The Express. — 1848-07-25 (London, England)

FEE:A.—Mary Kay, 28, was indicted for the walla' murder of William Constable, alias Watt., by administering to him a large quantity of arsenic. The circumstances under which this charge wite preferred app. arid to be of an atrocious cherub r. The pawner, who is a married woman, lived with her Lueliavel at a smell tillage called Win, a few miles from Harwich, and kept a little grocer's or chandler's shop, her family consisting of herself and ht r hastsand two children, end a half brother, the deceased. Oa June 8, the deceased, witnout previously having had any thing 'he matter with him, suddenly complained of excessive pain in the stomach, and ruched most ' violently. Ile continued in ti's etste the whole ni' ht, and the next morning a medical man was tent for, and worse symptoms appearing another doctor was consulted, who told the prisoner if her brother got worse to send for him. The deceased did get worse, hut the prisoner did not send for any medical man, and on Sunday, the Ilth June, the deceased died. The evidence against the prisoner was, as usual in [We of this description, purely of • circumstantial cha. ratter, but it was of a most cogent description. It wu proved that when the deceased came home on the Thursday prior to his death, the prisoner sent for some porter, and when it was brought she was seen to shake some powder into it from a screwed up piece ofd paper, which she then warmed in • saucepan and gave to the eceued, who drank it, and alm-st immediately afterwards he was attacked with the fatal malady of which he died. Shortly alter the deceived wrie buried the authorities considered it advisable to' have the batty ex• burned. This was done ; the stomach was removed and submitted to the examination of Professor Tayler and other scientific gentlemen, and the result of that examination showed roust clearly that the death of the deceased was occasioned by arsenic, ciaht grains of that poison, a quantity sufficient to destroy two grawn-up persons, being found in different parts of the stomach. It seemed that some time before the Bth of June the prisoner had gone to the seers tary of a sort of lienclit or burial society at Harwich, and had insured the life of the deceased, whom she made her nominee, and upon his death she would have been entitled to a sum of 91. or 111.; she had false.y teprenentell his age to be 38, when ho was nearly 40, an age which would have disentitled him to be admitted into the society, and she also described him by false name. From the first moment of his being attacked the prisoner eeclared several times that be would be sure to die, and said that it she got the money she should buv a horse and cart, and turn higgler. Immediately after the death of the deceased the prisoner requested one of her neighbours to write to the society ar.d inform them of the feet, sad request them to take the necessary steps to hand her over the money to which she was entitled, but it seemed that their suspicions had been excited, and the money never was pea—These facts having been deposed to by the wit!lessee, Mr. Serjeant Jones made an earnest appeal to the iury on behalf of the prisoner.—The Chief Baron summed up, and the jury at Walnut 8 o'clock returned a verdict of him Guilty.