The New York herald., 1877-11-21
"DEACOA" EZRA SMITH.
ON TRIAL FOR THE MURDER OF HIS WIFE IN
vERMONT-OPESING OF THE CAsE-FIRsT
ADULTERY, THEN MURDER CHARGED.
BY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD


vERMoHT--oPESINa OF THE cAsE-FIRsT
ADULTERY, THEN MURDER CHARGED.
BY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD.
RUTLAND Vt. Nov 20. 1871
The preliminary examination OF Ezra r. Smith and
Mrs. Mary f. Champln, charged with the murder toy
administering arscnc) OF Cordca Smith, the wife OF
the former, commenced At MiJdlebury this morning
before Justice Knapp. On account OF the importance
OF the ex-Judccs Brookns aud Howard in
vited TO occupy The bench with him. Colonel vcascy,
Of Rutland Ex-Governor Stewart and exCongrcssulan
Woodbridge, assisted States Attorney Chapman in
the prosecution. Acssrs. Hard, of Burlington and
Grandy, Of vergcnncs, appeared Tor Mrs Champin,
and Ballard, OF Burlington, and Lucia, of vcrgcnncs,
for Deacon Smith. An immense concourso
OF people from tho surrounding country at
tended tho proceedings An attempt was made
last night on tho part OF tho friends
or Mrs. Chsmpn TO induce tho prosecution TO per-
init her to pload guilty OF adultery ana turn States
evidence against Smith, but It is understood the offer
was not accepted. Only tho evidence OF three wit
nssses was completed TO-DAY, aud Of one Professor
Collier. barely commenced. For.y-nve Witnesses In
nil have been summoned. The evidence OF Do
tec,ive Burroughs viii occupy the greater part Of
a day, SO tho hardly be expected
to be completed Tor . number OF days. Much Of the
evidence has been published In tho HERALD. including
many of tho Intercepted letters At the outet Mr. Bal
lard INSISTED that ali he witnesses should excluded
Attorney gave the following history or the casc-
ADDRESS OF THE STATES ATTORNEY.
four s aao rom Addison Where or all hss wss
known, ha had lived happily with his family Last
spring an Intimacy spranx up between tho Deacon
aud Mrs. CnampIin, who lived NJ that
IN the house adjoinMg. On the 81 of
August Ezra administered 70 his wio u glass
Of lager beer, which Immediately f0liowed
by incessant vomiting for six days On Saturday, the
ON, . consultation was held, two physicians having
been called in py the iatner OF the sick woman and
besides medicine some boei tea was ordered to DO
givsn-a teaspooniui every fifteen minutes Saturday
nignt tho deacon gave her, at the proper intervals
three teaspo0nius. Tho arst two the woman liked
but the third was bitter aud she refused IL. About
eleven O'Clock Mrs Smith was thought to be dying by
10 have tho doctor, she proceeded Up stars and
knocked At Ezra's door She found him IN bed,
after the doctor he refused and IN tho hsaress
manrcr said, II had hoped that might never
her AGAIN" Proceeding down stars sue waited
some tmc aud then went after the doctor, half milo
away, alter midnight. Smith did not como down I'll
1--WE O'Clock the morning. Hc sad he expected 10
prove the continuation Of tue crmiuai Intimacy after
the death OF tho wc. On september s he went
TO burlington, met Mrs. Chaplin, and from there
W M'n' tho % orA ror resurneS reaching Ksesve
Depot at nine o'ciock nj night, and then
walking three miles 10 Birmingham. | expect 10
prove by The Dcscon's admissions and letters that
smith was very intimate with Mrs Chaplin during
TINS trip The states Attorney detailed Al length tne
contents Ol tno letters explained uOOut und-
,ug OF the by Professor collier tile rename
OF Mrs. smith.
The Arst witness called was Mrs. E. Gorham, a sis-
ter OF The deceased, by whom the death proven.
Tho attending physcian. homGopathist, was next
placed upon tho stand ana at length gave the history
or the case, as far rs his observations extended.
Professor Peter Collier testified that the stomach
parts OF liver and small intestnes received by
him september "a he made IA chemical anal
ysis OF this, and although he found abundant
Indications 'n .S ,nS ,as person had .sa aisa
he did not nnd any poison; these indications were
the presence OF grey ish black blacksh grey pow
der on the inner surface OF the stomach; he also
found that tnis surface nrapidly slougncd the
intestines aud stomach were nlipos, en-
tirely empty, no more than tcasp0onful
OF substance being foun1 them, and
this apparently consisting OF tho sloughcd on coating;
as no had met such case u led him TO study
II up ana be was more confident than ever that he
wouiu ind poison in other portions OF the body
The remainder Of Professor Golfers testimony Will
be given tomorrow.