Central Criminal Court : the Queen against Thomas Smethurst, Monday, August 15th, 1859, and following days : minutes of evidence / printed from the short-hand notes of Messrs. Barnett and Buckler.

Date:
1859
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Central Criminal Court : the Queen against Thomas Smethurst, Monday, August 15th, 1859, and following days : minutes of evidence / printed from the short-hand notes of Messrs. Barnett and Buckler. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    Elizabeth Ann Eobertson. I live with my mother at Richmond—in February last Mrs, Smethurst and the prisoner came to my mother’s house —I used to wait on them ; wiien anything was brought to the door for Mrs. Smethurst I used always to take it in, if ray mother was not there—medicine used to come sometimes from Dr. Julius—if I took it in I placed it on the dining-room table—after Mrs. Smethurst became ill she had her breakfast in the bedroom, I think before she got up—I took her breakfast into the dining-i'oom, and placed it on the table—after she had had her breakfast the things were generally brought into the dining-room ; I think by Dr. Smethurst—they were taken from the parlour, where I left them, into the bedroom—I took them down afterwards—after she became ill she generally took tea for breakfast of a morning, when she could take it—the tea was not poured out before it was taken up—I took up the kettle—the bedroom was on the same floor—in the course of the day I used to take the arrow-root into the dining-room—sometimes Mrs. Smethurst was there, and sometimes in her bedroom ; sometimes she was in bed, sometimes sitting up—I used not to leave the food in the dining-room—I recollect taking an egg to Mrs. Smethurst on the morning on which she left; I gave it to her; she ate it, and said she enjoyed it very much—I saw that she was sick some time after she had eaten the egg—it may have been two hours perhaps—I had not taken anything to her room in the meantime, after the egg and before she was sick. Cross-examined hy Mr. Sergeant Parry. Q. You say Dr. Smethurst used to take the breakfast in, did they appear to live on kind and affectionate terms 1 A. Yes ; very much so ; that was my observation and that of my mother—he appeared to be particularly kind and attentive to her during her illness—I can’t say I remember Dr. Smethurst being absent three days running; but I remember his having been to London repeatedly—when he went to Loudon Mrs. Smethurst dined in the dining-room by herself—I have attended on her ; 1 mostly attended upon her—I can’t say that I remember, just after she came there, her returning home from a walk very much ex- hausted—I remember quite well a cliair being put outside for her to sit upon one evening, because she was so tired that she was unable to come into the house without rest—I don’t remember whether that was shortly after they came, but I recollect the evening quite well. Court. Q. Was that before or after she was ill ? A. I think it was after she was ill. Mr. Serjeant Parry. C My question was, whether it was not early after she came there ; are you quite sure about that? A. I cannot be quite certain on that point; it was after she was taken ill, after the symptoms of diarrhoea —she had been out for a walk with Mr Smethurst; I cannot remember how long she had been out—I remember Dr. Smethurst going up to town about his teeth—I am not quite sure w’hether that was before or after Mrs. Smethurst was ill—I remember his complaint about his teeth—there was a grate in the bedroom, but it was covered over—I cannot remember after he returned seeing a wine-bottle in any pai’t of the bedroom—they drank wine for a short time after they came ; no brandy was fetched at any time, that I know of—I have noticed Mrs. Smethurst vomiting ; I can’t say that I have noticed it without her having taken food; my mother only attended to the bedroom—I have heard her vomiting early in the morning—I have repeat- edly seen her vomiting during Mr. Smethurst’s absence from Richmond—I think the vomiting appeared to continue whether he was absent or present; it was continuous.