The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-07-31
ry TAS Florence Maybrick guilty
w or innocent? Would you,
w the reader. have convicted
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u
Wv the reader. have convicted
her had you been a mem
Der Of the jury before which she was
tried? The story is a cruel one
take it as you Will. There was un-
happiness and despair in the May
brick home. There was guilt-the
black disgrace Of infdelity; there was
brutality-that OF a drink-sodden
husband TO his wife. Here are the
facts and the evidence: decide as
your intelligence directs:
The Opening Speech.
When the trial was called. the jury
sworn. and the prisoner arraigned. Mr..
Addison, Q. C., opened the case for the
crown. This was at the Liverpool as
sizes OF July 81, 1889. before Mr.. Justice
Stephen. Mr.. Addison said:
Each and every one Of you know that
the charge against the prisoner at the
bar Is that she murdered her husband
by administering doses Of arsenic to him.
I win call your attention in the
order In which they occur to the differ
ent events, between April n and May
II. because It was between those dates
that occurred the serious Illness that
ended IN the death OF James Maybriclv
on May IL. It was on April 2
that the first Illness occurred which
we say was caused by arsenic
] do not think need call your attention
10 anything particular in their mode
OF living up to this time. Mr. Maybrick
vas a man who. so far as his friends
and relatives know. was a strong,
healthy man. going regularly 20 his Of
fee every day as a cotton merchant IN
Liverpool There is no doubt that
though he was a man generally spoken
OF as healthy man. he was a man who
complained very much of his liver and
nerves de used often to complain OF
being out OF sorts, and from 1881, DR..
Hopper. OF Rodney Street, who was the
medical man OF the family. prescribed
for him from time to time. Mr.. May
brick complained OF pains in the head,
and numbness in his limbs, and had q
dread that 1t would lead 10 paralysis
DR.. Hopper seems 70 have treated him
as a little short hipped.' as II was called
IN these matters. and gave him occa-
sionally medicines such as are given to
people OF sedentary habits and out Of
Effects of Arsenic.
Before I put the events which oc-
CURED between April q and May IL 10
you, let ma make a few remarks upon
the general nature OF arsenic ana its
effects. They will be spoken to by a
very eminent Liverpool chemist, Mr.
Davies, and by DR.. Stevenson. who is
the physician 10 Guys Hospital. and an
eminent chemist in London. Of whom, no
doubt, some OF you have heard All /
need tell you about arsenic Just now is
this: il is, as you all know. a mineral
poison: II IS taken sometimes as a solid
powder, and sometimes IN solution. A
single deadly dose, that Is to say. a dose
which Is capable OF killing a man by
one administration. would be a dose OF
at least two grains and upward; that
would take away life IN the course OF
about twelve hours. II It were dissolved
IL would take a wineglassful OF water
70 dissolve Il; half an hour would elapse
before any effect would be produced. The
symptoms which usually accompany a
dose OF that kind are nausea, a sinking
and Ia addition to that. there usually is
purging and vomiting to very exces-
sive degree but the vomiting. unlike ali
other vomiting, is accompanied by no
sort OF relief whatever. There are burn
ing pains in the throat and in the stom-
ach. and great irritation OF the stomach
IS apt 10 produce a tenderness which Is
discovered outside on pressure. There
Is also cramp OF the thighs and OF the
stomach. There IS a furred tongue. in
tense thirst. and from the condition OF
the intestines, there is tenesmus, that
Is 20 say, a great straining In those
parts. and a desire TO eyacuate. without
any relief whatever being the result.
ANY one OF these symptoms. taken by
itself might be produced from other
causes. but taken together they would
indicate an irritant poison such as ar
senic
Traces Fade Away.
The same symptoms are what may be
produced by what may be called small
doses. II you administer a dose Of ar
senic less than a fatal dose, one OF three
fourths Of grain. or half a grain. twice
a day. the same symptoms will be pro-
duced; but IN the course of twelve hours.
or a couple Of days, the patient win get