The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-03-01
A FATOUS CASE.

a fAuOUS CASE.
Bulletins received from London with
in a fortnight have made repeated an
nouncement of Mrs. Maybrick's
speedy release from prison; indeed.
some of the most experienced London
correspondents of American newspa-
pers have sent predictions which, had
they proved true, would have found
Mrs. Maybrick out of jail before now
1t has always been known that the
influence of Americans has been the
potent factor operating in this woman's
favor. Efforts i'm her behalf have been
persistent; some of the best-known
men and women in this country's So
cial or political life have been warmly
enlisted in the work. Mrs. Maybrick is
an American. Hitherto all efforts to
move the English authorities to what
was alleged to be justice have proved
futile-the authorities have been obdu-
rate. The requests for pardon have
been based on the fact that the evil
dence under which conviction was
reached was by no means conclusive
and that, since the trial. strong proofs
in the prisoners favor have been
found.
Florence Chandler was the prisoners
maiden name. In 1881 she married May
brick, whom she met on a Transatlan-
tic steamship. He was cotton broker
living in Liverpool. Not long afterward
the woman became infatuated with a
man named Briefly. Domestic unhap-
piness eliminated in a public quarrel
between husband and wife at a race
track. Maybrick struck his wife Ar
rangements were under way for a
separation, but a partial reconciliation
followed. Soon Maybrick became sick,
and he finally died.
During her husbands illness, Mrs
Maybrick wrote letter and gave it to
her children's nurse to mail. Then fol-
lowed the fateful incident. The nurse
gave the letter to the baby to carry,
and the baby dropped it in the mud
The nurse then opened 1t, as she said,
to put il in clean envelope. and
opening dearest" and my own darl-
ing" She gave it to Mr.. Maybrick's
brother The letter ran: Since my
return / have been nursing all day
and night. He is sick unto death. The
doctors held a consultation yesterday
Now all depends upon how long his
strength will hold out. Both my broth
ers-in-law are here and we are terribly
anxious. / cannot answer your letter
fully to-day, darling. but relieve your
mind of all fear of discovery now or in
the future. NJ. has been delirious since
Sunday, and / know he is ignorant of
everything" The letter was addressed
to Albert Briefly and was signed Your
own Florrie."
Arsenic poisoning was the theory OF
the prosecution. Traces of the drug
We're found i'm Maybricks body, but it
was shown that he was accustomed
to use arsenic i'm the treatment of his
malady. Preparations containing ar
senic were also found in the Maybrick
home; these were used, it was shown,
by Mrs. Maybrick, as cosmetics. A
side light on the case is that the Judge
who presided at the trial was accused
of securing a life sentence for Mrs.
Maybrick by the unfairness of his
charge to the jury. Soon after the trial
his mind became clouded and he died
of a mental disorder.
During six or seven years the appeals
in Mrs Maybrick's behalf have been
urged. one home secretary after an
other has declined to act but, if there
is truth in the stories that come from
London, the prisoner whatever the
truth about her innocence or guilt, will
go free