The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-07-27
MIXED ARSENIC WITH HIS BEEF TEA.
Mr. Maybrick's Old Servant Tells of
His Masters Habits.
The Defense In the Case of the Hand
some Young g American.
Her American Counsel Express Their
Confidence in Her Innocence.

New YORK, July 26-The arrest of the
the wealthy Liverpool cotton broker, a few
months ago, on the charge of poisoning her
husband and the startling developments in
the preliminary proceedings before the COM
mitting magistrates, produced a profound
sensation not only in England, where the
alleged crime was committed, but in this
country, where she was favorably known.
The trial will begin ON Wednesday next, and
every effort will be made to establish her in
nocence, probably not less than a dozen at
torneys being interested in her behalf. Sir
CharlesRussell, lately prominently interested
In the Parnell inquiry. has been employed to
represent the defense before the jury.
In the charges it is claimed that she ad-
ministered arsenic to her husband, and that
she was detected by one of the trained
nurses in attendance. Her lawyers have in
stituted thorough investigation as to the
habits of the dead man, and have succeeded
in collecting vast amount of evidence
serving to show that he was for years addic-
ted to the arsenic eating habit, and fre-
quently took morphine and strychnine. The
greater portion of this testimony will be
furnished from this country, and several
witnesses will be sent over to Liverpool
Roe & Macklin of No. 156 Broadway, for
many years the attorneys for Mrs. May
bricks family. have obtained the greater
part of this evidence, and have succeeded in
securing two or three witnesses familiar
with Maybrick's life in America. About
nlvro nf M~, Inx,h ,hrfa1 tcT
pool lawyers, named Cleaver, came to this
country and had several long conferences re-
latve to the preparation of the defense. He
returned on Saturday last, after visiting
Norfolk and Baltimore. where Maybrick
stopped on his annual visits to this country.
Accompanying him was Thomas Stansel,
coored, who was Maybrick's body servant
at the St. James Hotel in Norfolk. .StansePs
testimony Is expected to be of great value to
the defense. In his affidavit, made before
Roe q Macklin, be tells of many occasions
on which Maybrick had sent him to drug
gists for arsenic, and his invariable custom
of taking the drug, either inIliquid or powder
form, mixed in beef tea. All the purchases
were made in comparatively large quantities.
Maybrick kept bachelors apartments with
Maine Bateson, and one of Stanseps duties
was to do the ordering for the table. He re-
calls the first time that Maybrick intrusted
him with an order for the drug. He said:
"rhomas, | feel seedy. Get me so cents
worth OF arsenic, ana leC me KNOW as soon as
you get it." In his affidavit he says further:
"When | gave Maybrick the drug he took
some-it was in the powder form-on the
edge of spoon and mixed it in cup of
beef tea, which he Immediately drank. He
would take that dose several times day,
for nervousness as he said"
Other witnesses who will corroborate STAN
sci will be sent oyer on one of the steamers
on Saturday next, and they will probably be
accompanied by Mr.. Macklin and Mr.. Roe.
Mr.. Macklin was seen by a reporter yes
terday, and said he had no doubt but what
Mrs. Maybrick's innocence would be estab-
lished. although some inference" he said,
might be drawn from the text of the letters
sent to an outside party relative to May
bricks illness, her counsel will be able, [
think, to disarm 1t by presenting the fact
that she had merely employed the
phrases her husband had used, and therefore
expressed no special significance. OF course
there is another circumstance which might
appear suspicious, and, in fact, on this the
greater part of the prosecution rests. That
is the discovery of the maid who detected
her mixing the arsenic in the beef tea. 1 be-
lieve, as has been sworn to, that her husband
had made the request of her to mix the drug,
as he had often done.
1.-The prosecution makes an alleged intrigue
with Mr.. Briefly the motive of the murder,
l take no stock in any such legal premise.
Mrs. Maybrick is fascinating woman, and
is now about 26 years of age. She comes of
an old family in this country, which at one
time was one of the richest. Our firm has
been connected with its affairs for many
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