SENSATIONAL BLACKMALLING CASE.

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

London, June 24

Considerable interest is being felt here in connection with the charge of blackmailing against Thomas Neill, who is undergoing his trial on account of letters purported to have been written by him to Iv.-o well known and distinguished public men—Dr Broadbent, who so capably attended tho late Prince Albert Victor at bis deathbed, and Jlr Frederick Smith, JI.P., son of the late Mr AY. 11. Smith. These letters brought charges of the most serious nature, and the prcseul trial is the result thereof. The Extradition Court on Jlonday last was filled to its utmost capacity. Reporters, artists, witnesses, and police fully occupied the limited space. Even the seat reserved fur the counsel was filled, while the solicitor for the defenco fouud it as much as he could do to squeeze himself into position at the table in front of the magistrate. An air of suppressed excitement prevailed, due to the belief entertained by most of those present that startling revelations were about to bo made in connection with the_ South London poisoning mysteries. The prisoner, Neill, was dressed in a black Melton morning coat and was looking worn and thin, his closely clipped beard giving him rather a smart appearance. It will be remembered that the girl Matilda Clover, one of the girls to whom Neill's letters referred, was buried at Tooting, on October 27 last year, a medical certificate having been granted that death had resulted from syncope following upon delirium tremens. However, lhe charges contained in tho letters aforesaid caused the body to be exhumed and the_ presence of strychnine was discovered. This discovery rather startled every one. The following is oue of the letters referred to above, and received by Dr Broadbent on November 30 :—

London, November 28,1591. Dr AA r. 11. Broadbent—Sir,—Jliss Clover, who, until a short time ago, lived at 27, Lambeth road, S.E., died at the above address on October 20 (last month), through being poisoned with strychnine. After her death a search of her effects was made, and evidence was found which showed that you not only gave her the medicine which caused her death, but that you had been hired for the purpose of poisoning her. This evidence is in the hands of one of our detectives who will give the evidence either to you or to the police authorities for the sum of L 2500 (two thousand five hundred pounds sterling). You can have the evidence for L 2500, and in that way save yourself from ruin. If the matter is disposed of to the police, it will, of course, be made public by being published in the papers, and ruin you for ever. You know well enough that an accusation of that sort will ruin you for ever. Now, Sir, if you want the evidence for L 2500 just put a personal in the Daily Chronicle saying you will pay Malone 1.2500 for his services, and I will send a party tp settle this matter. If you do not want the evidence, of course it will bo turned over to the police at once, and published, and your ruin will surely follow. Think well before you decide on this matter. It is just this— L 2500 sterling on the one band, and ruin, shame, and disgrace on the other. Answer by personal on the first page of the Daily Chronicle any time next week. lam not humbugging you. I have evidence strong enough to ruin you for ever. —M. Malone.

The other letter to Mr Frederick Smith, M.P., reads as follows : —

London, November 5, ISfll. Mr F. AY. D. Smith, care of AVm. 11. Smith and Son, ISO', Strand, London, England—Sir,—On Tuesday night, October 111 (last month), a girl named Ellen Donworth, but sometimes called Ellen Liimell, who lived at S, Duke street, AVestminster bridge road, was poisoned with strychnine. After her death, among her clfects were found two letters criminating you, which, if they ever become public property, will surely convict you of the crime. I enclose you a copy of one of the letters which the girl received on flic morning of October 13 (the day on which she died.) Just read it, and then judge for yourself what hope you have of escape if the law oilieers ever get hold of these letters. Think of the shame and disgrace it will bring on your family if you are arrested and put in prison for this crime. My object in writing to you is to ask if you will retain'ine at once as your counsellor and legal adviser. If you employ me at once to aot for yon in this matter, I will save you from all exposure and shame in the matter, but if you wait till arrested before retaining me then I cannot act for you, as no lawyer can save you after the authorities get hold of these two letters. If you wish to retain me, iust write a few lines on paper saying, "Mr Fred Smith wishes to see Mr Bayne, tho barrister, at once." Paste this in one of your shop windows at 181), Strand, next Tuesday morning, and when I see it I will drop in and have a private interview with you. I can save you if you retain me in time, but not otherwise.—Yours truly, 11. Bayni:. Mr Frederick Smith.

The enclosure referred to was a letter of warning to Miss Ellen Linnell, which I give here :—

Jliss Ellen Linnell,— I wrote and warned you once before that Frederick Smith, of AY. 11. Smith and Son, was going to poison you, and I am writing now to say that if you take any of the medicine he gave you for the purpose he intended you will die. I saw Frederick Smith prepare the medicine lie gave you, and I saw him put enough strychnine in the medicine he gave you for to kill a horse. If you take any of it you will die.— 11.J1.8. ■

These three letters, though signed with various siguatqres, are pronounced by the expert employed to be in the handwriting of the prisoner, Thomas Neill. The police aro hard at work upon the career of the prisoner, and have discovered that he is a native of Glasgow ; real name Thomas Neill Cream. He was

always a person of much eccentricity. He engaged in ono or two enterprises which were not greatly to the credit of the family, aud his father, when dying cut him off from his inheritance. Neill then engaged in litigation with his brothers, but he was only partially successful in his claims. One of the features of the case agaiust him is the appearance in the witness box of a young lady to whom he was engaged to be married, and whose acquaintance he made during his residence here. She belongs toa highly respectable family, and to her he made many presents of jewellery (luring the last few months. She was present in court, and paid much attention to the evidence. This young damsel is said to be in possession of Neill's will, he having executed and signed it in his own name since his arrest. Her evidence, it is believed, will be of the greatest value to the police in fixing the charge, of blackmailing upon the prisoner. One fact which seems at present to be of considerable importance is that the whole of the letters which the police have in their possession are written upou the same style of paper, of peculiar make. It is thin, crisp paper, ruled with a faint blue line, and water-marked " Fail-fields, super, quality." Up to the present the police have been wholly unable to discover where paper of this kind is bought. It is supposed to have come from America, aud a detective has beeu promptly despatched thither to make the necessary inquiries. He will return with the full details of the prisoner's career iv that country. A most curious point in connection with the affair is that some of them were signed " AY. H. Murray." This mysterious person, whom Neill says he saw on oue occasion, is described by him as a man of about sft 9in in height, and about 40 years of age, wearing a dark coat, with light coloured trousers, aud a hard felt hat. Murray's hair, he said, was dark, and he had dark whiskers aud moustache, with straggling grey hairs in them. This, it will be remembered, is not unlike the description of another " AY. Murray" given by AVilliam Henry Hurlbert, in the notorious breach of promise case brought against him. Scotland Yard has devoted its best intelligence to unravelling the mystery of "Murray," but so far without success—no ono seems anxious to answer to the description. It is probable, should Neill be convicted upon the present charge, there will be others of far more serious nature to follow. For one who openly avows his knowledge of an unsuspected murder places himself in rather an awkward position.