The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1904-07-28
FREEDOM AT LAST
For Long Prosecuted and
imprisoned Mrs. Maybrick.
RELEASED IN ENGLAND
Was Held Fifteen Years for Alleged
Murder of Her Husband, Though
Strongest Evidence of In.
nocence Was Produced.

A special Of Wednesday from Truro,
Cornwall; England, says: Mrs. Flor
ence Maybrick is free. She left here
a. 11:43 a. N. today on her way 10
France"
Mrs. Maybrick, who was Miss Flor
ence Elizabeth Chandler, a member OF
a well known and prosperous southern
family, was married July 27, 1881, in
St. James church, Piccadilly, to James
Msybrick, of Liverpool. She was Is
years old. Her husband was over for
ty years Of age. In the spring OF
1889 Mr.. Maybrick became i'll and in
few days he died. His brothers in
vestigated his death and charged Mrs.
Maybrick with the murder Of her hus-
band. A long trial, followed, and
number of doctors swore that the de-
ceased died of arsenical poisoning.
The defense proved that for twenty
years MI Maybrick had been a con-
firmed user of arsenic and that he
daily took doses large enough to have
Killed dozen ordinary men. Mrs.
Maybrick was eve entually sentenced TO
death by the judge, Sir Fitzjames Ste
phen, who spoke for two days in
charging the jury. FIe said it was i'm
possible to find her not guilty in the
face Of the medical evidence. The
Judge died some time later in a mad
house.
From the time of Mrs. Maybrick's
conviction her mother, the baroness
de Roques, was unremitting in her ef.
forts in behalf Of the prisoner. She
succeeded in having the death sem
tence Lommuted to penal servitude for
life, and finally has obtained the FREQ
dom of her daughter, to whose release
from prison she had devoted her life.
The baroness was aided by influential
friends on both sides Of the Atlantic.
In 1900, after the death of Lord Rus
sell, of Killowen, chief justice Of Eng
land, letter which had been written
to Mrs. Maybrick in 1895 was dis.
covered. It showed be was convinced
that she ought ne"er to have been
convicted, and it has been generally
understood that all the recent Aneri
can ambassadors to the court Of St.
James have cone everything possible
to obtain Mrs. Maybrick's pardon. 6
The fact of her probable release was
used as reason for securing the post
ponement of trial last year Of law
suits bearing on Mrs. Maybrick's in.
terest in land in Kentucky, Virginia
and West Virginia until she was able
personally to testify. IF she was not
able to testify in these suits, Mrs.
Maybrick and her mother would have
lost all title and interest in the many
thousands Of acres of land involved
in the case.
On February 4 last, Home Secretary
Akers-Dorglas, replying to a question
in the house of commons, confirmed
the reports which had been in circula.
ton that Mrs. Mayhrick had been re.
moved from Aylesbury prison to con.
valescent home, where she would re.
main until the summer, when she
would be- allowed Ther freedom. The
home secretary said a license, had
been granted to Mrs. Maybrick under
the penal servitude act.
The transfer Of the prisoner from a
penal prison to qriet country home
constituted an almost unprecedented
action ON the part of the British au.
thorities. twas due to the mediation
of the Duchess Of Bedford, who, as q
, visitor to Aylesbury prison for many
years, had taken keen personal in.
terest in Mrs. Maybrick, and finally
succeeded in obtaining the mitigation
of her punishment to the extent of her
being allowed to spend the last six
months of her confinement outside the
prison walls.
Mrs. Maybrick is not freed uncondi.
tionally; she is out On ticket of leave,
but to all intents she is as free as any
other person.