The Lamoille news. (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1877-1881, 1877-11-28
sMI1H POISONING CASE.

last August. began az Middlebury last
week Tuesday. TO begin at the begin |
ming. as the children say, Mrs. COrdelia
smith. wife Of Dea. Ezra p. Smith, died |
on Sunday August II. after illness Of
eight DAYS. The Smith family had always
been considered entirely respectable. The
deacon owned a valuable farm In Addi-
son. was a member of a well-known stove
and tinware firm doing business in Yer
gennes, and owned neat place on an at
tractive street Of the latter city. Mrs.
Smith had been taken sick on Saturday,
week previous TO her death. She had
been in good health. aud the vigor of
the malady and the rapidity and certainty
of its action excited remark. Until the
day before her death. the father or other
relations of the sick woman were not in
formed of her sickness and danger, not
withstanding the father and two of her
sisters live within four miles of Yer
gennes. The woman died, passing away
In spasms a short time after Dea. Smith
had administered some beef tea, which
his wife said was very bitter. Mrs. Mary
L. Champlin, the woman in the case, is
81 years old. Her husband worked ut Es-
sex. n. Y, and generally spent about one
Sunday in the month at home. He is a
Woodworking mechanic, a member of the
Methodist church, aud is respected wher-
ever known. The Champlins have four
children, the oldest lad of l6, the sec
ond girl of IL, and the youngest a girl
about 3. Mr.. Champlin left his wife some
| five years ago, an account of an intimacy
which was found to have existed between
her and North Adams lawyer, but the
trouble was patched up, and the family
moved to Vergennes. Although the
Champlins have lived for nearly two years
near the Smiths, the deacon seems not to
have become acquainted with Mrs. Cham
pin until January last. On his wife's
| first attack, Mrs. Champlin was sent for,
and nurscd Mrs. Smith until her death.
During the week that Mrs. Champlin lived
at the house of the Smiths many little
things were noticed by the neighbOrs
which caused gossip, and, finally, culmi-
mated in scandal. This caused Mr.. Cham
pin to determine on removing his family
| to Essex, but Mrs. Champlin refused to
go, and he left with his children. This
seemed to fan the flame, and things be-
came so warm that Mrs. Champlin left
town. In few days Smith left also, and,
during his absence, which lasted about
two weeks, the circumstances ofthe death
of his wife were canvaSsed, and suspicion
that all was not right gained ground.
The father, Mr.. Gully, secured the SER
vices of Detective Burroughs, and a num-
Der of letters between Dea. Smith and
Mrs. Champlin and other evidences were
secured which left no doubt that a crimi-
nal intimacy had existed between the par
ties for months. Evidence was also Sc
cured which made it extremely probable
that Mrs. Smith had been poisoned. This
evidence was laid before the states attor-
ney, but Mr.. Chapman neglected to act.
Smith in the meantime had returned; the
body of his wife had been taken up. and
Prof. Collier of Burlington, who had eX-
amined it, with view to a more critical
examination, if the appearance of the
stomach warranted it, had reported that
1.-THE stomach had been subject to the ac-
ton of an irritant poison and advised n
thorough chemical analysis. The parties
were arrested together in Burlington,
Oct. Is, at midnight, in house ofnot very
good repute. The examination opened at
Middlebury Tuesday betoreJustice Knapp,
with large attendance and intense inter
est manifested. The prisoners appeared
pale and anxious. The defense is a gen
eral denial. Messrs. Woodbridge, Stewart
and Veasey assist Mr.. Chapman as coun-
sci for the state, Messrs. Ballard and III
lGiar9y6the lawyers for Smith. and h. k.
VeifsS. III i5s'.rJlingtom ohiah. Il. j. Cham
pin. husband of the accused woman. and
their two oldest children, George and
Libbie. are to testify against their moth
er, unless the attractions and persuasiOns
OF his wife have been too much. He has
spent mornings. moons and evenings in
the Jail, and. as she has repented. he has
consented to take her back into his affec-
ton and allow her to be again Il mother
to his children. Libbie, her 12-years-old
daughter, is little lady, with much more
character than her father. She can't be
a mother to me" said she to the writer,
''nor will allow her to have anything to
do with my little sister and brother. She
told me last summer it would be better
for us If she was away, and now under
stand what she meant. will have moth
ing to do with her." True to her declar-
otion, she refuses to see her mother. Not
withstanding this girl and the boy have
both been here since Monday night, the
boy being much of the time in the court
room, the woman has expressed no de-
sire to see them.
The evidence will be two-fold: that
which points to adultery, and that which
points to the criminal administering of
poison, The evidence of improper con-
duct, both before and after the death
of Mrs. Smith is, first: the testimony
OF q number of witnesses to circum-
stances of a suspicious character, such
as the exchange of kisses, &C., de-
noting an atfectiOnate relation between
the accused. A brother-in-law of Mrs.
Champlin also testifies to have seen and
heard enough to have convicted them of
adultery, if his testimony is not impeach-
ed In some way. As to their relations af-
ter the death of Mrs. Smith, the evideAce
was too positive to allow even of contra
diction. The proof of their guilt in this
direction, however, is evidence of the
crime of murder, only so far as to indi-
cate motive for the crime. Doubtless
some would be pleased to have us en-
ter into details on this branch of the evil
dence but such reading never seemed to
us TO be healthy. In the direct evidence
of the crime of murder testimony was in
troduced, first, to show the fact of death
by poison, and secondly, that the poison
had been administered by one or both of
the accused.
10 establish the fact of death by arsen-
lc, the testimony of attending physicians
kidder. Arthur, Sanborn and Hopkins,
and also that of various women in attend
ance, was introduced and all agreed in
their description of the symptoms, which
were such as always attend a case of ar
senic poisoning. The main evidence,
however, was that of Prof. Collier, who
testified to having made an examination
of the viscera, and having discovered an
appreciable amount of arsenic. Thus far
the case seems clear. The parties were
guilty of criminal Intercourse. Mrs.
Smith died of arsenic poison. Now what
evidence have we that the poison was adj