The Sun. — 1859-08-20 (London, England)

TRIAL OF DR. SMETIIURST.  (From the Daily Hews. Another cause celebre has be) en concluded. Thomas Smethurst, the surgeon of Richmond, has, after a trial of five days, been condemned to death. Like the infamous Palmer, the prisoner was of the medical profession, and like Palmer, too, the crime with which he was charged was secret poisoning. It was difficult to imagine a case more atrocious than the murder of Cook, but it seems that the crime of Smethurst is even more daring and more heartless. Even now that the jury have pronounced their verdict, it is difficult to believe that any human being should be guilty of the charge; although, after reading the evidence, it is well nigh impossible to doubt that the verdict is thoroughly justified by the facts. The story is full of mystery. This man was not only a man of education, but he had retired from his profession, and was living with his wife in furnisheid lodgings. His wife was certainly an old woman, above 70, he having married her some 30 years ago; but, as he himself told the jury after the judge had assumed the black cap, " he had taken her an excursion to Paris and Heidelberg last year, had behaved to her with the utmost kindness, and had brought her back safe to England." And it must be admitted, that no single word or act of unkindness appears ever to have escaped from him. No account was given of his previous life, except that he had kept a water-cure establishment in the neighbourhood of Farnham. It is singular that a man of independent means and of respectable connexions should have been left alone in his difficulties. Not a single friend came to support him in the dock, or even to vouch for his former respectability. Sometimes the appearance and manner of a man furnish indications of his character. The murderer shows it in his face. The innocent man accused falsely has a calm dignity, which inspires respect. Smethurst displayed neither of these characteristics. A short, rather thickset man, with brown hair, and somewhat bald, his expression betrayed none of those repulsive features which sometimes mark great criminals. In fact, even the sister of the poor murdered woman described him as a " kind and tender nurse, and with a countenance showing amiability." It is true that in addressing the court his voice somewhat trembled, but at the awful moment after the verdict; of " guilty" had been pronounced, and the judge had assumed the black cap the man spoke with an audacious self-possession and a deliberate fluency of falsehood which conyear, Mr. and Mrs. f o urrnodwe ad rthoseh we hcol ohs ee a rodf hl iams t. Smethurst went to reside at the house of a Miss tSrnoi tlha,d et s Aaiyiss L water.oui s aAt and this same house lived w Miss Isabella Bankes. Their connexions were respectable, and their pecuniary means, amounting to something above £2OO a year each, rendered theta Neither of the sisters wass young quit e; n Missd e plesnadbeenl lta. had reached the age of 43, and did not enjoy the best health. Although she was somewhat beyond the age of passion, for Dr. Smethurst, , she seems to have conceived a and in fact their conduct so scandalised Miss Smith that she insisted upon their leaving the house. It is not quite clear whether Miss Bankes knew that Smethurst was a married man, though having lived in the same house with him and his wife, it is difficult to understand her ignorance of the fact. The probability is that Smethurst had persuaded Miss  FATAL ATTACK OF APOPLEXY AT A TABLE D'HoTE.—An English gentleman of advanced age, named Sanford, was suddenly seized on Friday last, whilst at the table d'hote at Meurice's, with an attack of paralysis and apoplexy. He was previously in good health, and was engaged in a cheerful conversation with an American gentleman, when he dropped his knife and fork, and fell on the table in a state of insensibility. Dr. Shute, of the Rue Castiglione, was immediately sent for; and afterwards Dr. Forbes Winslow, of London, a physician of well-known reputation for the treatment of diseases of the brain, who happened to be in Paris, was summoned to a consultation. Dr. -Window considered the case to be a hopeless one, and Mr. Sandford died early on Sunday morning, neverhavins• rallied. Unfortunately he had no relations or friendsuwith him at the hotel, as he was travelling alone with a courier. Several telegTares were immediately hours sent to England his family did not arrive in Paris until some death.—Galignani's Messenger.