The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1891-11-26
A SCOTCH MRS. MAVERICK.
1 EOtsd Glasgow Trial Of q Girl Charged
With Poisoning Her Lover.
strong COnVIcIiVe EVIdence..A Com.
promise Verdict Of ''NOG PrOVen''
and Her Guilt Never settled.

the American woman condemned by the
British courts for administering arsenic
TO her husband, has It's prototype in that
Of 9 celebrated Glasgow beauty charged
with poisoning her lover, which was tried
about thirty-five years ago.
Early in April, 1857. Glasgow was hor-
rified to learn that Madeline Smith, daugh.
ter Of one Of the city's leading citizens,
had been arrested for murder. She was
the recognized belle Of the city and had
Just been engaged to q prominent young
merchant.
In the course Of the trial II transpired
that the young woman had long fallen
from purity. After this disclosure her
father refused to have anything to do with
her. Large sums Of money were sub
scribed for her defense by all classes, her
betrOthed, Mr.. Minnoch, even sending his
check for e5,OOO.
THE PUBLIC INTEREST MANIFESTED.
The trial began on June q, and rarely
had the high court Of Edinburgh beheld
such strong array Of judges on the bench
and oounsellors engaged in the defense
and the prosecution. The case provoked
the greatest popular interest, and during
its progress the court chambers were
crowded by persons who had come from
all parts Of Scotland.
THE PRISONERS EoNcHALANcE.
The prisoner at the bar remained thor
oughly composed throughout the whole
proceedings. She pleaded mot guilty"
without trace Of tremor In her voice.
THE STORY BROUGHT OUT.
The case as developed showed that she
was 10 years old, had been in the habit
Of meeting her alleged victim, Emile
LAngelier, clandestinely for several years,
and had Just been engaged to Mr.. Min
noch. It was shown that pAngelier had
deceived the young woman, and that when
she begged that their correspondence and
meetings should cease he had threatened
to expose her past relations with him to her
father, and had otherwise blackmailed her.
CLANDEsTTNE VISITS.
After visits to her home on February
10 and 22 he was seized with sudden ILL.,
ness. In March Miss Smith repaired with
her family to the fashionable resort Of
Bridge Of Allan, and while there received
q letter from her evil genius announcing
Q visit. She wrote him, deprecating such
an afiiiction, and mailed the letter to bis
lodgings in Glasgow, but on its arrival he
had started for Bridge Of Allan, where be
arrived Sunday, to find that Madeleine
and her family had returned to the city.
That same day, Sunday, March %, he re-
ceived her letter, which had been sent
after him by his landlady, and he at once
returned to Glasgow, reaching his lodg-
ings at 8 in the evening.
At 0 O'Clock he sailed out and made
several brief visits at various places, and
was seen half an hour later going In the
direction Of, though at considerable dis
tance from, Mr.. Smiths residence, but not
Q scintilla Of evidence was offered TO show
he was there that evening. On his way
home that night he was attacked on the
road with severe illness, but got home
without aid at very late hour. At 4 iu
the morning he alarmed the household
by violently ringing the bedroom bell,
and his landlady finding him in an agony
Of suffering summoned a physician, whose
efforts were vain, for, after lingering few
hours, he expired.
L'ANoELIER's DEATH.
His death attracted but little notice. as
he had had two similar attacks previously /;
but the suddenness Of the death occa-
stoned q post mortem examination, at
which the physicians announced that
while death might have resulted from
poison, II probably was caused by inter
nal congestion arising from exposure to
cold or fatigue. The body was then in
tered, but q few days subsequently GER
tain letters were found which disclosed
the nature Of his intimacy with Miss
Smith, and among them was one taken
from his waistcoat pocket which made It
probable that he had spent the latter part
Of his last night on earth with her.
A disinterment Of the body then took
place, and after Q full chemical investiga-
ton IL was evident that deceased had
taken large quantity Of arsenic, and the
authorities having meanwhile ascertained
that Miss Smith had on various occasions
purchased such drug at an apOthecary's,
she was arrested and after the usual pre-
liminary examination was committed for
trial, bail being refused, the ofense not
being q bailable one.
FIxING THE GUILT.
The main points presented by the pros
ecution were: The supposed motive Of
getting rid Of one who held her character
in his power, thereby depriving her Of an
eligible husband; the fact Of death being
caused by arsenic; the fact Of the pris-
oner having purchased arsenic ostensibly
o. q cosmetic; the medical evidence that
arsenic is corrosive when applied 70 the
skin; the acknowledged circumstance
that deceased occasionally had q cup Of
cocoa during his interview with the de-
fendant; the fact after each Of the two
interviews in February he was attacked
BY illness Of q nature similar to that which
Occasioned bis death and which followed