The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-08-30
NEW MOVE IN BEHALF OF
MRS. FLORENCE MAVERICK

From the Memphis scimitar.
Another and this time a supreme effort
Is to be made at once for the pardon of
Mrs. Florence Maybick, the American
woman who is serving a life term in an
English prison.
The affairs Of this woman are of ne
culiar interest here In Memphis, for she
is southern woman. and she and her
husband lived in this city for some time.
Maybrick was an English cotton man.
and was stationed here for some time as
the representative of Liverpool cotton
interests. It was upon his return to
England that he died.
Many people now residing here remem-
Der the couple.
The proof upon the trial of Mrs May
brick showed that her husband died Of
poison. The state undertook to show
that Mrs Maybrick bought arsenic and
administered it to him, and a quantity
of the drug was found in her apartments.
The defense undertook to show that
Mrs. Maybrick bought the drug for use
on her complexion, and also that May
brick was a habitual user of the drug
as a medicinal agent. In the course of
the trial witnesses were introduced to
prove that Maybrick had bought arsenic,
and it was shown that he contracted the
habit and made his first known purchase
of the drug here In Memphis.
So 1t seems that the interest in this
great international tragedy that has been
on the boards for fifteen years has its
focus right In this city; and the progress
OF this latest effort to secure her re-
lease will be watched with incense inter-
est here The woman to whom thou
sandss have extended sympathy, and In
whose behalf governments have inter
ceded and ministries have been changed,
though she entered Working prison young
and beautiful, is now prematurely aged
and broken In health and spirit, For
fourteen years, separated as if dead
from her children and only occasionally
permitted to see her mother and few
friends. and has endured the hardships
of convicts life.
Mrs. Harriet Hubbard Aver of New
York, a newspaper writer and novelist,
is agitating the present movement in this
country for Mrs. Maybricks release. She
has interested Mrs. Mary H. McKilip of
Chicago, and the latter will be the repre-
sentative to visit England in behalf of
the prisoner. Reliance Is placed chiefly
upon Chicago energy and support to
carry the project to success. Mrs. McKil-
lips transportation as far as New York
has already been secured, and several
cash subscriptions have been made.
King Endawrd VII and Queen Alexan-
dra will be petitioned to intercede. It
is even hoped that sufficient influence
friends to gain an audience with either
the King or Queen. Their hopes are
high that they will be able to influence
Queen Alexandra, and her sympathy for
a fellow woman will be appealed to. The
argument that Mrs. Maybrick Is inno-
cent, which has been advanced on all
previous attempts to secure her release,
will not be emphasized. and the appeal
will be made to the humanity of those
In power. The endeavor will be made to
win Queen Alexandra to the belief that
Mrs. Maybrick has suffered sufficient,
even though there had not always beeh
so strong a doubt of her gilt. and to
induce the Queen to use her influence
to secure a pardon from King Edward
Assistance of influential persons has
already been promised. The British con-
sui in Chicago, Capt. William wyndham,
has advised Mrs McKillip as to the best
manner to proceed in her mission, and
also promised to do everything in his
power to assist her. He says that his
political position will not allow him to
communicate in her behalf with Sydney
Robert Greville, C. V. o., C. B., honor
able secretary of his majesty. but he
has advised her to send a plea to the
Kings secretary at Buckingham Palace.
preparatory to interesting his majesty
in the case.
The wife of Gen. Wesley Merritt, who Is
now in Europe with her mother, Mrs.
Norman Williams who is one of Mrs