Weekly News. — 1890-06-26 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

TIIE DE42H OF. MRS. MARSHALL  HALL.  At the Westminster Police-court on Friday Albert Laermann, 31, alias Viscount de Lerma, describing himself as M.D. of Brussels University, and Lieutenant Raoul de Vismes de Ponthieu, 26, of the Bombay Staff Corps, were together charged on remand, the first-named with illegal operations on Mrs. Edward Marshall Hall, whereby her death re suited, and the latter with being an accessory before the fact, and therefore • principal in the felony. Mr. C. Mathews, instructed by the Solicitor'. Le partment of the Treasury, prosecuted ; Mr. George Lewis defended Lieutenant de Pouthieu, and Mr. Bernard Abrahams appeared for Laermann.  Mr. Mathews statixi that Lieutenant de Ponthieu met Mrs. Marshall Hall at Bournemouth, and that at the beginning of the year. when he was resident in London learning Russian, lie frequently went backwards and forwards there to vieit her. The lady WM the who of a learned friend of lie (Mr. Mathews), and she was separated from him by a deed made in October last year, providing her with an allowance. It would be made clear in the coins,' of the inquiry that Mrs. Hall became eneeinte by de Ponthieu. Early in May Mrs. Hall could have had no doubt shout her etste, and it was then that de Ponthieu took her to Mrs. Grandt's house in Berneriestreet. At one time, when Mrs. </remit accompsnied Mrs. Hall to Istermann. the prisoner (Laermann) lejected morphia, and ti' drown her cries went to the piano and played and sang. When her condition was most serious he had made entries in his books and given her prescriptions of an innocent nature fir the purpose of deceiving anyone should death result, aa it had, and at the time of his arrest he attributed her decease to dysentery. which was entirely inconsistent with his entries and previous otatonenta. In concluding a long rcatinie of the evidence which would be called, Mr. Mathews said the law of this country was that the prisoners must be charged with murder, do Porithien standing in the same position as the principal, Laerinann. being an accessory before the fact. There also would be counts of felonies of leas degree. De Ponthien, he wished to say, when he heard of the lady's death expreirsed his regret, and anxiety at the arrest of Laerulann, and then left the country. Mr. Lewis : Under orders front the War Office. Mr. Mathews : lam not blaming him for that. I merely state the fact. He went to Berlin, and it may be true, as he state,. that he returned to this country in consequence of seeing a report of the Caelf in a newspaper. pGrtandt was recalled and repeated the evidence she had previously given an to oar making the acqualidance of Lieutenant de Pouthieu at the Alhambra, and subsequently, at his suggestion, accompanying Mrs, Hall to Dr. Laermann, and as to chat occurred at the doctors house. The witness WAR croes-examined by Mr. Lewis to aliew that Lieutenant de Poutlueti had done nothing more than assist the lady to be examined. Mr. Lewis said he should call a doctor who would state Clint the lady was very anxious about herself. He applied for bail. Mr. Mathews said he left it to the Court.  I.:v.1,01:01y Mr. D'.l.:-y;icuu-r-t-accepte-ti two. sureties  in £2OO each for de'Ponthieu, and the Earl of Northesk and Mr. Gibbons, solicitor, immediatoly justified in that amount.