, 1872-11-21

coroner Jury, o. course, was u eecuio tAe ~
mains Of the seidlitz powder left IN the goblet
from which the Doctor drank, and the boz
powders from which the particular one waof
taken. The post n2orten1 vas conducted by trusts
worthy physicians Of the city, andlt was DECIDED
to send the stomach Of the deceased to Phlladel-
phia for the purpose of chemical analysis. The
Coroner who took the stomach to Phlladelphla
carried also the tumbler in which the powders
were mixed, the empty paper wrapper Wllleh Aaa ls
contained tho dose, the tin boz containing the
taken, the spoon used in administering the medl-
cine, and glass jar Of sugar out OF WHICH Inc
powder had been sTeetened.
DR.. Genth, the chemist to whom these articles
were submitted, began hs analyslsveIy r. caretnlly
with tho more un1nportant articles The sugar
in tho jar was first tested. It showed nothing to
verify the suspicion OF tho doctor that no had
been poisoned. Then came the tin bog OF seq
ltg powders. They were tested one by one, de-
liberatey md carefully, with the consciousness t
Nothing yet Of poison. And now the chemist
comes closer to his work. He takes up the empty
powder-wrappers, including the Wi1ite ma nll9
papers which had contained the acld po"Gef anu
to the blue paper attracted his attention.
It was the beginning Of the trail. The minute
white particle was subjected to the usual
chemical tests. The characters and per-
haps the lives snd Of te Two result Moon na
envelop them. There was in this little speck of
white Q deadly mineral poison. The tests de-
ve1oped the characteristics Of strychnlne anu the
chemist so pronounced it. Then came tho sp4nn p,a
used in administering the dose on mixing tho
powders Here was another trace OF White pow
der. and under the analysis this, too, proved to
be strychnine. Noxt camo the tumolor from
which the powder had been taken, end IN Whtch a
sediment remained. The trail remained.
Here was the deadly poison again beyond 4
doubt, The examination Of tho stomach was
reserved until the last, and here was found tie
final and conclusive evidence TINT tho DOCTOR
when he threw up hls hangs n re asony sa os' ~
poisoned yras not giving way to childish Tears.
but was uttcring his deliberate conviction as to
the cause Of his distress.
Hero wore facts that could not be denied, tof
they GANG in under tie sanction of scientific
| ezaction. DR.. Smith died from tho elects OF
| poison. Who administered it? Confeesedly
| his own daughter. Mrs. Francis S. Mann, who
| received it from tic hands OF her mother. tho
! vito Of tho doctor. There is enough in this to
answer to the charge Of murder. But this was
| not all It appeared in evidence before the jury
that Mrs. Smith Was the custodian Of the key to
closet from which tue glass WIS taken IN when
lowed any ono but herself to take ssthe key. or
| have access to the contents OF the closet. AMI
now the facts coil still closer round this unhap-
py woman. for in this closet there WAS found Il
| vial containing a quantity Of stryehn1ne.
! So much for the chain Of circumstances, and
certainly tho jury was warranted upon these IN
| holding both the women for trial. Added to
these arc reports current among the negro scr,
/! wants that the doctor was tyrannlcal and crnel
in his family, aud had ct times personally chas-
| tiscd his own wife. These furniEh tho missing
link Of motive, and it seems as if nothing could
bo more complete. II the women arc innocent
! tlcy are victims Of the most cruel combination
OF circumstances that ever lmpcr1lled human an
oroffIar illustration Of tho
| certainty with which deliberate crime defeats
| itself and iusuree its own detection. Upon these
facts the Coroner's jury, on the llth OF NoVem-
| ber-so much time having been occupied IN OBJ
/ thinning testimony and procuring analysls OF Inc
articles named-:oturned verdict that j. Brin-
ton Smith came to lis death from the effects OF
! strychniro administered by FRANCES .: Mann,
and that slary L. Smith was the custodian Of G
key Of the closet in which was found Vial OF
| said poisonous drug. -.....
Under a Coroner 5 warrant the two ladies' were
arrested on the following dcy md committed to
jail This was on Tuesday .-
! Application for q writ of hd5cas corpus was
immediately made by the counsel for the ac-
cuscd. and hearing upon it was had before
Judge Watts, Of tho Superior Court, IN tins city
on Saturday The Mayors office: i'll which the
hearing took place, was throngcd, and intense
interest was manifested IN tho proceeulhss ~
all classes. Mrs. Smith came into Court leaning
| on the arm Of her late husband's brother, ant
accompanied by AIrs. Mann aud three Other
daughters Of the deceased, all clad in deepes
mourning. The counsel for tile prisoners ha:t
tie case brought to light, and for tl'
purposes of this examination was read,
to admit the regularity OF the. testi
1nony Is to the chemical analysis, tn
discovery Of poison etc. END tha tn the danaaae tao1e
by bis daughter, Mrs. Mann, notwithstanding
which he was satisfied he would be able to con
,, vince the Court Of the Innocence Of the prison
ers. Tho prosecuting attorney said he regarde
! this as the most important case that had owe
, been tried in North Carolina, and that sense
public duty compelled him to demand the fulles
: investigation, but that he was not now prepared
for the trial, aud asked postponement. Ill
! request being denied, the prosecuting a;tofne
+ declined having any responsibility ID the cas-
: and Withdrew from tho trial. The hearing wa
a | consequently, in some measure. er purte.
= The counsel for the defence then submitte
E the report of thetestimony before the coroner
. iury and introduced testimony to show, hfse, "a
= absence of any motive for the crime In
affairs Of the deceased were shown to be IN u
a | embarrassed condition, and 1t Was proven W u
: his wife had voluntarily signed away al her II
9 terest in tho estate to relieve hum IRON tne en
q barrass1nent while as to the charge OF cruelt
a to his wife and family, testified to by negro se
!, wants. abundant evidence to the contrary " y;
4 furnished by the friends and lnti1na1es " "
family It appeared in te course % o. tne egs1'' o
! 1,5o,.fens examination, and the propr1ety OF na
ing ing the stomach tested BY the most co~petel 13 tel
, chemists. She rejected the theory that the po
= son was administered by others, as she did NJ AZ
= believe her husband had such an enemy IN T T
J. world. She also repudated the idea OF suicla :,
Il as slo considered it totally incompatible with
i views to desire such & death. ..
4 Her theory seemed to be that IN preparing
h dose for some depredating animal, which
Il sometimes did, @ sufficient quantity Of the dea
j. Iylrug mighthave fallen upon the acldlltz Ro"d
, to have caused death. Captain Smith, Il
"a eldest brother OF the deceased testified to t
~ Christian character Of Mira Smith, and that tt
i was tho first time lie had ever heard an intim
"a ton of unhappiniess in lis brothers. family
Is concluded " saying that no member nots Of
nt that Mrs Smith could be guilty Of the crI
charged upon M her s1aen ahe Rex Character pe sa o The
a. cused. and said that her composed bearing und
~ this reverse of fortune could emanate from not
n ing but pure Christian faith During the m e F.
ID ID Mann, the accused daughter, entered the Coz
It. ROOM having been summoned from ne vermo1 9ae;
at his first meeting with his wife since the char