The Express. — 1857-07-10 (London, England)

MORROW.  FOR upwards of a week a criminal trial has absorbed the interest and attention not only of the inhabitants of Edinburgh but of the whole Empire. In the ancient city itself the Court of Justiciary has been thronged, and the avenues which lead to it blocked up. The successive editions of the local journals— hourly bulletins of the progress of the trial—have been eagerly bought up. Nor is all this anxious. breathless listening more than could have been anticipated. The sad story that was in the process of development was replete with throes of passion; to the last a strangely fascinating cloud of mystery has continued to hang over its most important incidents; and for the attack and defence were retained the two counsel who stand indisputably at the head of the Scotch bar, both as regards talent and (past or present) political position. L'ANGEUE• died at Glasgow on the 23rd of March. Suspicion having been excited, his body was exhumed, examined by medical men, and parts of it subjected to the tests of chemists. An immense quantity of arsenic was discovered. The circumstances attendant on his death seemed to preclude any idea of suicide. He had reached Glasgow from the Bridge of Allan the previous afternoon, apparently in perfect health. From the time he left Stirling in the train till he started to walk from Coatbridge to Glasgow, is company with another gentleman, the railway curd had never lost sight of him ; during all that time he was in good spirits, and at Coatbridge he ate heartily tat plain and wholesome food. On the road between Coatbridge and Glasgow he was cheerful and communicative, entered no house, partook of nothing. To his landlady at Glasgow he appeared in perfect health, and partook of some tea and toast. At nine in the evening he left home in apparent health and spirits. About half-past nine he called for a friend, and the servant who opened the door remarked nothing particular about him. About half-past two in the morning his landlady was awakened by his violent ringing, though he had obtained her pus-key foe the purpose of letting himself in without anise. He was suffering excruciating torture, and he had disturbed her for the purpose of obtaining aid. He sent her for a physician. He evinced reluctance to die ; he expressed no suspicion of what was the matter with him. Everything in his demeanour on the fatal night is utterly irreconcileable with the assumption that he died by his own act. Against such clear evidence to his deportment and state of mind at the time, it is in vain to oppose vague recollections of boyish eccentricities of long-past years. Murder "by some person or persons unknown'' was the only alternative conjecture. A letter found in his waistcoat pocket seemed to indicate that he had returned suddenly to Glasgow for the purpose of having au interview with a lady. A number of letters from her were found in his repositories some of which implied that he had had repeated nocturnal interviews with her in her father's house. A fellow-lodger had understood from the deceased that on more than one occasion he had had such interviews with her; and had reason to believe that ose of them had taken place immediately previous to an attack (not fatal) the symptoms of which were identical with those of his mortal sickness. Further examination of the lady's letters revealed a state of relations between them which made it plainly her interest to get rid of him. The history of Scotch criminal jurisprudence is full of instances in which fear of exposure has driven women to murder their own babes; was it not more easy to imagine fear of exposure driving a woman to murder a paramour of whom she was obviously sated? One or two of the most recent letters had evidently been written in paroxysms of fear and despair. Lastly, it was discovered that in the course of the month preceding , I)A:it:Runes death, his correspondent had made an abortive attempt to procure prussic acid, and had at three different times purchased quantities of in all to 31 ounces. Circumwith suspicion left no alterna_ Prosecutor. A thorough investiappalling and mysterious history by necessarily determined on. preliminary investigation resulted .MADELLINE SIIIMI fur the AN6RLIER by poison. The undertook to prove that on two administered poison to him, with tat without effect beyond the prosickness; and that on a third occaadministered poison, and rue her murderous intention into the two unsuccessful and the brought home to the accused, regarded ss one continuous act. They horrifying, relentless perseveres.* is t to destroy, ender media establish such e tudblit prisoner, it was seessmry attempt should be proved independent evidence. The called upon to return a Roe, each of three distinct charges is the  arsenic, amounting in all to 3) ounces. Circumstances so pregnant with suspicion left no alternative to the Public Prosecutor. A thorough investigation of the appalling and mysterious history by legal roma was necessarily determined on. The customary preliminary investigation resulted 1 in the arraignment of MADELEINE SMITH fur the murder of EMILE L'Anoextv.• by poison. The Public Prosecutor undertook to prove that on two i occasions she had administered poison to him, with i intent to kill, but without effect beyond the proauction of severe sickness ; and that on a third wea-1 Mon she bad again administered poison, and ma eseded in carrying her murderous intention into affectln one sense the two unsuccessful and the smeem ful attempt, if brought home to the accused, 1(11 amid only be regarded as one continuous set. They 1 woad imply a horrifying, relentless perseverance in • malignant effort to destroy, under repeated Ili , • &Hama, But to establish such • terrible cue against the prisoner, it was necessary each separate attempt should be proved 1, by separate and independent evidence. Tbe jury was therefore called upon to return a special verdict upon each of three diAinet charges in the indictment. There was great difficulty in fixing upon a precise date tor the first attempt. Three witnesses--Mm. Imams, the landlady of the deceased ; M. 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