The Sun. — 1859-05-09 (London, England)

SUSPECTED CASE OF POISONING AT RICHIIOND.  AN APPARENT SECOND " PALMER."— ADDITIONAL PARTICULARS. RICHMOND, SATURDAY. On Saturday, being the court day of the Richmond Petty Sessions, a great number of persons assembled at the Court-house, with the view of obtaining admission for the purpose of hearing the expected re-examination of Dr. Smethurst, a temporary resident of Richmond, who stands charged with the wilful murder of a lady, named Isabella Bankes, with whom he was living, by the administration of arsenic in small quantities. Owing, however, to the analyses not being completed, the case was further adjourned. Since the decease of the unfortunate lady additional facts have come to light warranting very strong suspicion of the guilt of the accused. It appears that about a week since, a solicitor in the town completed the will of the deceased in favour of the accused, and which, it is believed, will be produced in evidence at the next examination ; and the result of the post mortem proved that the deceased was enceinte. The following are the entire facts of this extraordinary case, which have not yet appeared : The deceased wits a single lady of 36 years of age, and Dr. Thomas Smethurst, nine years her senior, and both possessed of considerable property. Dr. Smethurst. and his wife were residing at a boarding-house in Bayswater, as was also the deceased. An intimacy sprang up between Dr. Smethurst and the deceased, leading to an elopement, and after visiting Brighton and various other fashionable places, they at length came to Richmond about nine weeks since, residing first at Richmond-green, and latterly at No. 10, Almavillas, Richmond-hill, where the deceased now lies. On the 3d of April Dr. F. G. Julius was called in to attend the deceased, who was suffering from diarrhoea and vomiting. He believed it was bilious diarrhoea, there being nothing to lead to suspicion. He administered various treatments in conjunction with Dr. Smethurst, and with his sanction. He gave nothing of a metal kind. On the 18th he became puzzled, and requested his partner, Mr. Bird, to go in, the result being an opinion that something was being given to keep up the irritation. The lady got worse, with constant vomiting and diarrhoea. Dr. Smethurst removed the vomitings and evacuations from the room. Nothing apparently could exceed his care and attention. Dr. Todd, with Dr. Smethurst's sanction, came down from King's College and prescribed; the prescriptions were in accordance with the treatment already pursued, and were calculated to allay the irritation, but the symptoms became aggravated. On the following Friday, during Dr. Smethurst's temporary absence, a portion of an evacuation just passed was placed in two bottles and sent to London for analysation ; and on Reinsch's preliminary test being applied, viz., the introduction of fine copper wire into the liquid, the wire became crusted with some metallic substance, proving the presence of some metal. The bottles subsequently fell under the notice of Professor Taylor, who upon testing, finding the presence of arsenic, sought the magisterial authority for a full analysation, which being obtained the following letter to Dr. Julius was the result : " 15, St. James's-terrace, Regent's-park, May 2. " Sir,—ln accordance with the instructions contained in your letter of yesterday's date I have made a further examination of the liquid, No. 2, delivered to me by Mr. Buzzard yesterday evening, and I have to report to y-outhat this liquid contained a small quantity of Irsenic. The liquid consists of watery mucus, bile, albumen (from serum), and a small quantity of the colouring matter of blood. The arsenic is 1114 combination with these matters. It is such a liquid as accompanies arsenic when this substance is a cause of poisoning. Considering the symptoms from which Mrs. Smethurst has suffered (as described to me by Mr. Buzzard), and the discovery of arsenic in the evacuations of the bowels, I am of opmion that this lady is suffering from the effects of arsenical. poison taken in small doses ; and, according to the advice which I have had occasion to give in similar cases, I would suggest that she be immediately placed under the care of some trustworthy person, by whom alone all articles of food and medicine should be administered. I believe that her life will depend upon the immediate and strict adoption of these preventions, as arsenic is in her body, and is now passing from her in the discharges from her bowels.—l am, sir, &c., "