Liverpool, May 28.
The inquest over the body of Maybrick, whose death is supposed to have been caused by poison administered by his wife, was begun today. Michael Maybrick, the brother of the deceased, testified that he had visited his brother during his illness, and had warned Mrs. Maybrick that he suspected his brother was receiving improper treatment. The wife insisted upon her right to nurse her husband. Witness thereupon summoned two doctors and a new nurse. He also seized a bottle containing brandy and an extract of meat. At a later visit witness found Mrs. Maybrick changing the contents and labels of the medicine bottles. He remonstrated with her and asked her how she dare to do such a thing. She replied that there was a sediment in the bottle. Witness again caused a change of nurse to be made. Notwithstanding his precautions, however, his brother grew worse and died in a short time. He was delirious towards the end. After his death the nurse gave witness a parcel labelled
It contained several bottles in which was white fluid and from which the labels had been erased. Witness placed the bottles under seal and gave them to the police.
Alice Japp, the nurse who had charge of Maybrick's children, was next examined. She produced a letter which was addressed to a man named Brierly, in Liverpool, and which was given to the witness by Mrs. Maybrick, the prisoner. While on her way to do this, witness dropped the letter in the mud. The envelope was soiled, and witness opened the letter with the intention of placing it in another envelope. In doing this she noticed that the letter contained a number of endearing words. The following sentences particularly attracted her attention:
Dearest, husband is sick unto death. All depends upon how long his strength can hold out. Darling, relieve your mind of all fear of discovery, now or in the future. In any case, do not leave England till I see you once again."
Witness, instead of posting letter
After Maybrick died, witness found in the linen closet a box rolled up in a sheet. The box belonged to Mrs. Maybrick, and contained a package of powder, labelled poison.
Evidence was given to the effect that Mrs. Maybrick bought a quantity of arsenical fly papers, and that she apparently tampered with the patient's food and medicines. On one occasion, deceased reproached his wife, saying: "How could you do it?" Other witnesses testified to the wife's hatred of deceased, and to her threatening to give it to him hot for publicly upbraiding her.
