The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-31
MRS. MAYBRICKS LIFE,
TRIAL AND SENTENCE

The history of Mrs. Maybrick's sad case
is familiar to most newspaper readers. She
is the daughter of William C. Chandler. a
banker of Mobile. Ala, and was born in
that city forty-two years ago. When
seventeen years of age she was met and
courted by James Maybrick. of Liverpool,
then about forty years old. Maybrick had
lived a fast life and already declining
in health. He was addicted to the frequent
use of powerful stimulants. particularly to
a tonic called Pick Me Up" which con-
tanned arsenic. He became a confirmed ar
senic eater.
After a courtship of eighteen months Miss
Chandler and Mr.. Maybrick were married
at Norfolk. Va, where he was a cotton
buyer. Soon after their marriage they went
10 Liverpool to reside April o. 1889 Mr..
Maybrick went to the Winal races and was
caught in severe ranstorm Previous to
this he had been sick from the use of ar
senic and other poisons and on returning
home from the races he took to his bed.
Physicians were at once called In by his
wife. who attended him until he died two
weeks after being taken sick. Mrs. May
brick fell into a SwoOn Immediately after
her husbands death and was unconscious
most OF the time for the next forty-eight
hours.
On May IA. while still in a semi-conscious
condition, she arrested, charged by
the police, at the instigation OF Edwin and
Michael Maybrick. brothers of the de-
ceased and Alice Yapp and Bessie Briefly,
servants and enemies of Mrs. Maybrick,
with having murdered her husband by ''ad-
ministering doses OF arsenic 10 him"
Search for arsenic made and il was
found in quantities sufficient TO poison fifty
persons None of the poison, however. was
found i'm her apartments or belongings
Mrs. Maybrick was taken from bed. still
unconscious. to Walton Jail. and on June 8
the coroners jury committed her 10 the
assizes for trial the charge of willful
murder. The trial began on July 81 and
lasted eight days the last two of which
were consumed by the summing Of Justice
Stephen. Four doctors, who testified I'm the
case as experts, said that Mr.. Maybricks
death was not due to arsenical poisoning.
Sir Charles Russell, in commenting on the
charge of Justice Stephen to the jury, said:
He passionately invited the jury 10 find la
verdict Of guilty, taking two days 10 sum
up-the first day a judge and the
second ragged like violent counsel for the
prosecution against her" The jury was out
only thirty-six minutes and the verdict of
guilty was a surprise TO everyone The
judge was Kissed and hooted in the cour
room, and 1t was with difficulty he reachf
his carriage.
The sentence OF death which followed q
strange verdict was condemned by the press
and pulpit throughout the civilized world.
There being no court OF criminal appeal in
England and the only resort being TO the
crown for pardon, a monster petition con-
tanning more than 10000 names was pre-
pared requesting a review OF the case.
Home Secretary Matthews held with the
concurrence Of Trial Judge Stephens. that
the evidence does not wholly exclude a
reasonable doubt whether death was I'm
fact caused by the administration OF ar
senic," and commuted the death sentence
TO life Imprisonment. Continued efforts in
her behalf led to a promise of her release
IGNORANT OF DETAILS.
The agitation that followed the conviction
of Mrs. Maybrck the review OF the case
by the then nome secretary, Henry Mat
thews. the commutation of the sentence OF
death 10 penal servitude for life. and the
subsequent repeated attempts TO secure her
release, are well within the memory of the
reading public. With all possible respect
TO the enterprise Of the New York news
papers which furnished cabled reports OF
the proceedings at the trial. IL may be said
that the vast majority OF the general Amer
lean public Is ignorant OF the vital points
in the Maybrick case, or OF the character
of the evidence which led 10 her conviction
by the Liverpool jury
AS 10 the justice Of the verdict or OF the
punishment decreed by the home secre-
tary, there many varied opinions. The
objectors were consolidated into three par
ties. The first party, composed OF the hys-
terical shrekers led by Gail Hamilton,
argued that Mrs. Maybrick should not have
been convicted because she was an Amer
lean. and that her detention I'm an English
prison was an Internal tional outrage and
Haunt in the face of the American Nation.
The second party. led by the Baroness De
Rogue Mrs. Maybrick's mother. and Alex
ander McDougall, an English barrister. de-
clared that Mrs Maybrick was absolutely
innocent of the crime for which she has
suffered and Is the martyred heroine OF A
wicked conspiracy against her life and
liberty on the part of the Maybrick family.
But the majority OF those who were assc-
ciated with the trial. or who closely fol-
lowed the evidence in the case, reached
these conclusions:
l. That James Maybrick did not die from
the administration OF arsenic. but that the
gastrO-enteritls from which he suffered was
induced by natural causes
, That the evidence. nevertheless. clear
~ proved beyond the possibility OF doubt
the purchase and systematic administration
OF arsenic by the prisoner 20 the deceased
with intent 20 Kill
3. That there was ample testimony 10
show that Maybrick himself had for years
preceding and subsequent 20 his marriage
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