THE LIVERPOOL POISONING CASE.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8536, 29 July 1889, Page 3

THE LIVERPOOL POISONING CASE.

Mbs. MAYBRICK COMMITTED FOR TRIAL. SCENE IN COURT. The inquest on the body of Mr James Maybrick, of Liverpool (England), who recently died under suspicious circumstance*, was conoluded on Thursday, Jane 14. Mr Daviee, a local analyst, said he fonnd araenic in portions of the remains of the deceased, but in less quantity than in any case of fatal poisoning with which he had to deal. There were also traces of arsenic in the vessels from which food and medicine had been given to the deceased. A lett3r from a Mr Brierley was given in evidence, which showed that he and Mrs Maybrick had been corresponding. The jury returned a verdict of wilful murder agaiDst Mrs Maybrick, and she was committed for trial. The accused was brought before the County Magistrates at Liverpool on Wednesday (June 13). Among the witnesses were the head waiter at a London hotel, who spoke as to Mrs Maybrick staying thera with a gentleman; a housemaid, who gave evidence as to Mrs Maybrick's orders with regaid to food and medicine for her husband ; and the children's nurse, whose testimony bore on the same subject. BEMONBTRATION IN COURT. — MBB MAYBRICK HISSED. When the evidence of the Jaßt witness called on Wednesday wae concluded, Mr Pickford, accompanied by Mr Clever, by whom he is instructed, retired from the Court, the latter gentleman, turning to the dock, slightly inclined his head to Mrs Maybrick. who acknowledged the salutation. Mr Swift, the Clerk of the Court, having finished some corrections in the evidence, most of the frequenters of the Court began to retire. . Mrg Maybriok, however, remained motionless as a statue in her armchair, and evidently was anxious to stop there, bo as to avoid the scrutiny of the crowd. The people in the Court thought that Mrs Maybrick would be taken down below, in the ordinaiy way, to the cells, and Bhe would thus be obliged to face those seated at the rear of the hall, whchad only been able to see the back of her head and shoulders. Sergt. M'Keand approached the prisoner after a little while, and, gently tapping her on the shoulder, asked her to accompany him. The dock gate was then thrown open, and Mrs Maybrick was taken into the small Court usually occupied for potty sessional bus'ness. In order to reuch the door, Mrs Maybrick had to meet, full face, a tier of lady upactai ors at the back, and the moment she turned round the ladies started hissing her, with unmistakable signs of disgust, Mrs Maybriok made haste to get away, the presiding justice immediately shouted to the officers on duty to shut the door, while the buily figures of eeveral policemen »ho made towards the hostile spectators effectually put an end to the outburst. MBB MATBRICK AGAIN IN COURT. Precisely at ten o'clock on Thursday morning, Mrs Maybrick, more mufflod up nnd draped even than on the first day, wae brought into the dock at the County Magiatruteß' Coart, Islington Flags. She had passed the ni-^ht in one of the retiring tooitb at the top of the Courthouße, where a luxurious couch had been specially provided for her. A feuialr attendant stopped with her, and S-Tgeai t Bodgßon kept guard outside the door, h.B weary viuil being relieved by another officer nt fciuht o'clock in tho morning, when Mrs Maybrick rose after a good night's rent. She wi\s much more ani mated than on the previous day, and immediately aft' r tatting her seat in the roomy iimchah 1 covered with striped hollond which hud been pluced in the centre of tho dock, slio threw back from her neck a brown boa or comforter, and commenced to write noti-B on a piece of white puptr. She aleo hud in her po t ,s«seion a document whioh looked Buapiduusly like a luwyer'B brief, antf Ibis she tfunined .WithfttftßtiTOi

MR MICHAHL MAYBBICK'S EVIDENCE. At half -past ten o'clock the entrance of Mr Michael Maybrick into the witness box created what the French call an "incident. This well-known musical composer, wno, nnder the pseudonym of "Stephen Adams, has won fame by writing " Nancy Lee and "The Blue Alsatian Mountains, is a tall, broad shouldered, uthletic man, fully six feet in height, with bronzed features and roßeinbliDg in his general tout cntemble a fine specimeu of a breezy sailor, ibe nature of his disclosures waß visibly telt by the prisoner. The story which he to,d w«b listened to with the moßt profound attention, and the ladies particularly followed the details with rapt interest, which nt times reached a very exciting climax. His discovery of the famous ohocolate box, labelled " Arsenic— poison for cats," and the production of that article as well as tho exhibition of the poisoned lady's handkerchief, caused a tremor of motion among the fair portion of the audience, and many of the female spectators in tbe gallery craned their necks and crushed forward ta hava a good look at the collection of judicial curiositios. The prisoner at thia juncture was observed to be busily engaged in writing with a gold mounted pencil, and she again asked the burly sergeant to pass down a note to her solioitor. This was ;done, and after Mr Pickford had examined the little bit of manuscript he jumped up and asked Mr Michael Maybrick a question evidently suggested by the prisoner's missive. The query had reference to one telegram which Mrs Maybrick had wished to send to Now York, but she understood was not depatched. The witness explained that he had given it to Inspector Baxendale, who, however, did not think it was important, and returned it to him. " But," added Mr Maybrick, " I sent it all the same." THK DECISION OF THE BBNCH. The case for the prosecution having now concluded, Sir W. B. Forwood and Mr Barrett (the Magistrates) formally re tired to consider their decision, and they wbre immediately afterwards followed by their legal adviser, Mr Swift. Of course everyone anticipated what their answer would be, and when they returned in a few m6ments with the announcement that i the cu&e was on« for a jury, and Mr Pickford intimated his intention to reserve the defence, no one was surprised. It was what everybody expected. MRS MAYBRICK COMMITTED FOR TRIAL. The prisoner was tnen told to stand up while the magistrates read over the usual caution administered to accused persons. She ros9 from her seat with wonderful alertness, and immediately she had done so her counsel admonished her in a stage whisper not to say anything, but to leave all to him. Mra Maybrick acted upon this judicious advice, and never broke the silence which she maintained from the commencement to the end of the proceedings. She remained standing during the recital of tbe well-known formula, and received without quailing the magisterial announcement of v her committal to the assizes on the charge of wilfully murdering her husband. The next instant she was uuhered out of the dock into an adjoining apartment, amid a scene of considerable excitement. This being the signal for departure, the crowded Court soon emptied itself, and the audience filed out of the building discussing with animation the incidents of this remarkable trial.

(For continvation of news see 4th page.)