Report of the trial of Madeleine Smith : before the High Court of Justiciary at Edinburgh, June 30th to July 9th, 1857, for the alleged poisoning of Pierre Émile l'Angelier / by Alexander Forbes Irvine, advocate.

  • Madeleine Smith
Date:
1857
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of the trial of Madeleine Smith : before the High Court of Justiciary at Edinburgh, June 30th to July 9th, 1857, for the alleged poisoning of Pierre Émile l'Angelier / by Alexander Forbes Irvine, advocate. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School.

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    Re-examined hy Mr Mackenzie.—The two bundles taken by M'Lauch- liu to his lodgings were in the same state next morning when brought to the office, and they were carefully locked up till given to Mr Wilson. M'Lauchlin signed all the labels along with me. By Mr Young.—I handed the letter I found in Miss Smith's bed-room to the Fiscal, and I saw it in his office. I found more letters than I spoke to in the lodgings. I can't say how many I found in the lodgings, or in the desk at Huggins'. I saw a number of letters found in the lodgings put into a box in the Fiscal Mr Young's room. The letters found in the desk at Huggins' were also put into a box in the same room. I never saw any list or inventory made out. All the bottles which I found I handed to the Fiscal. I found in the press in Mrs Jenkins' house eight bottles. I found a package of powders. I counted these bottles, and retained them in my memory. I did not count the powders ; they were tied together with string. I don't know if all the powders were given to Dr. Penny. 35. Bernard M'-Lauchlin (61), examined hy Mr Mackenzie.—I am an assistant to Murray, Sheriff-officer. I remember going to Huggins' on the 30th March, and taking possession of a number of letters which were in a desk. They were put into a box, which was sealed. I was present when it was opened in the Fiscal's chambers. I did not see the contents then. I went with Murray the same evening to Mrs Jenkins' house, and took possession of various letters, a travelling-bag, and eight bottles. The letters were wrapped up in two separate parcels, and I took them to my own house, and next morning I took them to Murray's room. County Buildings, in the same state that they were in the night before—I had never opened them—and he locked them up. I saw them marked after- wards, I was particularly careful that the letters were put into the proper envelopes. The bottles were taken to my house that evening, and delivered up next day to Murray. They were afterwards given to Wilson in the same state. I took possession at Mrs Jenkins', on the 13th April, of a topcoat, and on the 14th, of a Balmoral bonnet. [Identifies coat and cap.]] I went with M. Thuau to No. 7 BIythswood Squai'e. He pointed out a window in Mains Street—No. 14 of plan—one of the windows of Miss Smith's bed-room. In that room we found two bottles and a photograph, and initialed them. I accompanied Mary Tweedle from Terrace Street, St Vincent's Street, to BIythswood Square. At No. 4, Terrace Street, I showed Tweedle my watch—it wanted five minutes to four. We went to BIythswood Square, and when we arrived there, it was exactly four. We walked at a leisurely pace. Terrace Street is on the south side of BIythswood Square. Cross-examined hy Mr Young.—The letters found in Mrs Jenkins' I took to ray own room ; they were not put in a drawer ; they were left open. My wife was in that room. My family were not in it. I could not say precisely when we marked them. We marked the bottles on the 1st April, and the letters found in the lodgings might be all mai'ked a week after that; I daresay we began to mark them about the 3d April. I believe they were all marked within a fortnight, but I am not sure. I may have omitted to mark some, but not to my knowledge ; I was asked afterwards to mark some which I had omitted. They had Murx'ay's ini- tials. Murray brought them to me in his own office. I cannot speak to the time.
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