Glasgow Courier. — 1859-08-18 (Glasgow, Strathclyde, Scotland)

THE 11ICHMON1) POISONING CASE. TRIAL OF DR !SMETHURST.  The trial of Dr Thomas Smethurst, for the murder of Isabella Bankcs, at Richmond, which was abruptly terminated at the last session of the Ctiptral Criminal Court, by the sudden illness of a jurymin, was resumed on Monday, before the Lord Chief Baron Pollock, by whom the case was commenced on the former occasion. Sir J. Lawrence and several persons of distinction had seats on the bench. The prisoner did not present any material alteration in his appearance. While the names of the jurors were being called over the prisoner looked at each of them with great attention, and several were challenged in his behalf. Mr Sergeant Ballartine Mr Bodkin, Mr Clerk, and Mr Mereweather conducted the prosecution; Sergeant Parry and Mr Giffard were counsel for the prisoner. It will be recollected that the prisoner is charged with the murder of a lady named Isabella Baukes, by administering to her constantly small doses either of arsenic or antimony, or some other irritant -poison. He was a married man, but he had gone through the ceremony of nuirriage with the deceased shortly before her death, and he had induced her to make a will in his favour, under which he would have come into possession of about 21,800. It will not be necessary to repeat the whole of the evidence in detail that was given on the former occasion, as it must be fresh in the recollection of the public, down to the period when the case was abruptly stopped by the occurrence above mentioned. .  Serje,ant BALLANTINE, in opening the case, said—The offence imputed to the prisoner was that he had deliberately inveigled the deceased lady into his power, and that he had then destroyed her life by administering to her small doses of poison, and the object of this act was suggested to be to possess himself of her fortune. The prisoner himself was a man of considerable chemical and medical skill, and he was well acquainted with the nature of the different poisons, and it was part of the case for the prosecution that he had made use of this knowledge to baffle, to a considerable extent, the test that were made use of by scientific men to discover the presence of poison. The learned Sergeant then proceeded to narrate the facts of the case at considerable length, and nearly in the same terms as on the former trial.  Several witnesses were then allied, including Min Louisa Bankes, and the solicitor whodrew up deceased's will, but added nothing to the evidence given on a for. flier occasion. _ _  The trial was resumed on Tuesday. The examination of Dr Julius and Mr Bird, who last attended the deceased, was continued; and their evidence was corroborative of that given during the previous proceedings. Two other witnesses also gave evidence; after which several medical gentlemenwho had great experience incases such as were urged by the defence as resulting in Miss Bankes' death, and also with regard to symptoms such as had been presented in the case of the deceased, were examined' and they concurred in the opinion that the death of Isabella Bankes had probably been caused by irritant poisons. In the course of the proceedings a juryman was taken ill, causing a brief adjournment. The Court then adjourned.