Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1904-07-27
Noted American Woman Who Has
Spent Twenty Years in an Eng.
lish Prison Charged With Murder.
A FORTUNE AWAITING HER
Her Case the Subject of information.
al Correspondence for Years
viii Come to America.

to France.
Mrs. Maybricks Imprisonment was
not terminated with the changing of
doors at Aylesbuly prison where she
spent more than Ii years of her life.
1t closed before the doors of the
white convent of Sisterhood of the
Epiphany in this latter town with the
black-robed sisters softly uttering
their blessing and good wishes for
her future.
With two companions Mrs. May,
brick entered the carriage of Miss
Dalrymple, secretary of the Sister
hood. and was driven rapidly to
Stausstel, a small station II miles
away, where, after exchanging good,
byes with her companions, she board.
ed a train and started on her journey
to France. She will not go to Amer.
lea until her presence there is con.
sidered im~peratiyely necessary.
Secrecy was thrown about Mrs.
Maybrick's departure. Mother Super,
ior Julian of the convent said to a re.
porter of the Associated Press that
under instructions she must refer all
inquiries to the home office. Others
at the comment were equally uncom.
municative. At the railway stations
orders were isSned %forbidding the EN-
ployes to discuss Mrs. Maybrick.
The little town has become an in.
tcrnational figure. Crowds daily
stood at the gate of the grounds
waiting for Mrs. Maybrick to appear,
They were rarely rewarded, for she
generally went out only when the
road was clear.
When Mrs. Maybrick first arrived
here she was kept under strict sur.
VIGILANCE. Subsequently she was al.
lowed to walk in the quiet streets
of the town and in the country lanes,
The villagers soon got to recognize
the black-robed woman, with black
bonnet and flowing strings, and gave
her kindly greetings, which frequent
ly passed unnotioed, Mrs. Maybrick
seeking so far as possible to avoid
the attention of the curious.
Her time at the convent was taken
up by sewing. reading and chatting
with the sisters. ~endearing herself tc
them by many acts showing that ever
the many years of servitude at Ay
lesbury prison had been unable tc
stamp out her innate kindly disposi
tion.
Mrs. Maybrlck, who was Miss Flor
nee Elizabeth Chandler, a member
of a well known and prosperous
southern family. was married July %
1881, in st. James, piceadily, to
James Maybrlck, of Liverpool. She
was then is years old. Her husband
was over 40 years of age.
In the spring of 1889 Mr.. Maybrick
became i'll and in a few days died.
His brother investigated his death
and charged 't"e Maybrick with the
murder of her husband. A long trial
followed and a number of doctors
that the deceased died of ar
senical poisoning.
Confirmed Arsenic Fiend.
The defense proved that for 20
years Mr.. MayDrick had been a con
lirmed user OF arsenic and that he
daily took doses large enough to have
killed a dozen ordinary men.
a.. Mrs. MaybrICh was eventually sen
fenced to death by the Judge, Sir
Fitz James stephen. who spoke for
two days in charging the jury. He
said it was impossible to find her not
guilty in the face of the medical evil
dence. The Judge died some time
later.
At the time of her conviction the
Baroness de Rocques was unremitting
in her efforts on behalf of the prison.
err. She succeeded in getting her
death sentence committed to penal
servitude for life, and finally has Sc
cured the frae""-- ~ her daughter
to whose release from prison she has
devoted her life.
The baroness was aided by infuen
tial friends on both sides of the At
lantic. In 1900. after the death oil
Lord Russell, of Killowen. chief jus
tice of England, a letter which he
had written to Mrs. Maybrick in 1888;
was discovered. 1t showed he was
convinced that she ought never t.
have been convicted, and 1t has beer
generally understood that all the re
cent ambassadors TO the court of ST
James have done everything possibl,
to get Mrs. Maybrick a pardon.
The fact of her probable releas,
was used as a reason for securing tn
p-ostponement last year, suits beaTinl
on Mrs. Maybrlck's interest in Ian,
in Kentucky. Virginia and West Vii
ginia, until she was able PERSONAL.
to testify. If she was not able L
testify in these suits Mrs. MaybricI
and her mother would have lost al
title and interest IN the many thou:
ands of acres OF land involved in tn
case.
Sent to a Hospital.
On February 4 last Secretary Al
rs-Douglass, replying to a questio
in the house OF commons, confirme
the reports which had been in circj
lation that Mrs. Maybrick had bee
removed from Aylesbury prison to
convalescent home where she woul
remain until the summer, when sh
would be allowed her freedom. TIL
home secretary said a license ha
been granted 10 Mrs. Maybrick undo
the penal seryitude acts.
The transfer OF he prisoner frol
a penal prison 10 a quiet countr
home constituted IA almost unprec
denied act on t. part of the BIRTHS
authorities. It was due to the med
alton OF the Duchess of Bedford, VIII
as a visitor to Aylesbury for mar
years. had been taking personal /
terest in Mrs. Maybrick and final
succeeded in obtaining the mitigate
of her punishment to the extent
her being allowed to spend the la
six months outside of prison walls.