The critic. (Washington, D.C.) 1890-1891, 1891-01-15
The Florence Maybrick Case.
From ne Nt,o York World.


Since the commutation of the death
sentence imposed upon Mrs. Florence
Maybrick at Liverpool to Imprisonment
for life the public manifestations of sym
pathy for her which were aroused during
The trial have undergone comparatively
little abatement. Those who believed
that Mrs. Maybrick was innocent of the
Charge of numbering her husband by adj
ministering poison during his illness still
maintain that opinion. The general be-
lief that Mrs. Maybrick was either guilty
of deliberate murder or that she was in
nocent-in other words that she was not
guilty of any intermediate grade of crime
has led to sympathetic movement to
secure her pardon. This movement has
extended throughout Great Britain, and
petitions for her liberation have received,
il is said, over 500, 600 signatures, many of
the sgners being persons of social or po-
litical standing.
A similar movement has just been
started in this country. As the prisoner
is an American woman it is believed by
those persons Immediately interested in
the scheme in her behalf that it will be
seconded as heartily here, If, indeed, not
more so, than has been the case in Great
Britain.
Among other prominent personages in
England who believe Mrs. Maybrick to be
innocent is Alexander William MacDou-
gall, barrister, who has formulated a
scheme by means of which her case may
be brought to the attention of the English
authorizes and the claim for clemency be
set forth as clearly and strongly as may
be possible.
Lady Florence Dixie, the eminent phi
lanthropist, has taken lively interest in
Mrs. Maybrick's case, and in recently
written letter referring to the new move
ment she said:
| "Let II be borne in mind that she was
| judged by thirteen men, jealous of the
sanctity Of mems conjugal rights, by laws
which her sex has had no part in framing
Let ii be remembered that if she was un
faithful to her husband, he was not only
unfaithful, but cruel in his behavior tc
her; and say that the fact that she had
sinned should not have been allowed tc
prejudice the verdict, as it undoubtedly
did. Again, It must be noticed that thu
Judge who tried the case has not sat OF
the bench since.
And another serious point to be regarde(
is this: Mr.. Matthews commuted thu
death penalty because, having reviewed
the evidence, he came to the conclusion
that there was none to show that Mr.
Maybrick died from arsenical poisoning
Nevertheless he considered that there wa
enough to show that Mrs. Maybrick hat
tried to poison her husband. Now, wha
is the chief evidence on this head? Why
that she purchased some fy-papers
Asked why she purchased them, she re
piled that, having a slight eruption OF
her face, she wished to procure a wash +
cure it, after prescription which a chem
ist had made mp for her. Asked for tn
prescription and the address of the chem
ist she replied that she had lost both. Th
thirteen men who judged her smiled. o
course Mrs. Maybrick concocted this STATE
ment to prove her innocence and accoun
for her guilty purchase of ty-paper'
This fact went heavily against her. W
mark this II wds no he, for both the oril
inal prescription and chemist have bee
lately discovered, and / have seen tn
former.