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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    Mb. Bodkin. Q. When was it that he made the arrangement about paying for his wife 1 A. 1 think it was a few days before he left my house, after Miss Bankes had gone—the arrangement was that he should pay so much for his wife—nothing was said about the doctor returning, on either side, in any way whatever—he was to pay 25s. a week for his wife—he had paid more than that before. Marian Grabouska. I am the wife of Morris Grabouska, and reside at 37, Kildare-terrace, Bayswater. On 29th November last Miss Isabella Bankes came to lodge at my house—she came by herself—she remained with me up to 9th December—when she left me she told me where she was going —the prisoner never came to see her while she was with me—no medical man attended her while she was at my house—she used to go out walking every day, sometimes for one hour and sometimes longer—she took her meals at my table—I never saw her after she left on 9th December. Cross-eoramined by Mr. Serjeant Parry. Q. I do not understand you to say that you went out walking with her 1 A. No—she went out from my house, and came back again ; that is all I know—whether she walked or rode, I do not know ; or where she went—when she left me on 9th December she said she was going to Clifton, for the benefit of her health—she did not mention any person whom she was going to see there—she appeared to be very fragile j that was my observation of her—she did not make any complaint to me ; her observation when leaving me was that her health was so bad that she required change of air, and slie was going to Clifton to see if she could get health. James Sprice. I am the parish-clerk of Battersea—I produce the register of marriages at the parish church there—on the 9th of December, 1858, there is an entry of a marriage between Thomas Smethurst and Isabella Bankes—I was a witness to the marriage—the prisoner is the man who was so married. William Easter. I am clerk of St. Mark’s church, Keimingtou — I have before me the register of marriages celebrated in the year 1828 at that church—a person of the name of Thomas Smethui-st is entered here as having been married in that year—a person of the name of Thomas Boardman was, I believe, the parish-clerk at that time ; he has been dead some years—the parish-clerk is a witness to the marriage here—I only know his iiandwriting from seeing it many times in this book—I never saw him write—I have seen it to documents many times—tiiis signature, in my opinion, is in his handwriting—Boo, the clergyman, who appears by this entry to have officiated, is also dead. Court. Q. What is the date of that % A. The 10th March. Alexander McCrobtt. I am a clerk in the London and Westminster Bank—the prisoner has an account there—I believe the signature in this book of marriages to be in his Iiandwriting—I have not the books of the bank here—(register read “ Alarriage solemnized in the district parish of St. Mark's, Kennington, in the county of {blank), 1828. Thomas Smethurst, of this parish district, and Mary Durham, of this parish district, were married in this church by license, with consent of (blank), this lOth day of March, 1828, by me, William Otter. This marriage was solemnized hetv>een us, Thomas Smethurst, Mary Durham, in the presence of Thomas Boardman ”). Ann Robertson. I am a widow, living at 6, Old Palace Terrace, Rich- mond-green—the prisoner came on the 4th Febi'uai’y to lodge at my house —he brought a lady with him, who passed as his wife—lie had not been before that time alone to make arrangements about taking the rooms—she 3 S