Omaha daily bee., 1889-08-09
PETITION FOR COMPUTATION.
Opposition to Capital Punishment
In the Maybrick Case.
EXECUTIVE cLeMENcY INVOKED.
A Numcrously Signed Paper Ad-
dressed to the Home once Pray
ing For Modification of
the Sentence.
Sentiment Against Death Sentence.


ICo, pipht 1870 bv James Gordon Bennctt.l
LIvsRpooI. August Sine York Herald
Cable-Special to The BEE. The feel
Ing with reference to the verdict
IN the Maybrck case runs very
high In Liverpool, one section main
tanning that the prisoner should have the
benefit OF the doubt set up by the conflict Of
medical evidence of the cause of death, while
others maintain that the touching of the jury
upon the evidence and the summing up left
no other course open TO them than that of
finding the prisoner guilty. Two memorials
have already been set on foot, one from the
bar and the other from merchants and
brokers. This afternoon Pickford, the
Junior counsel engaged with Sir Charles
Russell in the defense of Mrs. Maybrck,
placed the following petition in the bar
risters' library in the st. Charles hall,
where il was numerously signed:
6 To the Right Hon. Henry Matthews, O. Q.
NJ, her maiesty's secretary of state for the
home department-We, the undersigned,
members of the bar Of the northern circuit,
having paid great attention to the evidence
in the case of Florence Elizabeth Maybrick,
humbly pray that you will recommend her
majesty to commute the death sentence and
grant reprieve on the ground that such ev-
idence, in view of the great conflict of med
zeal testimony as to the cause OF death,
leaves so much doubt that it is mex Xpedient
and unsafe to carry out an irrevocable SEN
tence.
The petition will be sent first to Man
chester and then to London, so that members
of the bar who have left Liverpool may have
an opportunity of signing it.
The merchants and brokers pray that the
sentence of death may be respited with
view to a Communication or reprieve on the
ground that there was no direct evidence of
administration Of arsenic by the prisoner to
the deceased, that the case
against the prisoner on general
facts was unduly preiudiccd by the
evidence of motive, and that there is room
for grave doubt whether the circumstantial
evidence relied on by the prosecution was
weghty enough to justify conviction. That
there was strong body of medical testi-
mony on behalf of the defense; that death
was ascrbed to natural causes; that there
was not sufficient evidence on the part of
the prosecutions; that it was not due to
arsenical poisoning; that having regard to
the conflicting nature of the medical evidence
and the very widespread doubt as to the pro-
priety Of the verdict on general grounds, it
would be in the highest degree unsafe to
permit an irrevocable sentence to be carried
out.
Cleaver and Holder, Mrs. Maybricl1's So
licitors, have received letters from other
towns asking for copies of the petition for
signature, and they have drawn up d form
for general use similar to that OF the fner-
chants and brokers.
Mrs. Maybrick was IN prostrated con-
dition this morning and was attended by
doctor, who, however, states that her con-
dition is not serious, but Is due to q relapse
after the great STRAIN of the past week. She
has again protested her innocence to the Jail
chaplain. This afternoon she had recovered
her composure somewhat and was visited by
her mother, Baroness Won Rogue, who,
since the commencement of the proceedings,
has been living in the vicinity Of the Jail in
order TO be near her daughter. There was a
large crowd outside the Jail, and the prevail
ing sentiment was one Uf pity for the pris-
oner. The governor and officials of the Jail
decline positively to give any information
about the prisoner, and information on this
bead has to be sought in other quarters.
The interview between mother and daugh-
ter, which was but brief, was painful and af-
fecting, the prisoner being of the two the
most agitated. She, however, expressed her
appreciation Of the kindness of the officials
In allowing her mother to visit her, the visit
having afforded her much consolation. Last
night when she returned from court she
walked to the condemned cell with firm
and elastic step, and as il she had realized
the terrible position she was IN. This morn
ing. however, a revulsion of feeling seems to
have set in.