR..
Bird His remedies equally failed
Inc disease relaxed not for a moment Cases
were ransaeked by various witnesses from the
annais Of medicine but amidst all the anon allies
ot disease they searched in vain for case in which
no single symptom was absted jOt. At length
Dr- julius came to the conclusion that some
drug was being administered 10 counteract the |
enect of the medicines. Now, that drug was. |
IN MS opinion some irritant poison. DR. Bird |
aIter warmly attempting to stay the disease
came 10 The same conclusion. And upon com
PHT,ng NOTES II was found that bJth agreed.
True, neither DIR. Julius nor DR. Rirj haa |
ever seen the poor laiy alone Smetbnrst xa.