ALL THOSE FRIENDS IN AMERICA AND ENGLAND
WHO, WITH UNWAVERING FAITH IN MY
INNOCENCE, WORKED STEADFASTLY FOR MY FREEDOM,
THIS BOOK IS GRATEFULLY DEDICATED
FLORENCE ELIZABETH MAYBRICK.
CONTENTS
| PART ONE | |
| MRS. MAYBRICK’S OWN STORY | |
| PAGE | |
| Foreword.—Sketchof My Ancestry, | [9] |
| Chapter I.—Before theTrial—My Arrest—A Prisoner in My Own House—AtWalton Jail—Alone—The Coroner’s Inquest—A Plankfor a Bed—The Verdict of the Coroner’s Jury—TheDoctors Disagree—Letters from Walton Jail—LordRussell’s Opinion—The Public Condemns Me Unheard, | [23] |
| Chapter II.—TheTrial—The Injustice of Trying the Case atLiverpool—An Unexpected Verdict—The Judge’sSentence—In the Shadow of Death—Commutation ofSentence, | [50] |
| Chapter III.—In SolitaryConfinement—Removal to Woking Prison—The ConvictUniform—In Solitary Confinement—The Daily Routine—TheExercise Hour—The Midday Meal—The Cruelty of SolitaryConfinement, | [61] |
| ChapterIV.—The Period of Probation—A Change ofCell—Evils of the Silent System—Insanity and NervousBreakdown of Prisoners—Need of Separate Confinement for theWeak-Minded—Reading an Insufficient Relaxation—MySufferings from Cold and Insomnia—Medical Attendance—AddedSufferings of the Delicately Nurtured—How Criminals and Imbecilesare Made, | [76] |
| Chapter V.—The Period ofHard Labor—Routine—Talk with the Chaplain—MyWork in the Kitchen—The Machine-made Menu—Visitors tothe Kitchen—The “Homelike” Cell—The Opiateof Acquiescence—Visits of Prisoners’ Friends—MyMother’s Visits—A Letter from Lord Russell—Punishedfor Another’s Fault—Forms of Punishment—The True Aimof Punishment—The Evil of Collective Punishment—The Evil ofConstant Supervision—Some Good Points of Convict Prisons—MySickness—Taken to the Infirmary—The Utter Desolation of aSick Prisoner, | [93] |
| Chapter VI.—AtAylesbury Prison—Removal from Woking—New Insigniaof Shame—Arrival at Aylesbury Prison—A New PrisonRégime—The Board of Visitors—Regulations ConcerningLetters and Visits—My Letter to Gail Hamilton—A Visit fromLord Russell, | [127] |
| Chapter VII.—A Petitionfor Release—Denied by the Secretary of State—Reportof My Misconduct Refuted—Need of a Court of CriminalAppeal—Historic Examples of British Injustice—The Case ofAdolf Beck, | [145] |
| Chapter VIII.—Religionin Prison Life—Dedication of New Chapel—Influence ofReligion upon Prisoners—Suicide of a Prisoner—Tragedies inPrison—Moral Effect of Harsh Prison Régime—Attacksof Levity—Self-discipline—Need of Women Doctorsand Inspectors—Chastening Effect of Imprisonment on theSpirit—A Death-Bed Incident, | [167] |
| Chapter IX.—MyLast Years in Prison—I Am Set to Work in theLibrary—Newspapers Forbidden—How Prisoners Learn of GreatEvents—Strict Discipline of Prison Officers—Their HighCharacter—Nervous Strain of Their Duties—Standing Ordersfor Warders—Crime a Mental Disease—Something Good in theWorst Criminal—Need of Further Prison Reform, | [194] |
| Chapter X.—MyRelease—I Learn the Time When My Sentence WillTerminate—The Dawn of Liberty—The Release—In Retreatat Truro—I Come to America—My Lost Years, | [211] |
| PART TWO | |
| ANALYSIS OF THE MAYBRICK CASE | |
| Introduction.—Petitions for aReprieve—Illogical Position of Home Secretary—New Evidenceof My Innocence Ignored—Lord Russell’s Letter—Effortsfor Release—Even New Evidence Superfluous—TheDoctors’ Doubt—Public Surprise at Verdict—Characterof Jury—The “Mad Judge”—JusticeStephen’s Biased Charge—Lord Russell’s MemorandumQuashed—Repeated Protests of Lord Russell—The AmericanOfficial Petition—Secretary Blaine’s Letter to MinisterLincoln—Henry W. Lucy on Lord Russell—Lord Russell’sConviction of Mrs. Maybrick’s Innocence—Explanation ofAttitude of Home Secretaries—Upholding the Justiciary—Needof Court of Criminal Appeal, | [225] |
| TheBrief of Messrs. Lumley & Lumley.—OpinionRe F. E. Maybrick—Justice Stephen’sMisdirections—Misdirections as to Mr. Maybrick’sSymptoms—Misdirections as to Mrs. Maybrick’s Accessto Poisons—Misdirection as to “Traces” ofArsenic—Misdirection as to Arsenic in Solution—Mr.Clayton’s Experiments—Misdirection as toArsenic in Glycerin—Misdirection as to Evidence ofPhysicians—Misdirection as to Times When Arsenic May Have BeenAdministered—Misdirection as to Mrs. Maybrick’s ChangingMedicine Bottles—Misdirection as to Administration with Intent toKill—Exclusion of Prisoner’s Testimony—Misdirectionas to Identity of Meat-Juice Bottle—Misdirection in ExcludingCorroboration of Prisoner’s Statement—Misdirections toJury to Draw Illegal Inferences—Misdirections Regarding theMedical Testimony—Conflict of Medical Opinion—Misdirectionsas to Cause of Death—Misdirection to Ignore MedicalTestimony—Misreception of Evidence—Cruel Misstatement byCoroner—Medical Evidence for the Prosecution—MaybrickDied a Natural Death—The Chief Witness for theProsecution—Medical Evidence for Defense—A ToxicologicalStudy—Medical Weakness of Prosecution—The Administrationof Arsenic—The Fly-paper Episode—How Mrs. MaybrickAccounts for the Fly-papers—Administration of Arsenicnot Proved—Intent to Murder not Proved—Absence ofConcealment by Prisoner—Some Important Deductions from MedicalTestimony—Symptoms Due to Poisonous Drugs—Death fromNatural Causes—Prosecution’s Deductions from Post-mortemAnalysis Misleading—Recapitulation of Legal Points, | [262] |
| Mrs. Maybrick’s OwnAnalysis of the Meat-Juice Incident, | [366] |
| Memorials for Respite ofSentence.—From the Physicians of Liverpool—From theBars of Liverpool and London—From Citizens of Liverpool, | [381] |
| NewEvidence.—Arsenic Sold to Maybrick byDruggist—Arsenic Supplied to Maybrick by ManufacturingChemist—Depositions as to Mr. Maybrick’s ArsenicHabit—Justice Stephen’s Retirement, | [384] |