The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-09-03
NOTED PRISONERS.
Gases Cited in a Book Written by
Mrs. Maybrick's Judge.
FIHEDIsH ENGLISH MURDERERs
John DonneII&n, Who Gave His Brobher-in-
Law Laurel Water-Willlam Palmer, Sup
pesed TO Have DOsed Many Per sons.

The judge who presided at the Maybricil
trial, Sir James Fitz James Stephen, Of the
qaeeus bench division of the high court of
Justice, b one of the most distinguished law
yers IN England. he is also the author OF
"a History of the Criminal Law of Eng
land IA three volumes. In the last named
work, which Is by far the best treatise ever
written On the subject, Mr.. Justice Stephen
devoses good deal of space to the consider
alton Of cases Of murder by poisoning, says
The New York Sun
THE CASE OF JOHN DoNELLAH.
The first of the poisoning cases of which
an scooant is given is that of John Donellan,
who was tried in 1871 for the murder of his
Mother-in-iaw, Sir Theodosius Boughton.
The deceased had been suffering from a
sight ailment, for which he was in the habit
Of taking medicine, but he had been out fish
ing an hour or two on the afternoon of the
day preceding his death. Early the next
morning he asked his mother to give him his
medicine, and she handed him n bottle from
a shelf In an outer room TO which other
members Of the household, including the
prisoner, had free access
He took the draught, Immediately COM
for about ten Minutes, then became quieter
and disposed to sleep, and died shortly after
ward. The mother Immediately conjectured
that she had made some mistake in regard to
the medicine, and said so to DoneIlan. He
then asked for the physic bottle and rinsed it
cut with water. The theory of the prosecu-
ton was that laurel water was the poison adj
ministered. and Lady Boughton testified that
the smell of laurel water resembled that OF
the medicine which she had handed to her
son. The medical evidence against the prison
er was given by four physicians, one of them
a professor at Oxford, and they all agreed
that the death Of Sir Theodosius Boughton
was caused by poison
To contradict their evidence the prisoner
called the celebrated surgeon and physiolo-
gfst, John Hunter, who testified in substance
that the symptoms were consistent with those
Of epilepsy or apopleIy. The charge of the
judge was extremely unfavorable to the de-
PENDANT WHO was convicted almost imme-
diateaY and was subsequently hanged. Sir
James Stephen says that the conduct of the
jHdge and the verdict of the jury were
warmly censnred at the time, ard he ex-
presses q doubt whether the prisoner would
have been convicted at the present day, be-
cause the medical evidence was not nearly so
strong as it might have been. He seems in
aiHed to think, however, that the verdict
was right
WILLIAM PALMRR'S FRIGHTFUL VIILAINY.
The next case is that of William Palmer,
who was physician, and who was tried for
numbering sporting man named John Par
sons Cook, with whom he was on intimate
terms, and with whom he had been involved
in money transactions, which created a
strong motive ON his part for desiring the
death OF Cook The poison used was sup
posed to have been administered by Palmer
to Cook at various times while they were in
company. The first occasion was at the sit
ting rocm of a hotel, where Cook complained
that some brandy and water which he had
Just been drinking burned his throat dread
fully, and told another friend that he thought
Palmer had doSed him.
The principal medical question in the case
was whether death was caused by strych-
nine or rheumatic tetanus. Lord Campbell
presided at the trial, which lasted twelve
days. No more horrible villain than Palmer
ever stood m dock. The prejudice against
him was so strong that it was considered
necessary to pass an act of parliament to au-
LlS tIAdA III 41Du4Ou- IL nc 4Rt0 uOS
been convicted and hanged for the murder
Of Cook he would have been put upon trial
for the murder Of his wife and brother, and
it was believed at the time 1850 that he had
killed many other persons by poison.
WILLIAM DOVE, WHO POISONED HE'S WIFE.
The third case is that Of William Dove,
who was tried in 1856 for poisoning his wife
by strychnine. The Doves had lived unhRp-
PLY together, and there was proof that the
prisoner had threatened to kill his wife, and.
among other things, had said The would give
her a pill that would do for her." The de-
Tense WIS insanity, and one OF the medical
witnesses suggested that the prisoner had
allowed his mind to dwell on his wife's death
90 long that at last he became a victim to an
uncomfortable propensity to kill her. The
jury found him guilty, but recommended
him to mercy Oh tho ground of his defective
intellect
CONVICTED, But AFTERWARDS PARDoNED.
The last of the cases occurred in 1859
Thomas Smethhurst was indicted for the
murder of Isabella Bankes, with whom he
bad gone through a sham ceremony Of mar
rage He lived with the deceased q few
months, when she became Ill and died, and
SmethhurSS was arrested upon charge of
having caused her death by administering
poison. 1t appeared that the death Of Miss
Bankes would result in giving him n sum of
money equal TO several thousand dollars, but
there was no evidence that he was in press
ing want Of money at the time
Ono Of the principal points against him
was that ne had not allowed any one but
himself and the medical attendants TO see
Miss Banks during her illness, He admin
jstered food and medicine TO her and himself
acted as her physician. The experts who
were called for the prosecution testified that
some irTitant poison had been administered
with the drugs which were prescribed, and
also that the post-mortem appearance of the
body indicated that death had been caused
by some poisonous irritant There was con-
siderable testimony for the defendant, how
ever, to the effect that the symptoms were in
consistent with those which would be pro.
duoed by poisoning, and chat death must
have been due simply to disease.
The prisoner was convicted aud sentenced
to death, but the home secretary subsequent
ly advised the queen TO grant pardon, upon
the opinion Of distinguished physician,
that although the facts were full OF suspicion
against Suiethhurst, there was no absolute
and complete evidence of his guilt. The pris-
dhE was parioned.