Arizona republican., 1914-04-20
TRIAL OF DR. HANSON

One of the most remarkable poison- ing trials ever conducted at the Old Bailey, London's famous court of jus tice, was that of Dr. George Henry Lamson, who, in 1882, was hanged at on April 2S It was of especial interest to Americans for the reason that Dr. Lamson was native of New York and the son of an clergyman.
 Dr. Lamson was charged with the murder of his younger brother n- law, Percy Malcolm St. John, deli cate youth, who suffered from a spinal disease. If he died before at taining his majority d considerable sum of money would accrue to the poisoner through his wife. Dr. Lam son was in great financial straits hence the motive for the crime.
 On the evening of December 3, 1881. Dr. Lamson called on his brother-in law, who, at the time. was nineteen years of age. The boy was attending school at Blenheim house. Wimble don. After some casual conversation Lamson induced the young man to take a gelatine capsule in which he had ostensibly placed what was sup posed to be some powdered sugar, telling him how easy it would be, in such capsules. to take even the most disagreeable medicine.
 Immediately afterward Lamson left saying he was en route to Florence. In a very short time the boy com plained of being seriously unwell, and at half-past eleven the same night he died A suspicion that he had been poisoned was at once aroused, and Lamson was pointed out as the crim- inaI especially when the purchases of the aconite was brought to light.
 The news of what had occurred was soon conveyed to Lamson and he hurried back from Paris and pre- sented himself at Scotland Yard. Here he announced his anxiety to discover the cause of Percy St. Johns death and expressed great surprise and in- digna ton when he was arrested and charged with the murder
 The evidence against the doctor was overwhelming. when it was found that he had in his possession pills and powders purporting to be qui- nine preparations. but upon analysis were found to contain poison.
 Dr. Lamson was placed on trial oI the eighth of March. The trial con tinued for six days. The defens' mainly turned on the presumption that it was impossible to prove th' presence of vegetable alkaloid 1T the body twenty-four hours afte death. But the scientists called int 1 the case soon disposed of this an' proved that aconite was the cause O i Percy St. Johns death.
 The most strenuous efforts wer made by Lamson's friends on thi side of the Atlantic to save him | They based their plea for q stay 0 sentence on what they considered g abundant evidence of insanity in hi 1 family. It was said that Lamson wa actively engaged in the Rumanial hospitals during the RussoTurkisl war. and that while so engaged h | had a severe attack of fever whic1 completely undermined his health. The judge who presided over tn trial was the famous Justice Hawkins The prisoner was defended by tn celebrated criminal lawyer, Montagu l Williams. and everything was don to free him. Williams speech to tn jury is frequently printed as fin
 example of a plea of this character He concluded his address with: "YO
 may have remarked in the dusk a the close of each days proceeding: a figure delicate and fragile stea lacross the threshold of the court {
 the dock and placing her hand i
 that of the prisoner at the bar. ex
 claim by gesture if not by voic
 Though all the world be against vol
 II will cling to you still. She is
 woman. and that woman the prison
 CTS wife"
 To this plea for the prisoner, tn
 justice replied: Facts are one thin,
 and eloquence is another, and, how
 ever much our feelings may have bee
 wrung by the impassioned address regard to the unfortunate prisoner
 wife, justice would never be admins tered if we allowed our feelings to g
 out to those who, innocent themselve have, 1 am sorry to say, to suffer ft
 the crimes of the guilty"
 Dr. Lamson made a confession u day before he was executed, in whic he practically admitted poisoning h
 brother in-law The hanging o'
 cured at nine o'clock in the mornin
 in the presence of the under -sheri
 the deputy governor, the warden ar
 three press reporters. A chaplain a
 tended him to the scaffold and r'
 mained praying. It was nearly a hour before the body was cut dow
 Tomorrow-triaI of Queen Emma