Arizona republican., 1914-04-30
.@&v& &a|l{R.l|jI&}. 2 U I7ze U Great Trials
 % History
TRIAL OF THE STAUNTONS

It is close to forty years since the famous trial of the Stauntons in England was being followed with marked attention throughout the Eng lish- speaking world as one of the most remarkable murder trials that had been held previously or since then. It was only by mere chance that the discovery was made that the death of Mrs. Harriet Staunton had not been regular. but that there was a tragedy back of it.
 On the evening of Friday. April 13. 1877, an inquiry was made at a shop in Forbes road, Penge, as to the place where a death could be regis tered. It was stated that the de- ceased was q lady from Cudham, in Kent There was in the shop at the time a gentleman bearing the historic but unusual name of Casa blanca. He became interested, as he had a sis ter-in-law in that location whom he and his wife had heard was victim
 
 Casabianca took it upon himself to look into the matter and the rcVela- tons that followed led to the post pOnement of the funeral and an eX- animation of the body. Harriet. be- fore her marriage to Louis Staunton, had been Harriet Richardson She had left to her by will close to four thousand pounds. The marriage took place on June 16, 1875. As there had been no settlement, Louis Staunton became possessed of all the property to which his wife was then or might at any future time become entitled Harriets mother visited her daugh- ter three weeks after the wedding, and was then informed never to do so again, and it was the last time she saw Harriet alive Rumors reached her that the husband was paying at | tention to one Alice Rhoades and sadly neglecting his wife.
 1 Louis Staunton had married brother by the name of Patrick, and after their child was born 1t was to ! Patrick that he sent his wife and child to board. From the 23d of Oc- tober, 1876, to the 18th of April. ls''' Harriet Staunton disappeared rom the outer world The nature Of the treatment to which Harriet was sub- l iected during these sad months was strongly disputed at the trial; but II is certain that she was kept in du- ress and forbidden to go outside the door of the house. At any rate, the unfortunate infant of the l-ouls Stauntons died of the treatment.
 Finally. when Harriet became sC weak and emaciated that she could no longer speak, she was placed 1T room at Penge. where she died or April 13. On the 18th the coroner impanelled q jury in order that post-mortem might be held. It de veloped that there were no traces O poison or any evidence of violence but the complete absence of fat an' the extreme emaciation of the bod. drove Prof. Rodgers to the conclusion that death was due to starvation am neglect.
 The result of the coroner's inques was that on Saturday, May 19 tn
 jury rendered a verdict or wlllfu murder against the Stauntons an
 Alice Rhodes The contradictions be tween their evidently concerted mar rative and the cumulative testimon
 of a crowd of independent witnesse
 were overwhelming.
 The prisoners were taken to Maid
 stone jail and on Monday. May ?
 they were brought before the benc
 at Bromley. The hearing of tn
 cases was held at various ulmes be
 tween that date and June 13, and O
 the latter date the quartet were com
 mitted to the ensuing Kent asslze
 on the charge of murder.
 The Kent assizes were held
 Maidstone. but so bitter was tn public that the court did not pelleN
 inc Drisoners would get d fair tri;
 there. so it was removed to the CeH l tral Criminal Court. The rial pe came known as the Penge myster.
 Sir Henry Hawkins. the lord chi'
 justice, sat in judgment. Each or tf prisoners were separately represente
 The trial was postponed several time
 but was finally begun on Septempe
 19, 1871.
 The issue before the jury was eA plained to them that it was neceS
 sarv to find out whether Harrl'
 Staunton had met her death throus
 the culpable misconduct of the prs
 ours. and if so whether such ms
 conduct amounted to murder or mar g slaughter. If the deceased was kel
 without food or otherwise neglecte
 with the design of causing her deat [ those who abetted the guilty desls would be guilty of murder
 The examination and cross exam l nation of the witnesses lasted 1l' l days. and when the jury retired the { were only out an hour and nal $ when they brought in Verdlct { guilty against all four persons, p' { recommended the two women to mel cv. The judge pronounced death upo aI four persons, but the pubic ha { changed their temper when the tW ! women were to meet their death, an