Year: 1859

wretched room in Alma Villas was daily and
hourly with his own hands administering to the
lips of the lonely woman, whose character he
had destroyed, scientific doses of that subtle
poison, which was stealthily sapping her
strength and drying up the sources Of life-snd
all this under the very eyes of three medical
men, one of them at least of the highest repu-
tation. at4...,. , d. 80.


But the end was drawing near Once only
had the sister Of poor Isabella Bankes appeared
She came TO see her sister about the 10th of
April. But even then she was not permitted
to do anything for the sick woman-not even
to make her SIT il tblancmange or arrow root
lu 81 lie of hercor.sre to come again, she was
prevented by Smethurst, and in fact it was
just before her deatA, and when she was speech
less, that she was again permitted t. see her.


But the same day on which Smethurst wrote
to Miss Bankes to say that her sister was too
weak to see her, he called on an attorney for
the purpose Of getting will prepar d by which
Miss Isabella Bankes was to leave him all her
property Poor woman, forsooth, could not
see her sister, but she could see a strange at
torney. The attorney came on the Sunday
morning, and the will by which Smethurst oh
tanned the whole property was executed.


1t is worthy of remark, that in this will Miss
Bankes signs in her maiden name, aud Smeth-
urst told the attorney that he was only living
with her for a season 1t WIS Just in time, for
on Tuesday, the Sd of May, the helpless victim
died. -a H--.


In the meantime Arsenic had been found in
such way as to prove that it had been depos-
tied in the woman's body, and Smethurst was
apprehended. At first he was released ON his
own recognizances, and strangely enough, when
his nursing care was withdrawn from the pa
tient, the distressing symptoms ceased-her
exhausted strength, however, was not to be
revived.


But the body was opened, and in it was. dis
covered certain quantity Of antimony Was
1t then a. mixture Of arsenic and antimony
which this affectionate husband had been ai-
ministering in that lonely bedroom in Rich
mOnd If it was, il is difficult to conceive
anything more cfuelly hesrtiess .' r g 80 -.


Here was married man inveigling away a
weak woman from her sister and her friends,
going through the mockery of Il marriage to
quiet her scruples, analysing the weaknesses
of her constitution until he discovers the best
means Of putting her out of the way, and then.
in that solitary bedroom at Richmond admin.
istering day by day the poisonous drugs in such
proportions rs should ensure death whilst he
escaped detection.


True, no doubt so long as poor Isabella Bankes
lived there was the income of f5 600 consols.
but then, SO long as Mrs. Smethurst lived :,
there was the danger of an indictment for biy-
amy, and. as it seemed, the additional danger
Of the birth of child. What was to be done T!
As Smethurst told the jury, his best plan
! would have been 10 have poisoned the old
woman, but that was probably difficult and
dangerous. Something must be done at once
Isabella Bankes was entirely in his hands.


He reasoned with himself thus -" Let her
make will, leaving me E 700. Then let her
die of poison, which / can administer-doses of
arsenic and antimony--in such minute uuapti-
ties that traces will not be discovered In this
there is some chance of escape. But if remain
as am, the sham marriage Mt Battersea may
be discovered Isabella Bankes may become a
mother, and then L may be indicted for big
amy, and be obliged to fly the country 1t Is
better for me to poison the woman in secret
though if the crime be discovered must stand
the chance of an indictment for murder The
stakes were fearful. Smethurst played boldly
and skillfully, but happily his prize is death


THE SENTENCE


The Lord Chief Baron said: Thomas Smeth-
urst. you have been found guilty Of the murder
of Isabella Bsnkes. think it would be diff
cult for any one to consider the evidence both
for and against you, without coming to the
same conclusion which the jury have pro-
nOunced by their verdict. cannot help aliud
ing to some matters which have fallen from
you, which are contradicted by the clearest
testimony.


1t is manifest from the evidence, it is con-
frmed by your own letters that you kept the
sister, Louisa Bankes, from seeing Isabella
when she was dylng-at the same time when
you yourself were introducing strange attor-
ney, to make will in your behalf You state
that that was Of no Importance, as you could
have got the property at any time.


1t is incredible that in such case you should
have introduced, within two days of the death
of Isabella Bankes, a strange attorney, to
whom you had made false representation It
is Incredible that if you could have got the
property at any time, you should have seized
upon that fatal point to insult the feelings of a
woman you had apparently made your wife, by
calling her spinster. and inducing her to sign
the will in her maiden name.


IT is impossible for you to say that you did
not prevent persons from seeing the deceased
If anything could add to the evidence which
has been given against you, it appears to me
that the statements you have just made have a
strong tendency to confirm the result Of that
evidence which has been given during the trial


1t remains with me now only to pass upon
you the sentence Of the law which is that you
be taken to the place from whence you came
and from thence to the place Of execution, and
that you be hanged by the neck until you are
dead, and may the Lord have mercy on your
soul.


The prisoner exclaimed II declare that Dr.
Julius is my murderer. declare before God
that am innocent