Florence Elizabeth "Florie" Maybrick

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florence_Maybrick

Florence Elizabeth Maybrick (3 September 1862 – 23 October 1941) was an American woman convicted in Great Britain of murdering her considerably older husband, James Maybrick.

Early life

She was born Florence Elizabeth Chandler in Mobile, Alabama, the daughter of William George Chandler, a partner in the banking firm of St. John Powers and Company, and at one time mayor of Mobile. Her father died, and her mother remarried to Baron Adolph von Roques, a cavalry officer in the Eighth Cuirassier Regiment of the German Army. While travelling to Britain with her mother, she met cotton broker James Maybrick on board ship. Other passengers were either amused or shocked by a 19-year-old girl spending so much time alone in the company of Maybrick, who was 23 years her senior. On 27 July 1881, they were married at St James's Church, Piccadilly, in London. They settled in Battlecrease House, Aigburth, a suburb of Liverpool.

Florence made quite an impression on the social scene in Liverpool, and the Maybricks were usually to be found at the most important balls and functions, the very picture of a happy, successful couple. But all was not as it seemed. Maybrick was a regular user of arsenic and had a number of mistresses, one of whom bore him five children. Florence meanwhile, increasingly unhappy in her marriage, entered into several liaisons of her own. One was with a local businessman, Alfred Brierley, which her husband was told about. She was also suspected of having an affair with one of her brothers-in-law, Edwin. A violent row ensued after Maybrick heard reports of Florence's relationship with Brierley, during which Maybrick assaulted her and announced his intention of seeking a divorce.

Murder charge

In April 1889, Florence Maybrick bought flypaper containing arsenic fom a local chemist's shop and later soaked it in a bowl of water. At her trial, she claimed that this method allowed her to extract the arsenic for cosmetic use. James Maybrick was taken ill on 27 April 1889 after self-administering a double dose of strychnine. His doctors treated him for acute dyspepsia, but his condition deteriorated. On 8 May Florence Maybrick wrote a compromising letter to Brierley, which was intercepted by Alice Yapp, the nanny. Yapp passed it to James Maybrick's brother, Edwin, who was staying at Battlecrease. Edwin, himself by many accounts one of Florence's lovers, shared the contents of the letter with his brother Michael Maybrick, who was effectively the head of the family. By Michael's orders Florence was immediately deposed as mistress of her house and held under house arrest. On 9 May a nurse reported that Mrs Maybrick had surreptitiously tampered with a meat-juice bottle which was afterwards found to contain a half-grain of arsenic. Mrs Maybrick later testified that her husband had begged her to administer it as a pick-me-up. However, he never drank its contents.

James Maybrick died at his home on 11 May 1889. His brothers, suspicious as to the cause of death, had his body examined. It was found to contain slight traces of arsenic, but not enough to be considered fatal. It is uncertain whether this was taken by Maybrick himself or administered by another person. After an inquest held in a nearby hotel, Florence Maybrick was charged with his murder and stood trial at St George's Hall, Liverpool, before Justice James Fitzjames Stephen, where she was convicted and sentenced to death.

After a public outcry, Henry Matthews, the Home Secretary, and Lord Chancellor Halsbury concluded 'that the evidence clearly establishes that Mrs Maybrick administered poison to her husband with intent to murder; but that there is ground for reasonable doubt whether the arsenic so administered was in fact the cause of his death'. The death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment as punishment for a crime with which she was never charged. During the 1890s new evidence was publicized by her supporters, but there was no possibility of an appeal, and the Home Office was not inclined to release her, in spite of the strenuous efforts of Lord Russell, the Lord Chief Justice.

The case was something of a cause célèbre and attracted considerable newspaper coverage on both sides of the Atlantic. Arsenic was then regarded by some men as an aphrodisiac and tonic, and James Maybrick had certainly taken it on a regular basis. A city chemist confirmed that he had supplied Maybrick with quantities of the poison over a lengthy period and a search of Battlecrease House later turned up enough to kill at least fifty people. Although her marriage was clearly over in all but name, Florence had little motive to murder her husband. The financial provision Maybrick had made for her and his children in his will was paltry and she might have been far better off with him alive but legally separated from her. Many people held the view that Florence had indeed poisoned her husband because he was about to divorce her which, in Victorian society, would see her ruined. An even more compelling motive might have been the prospect of losing the custody of her beloved children.

Release

After detention in Woking and Aylesbury prisons, Florence Maybrick was released in January 1904, having spent fourteen years in custody. Although she had lost her American citizenship when she married her British husband, she returned to the United States. Initially she earned a living on the lecture circuit, protesting her innocence. In later life, after some months spent unsuccessfully as a housekeeper, Florence became a recluse, living in a squalid three-room cabin near Gaylordsville, South Kent, Connecticut with only her cats for company. She never saw her children again. Few residents had any knowledge of Florence's true identity and the lady who had once charmed Victorian Liverpool died alone and penniless on 23 October 1941, and was buried in the grounds of South Kent School. Among her few possessions was a tattered family bible. Pressed between its pages was a scrap of paper, which, in faded ink bore directions for the soaking of flypapers for use as a beauty treatment.

Florence Maybrick wrote a book about her experiences soon after her release. A rare copy of My Fifteen Lost Years is still held by Liverpool City Libraries.

Non-fiction books and pamphlets about the case

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florence_Maybrick#Non-fiction_books_an...

Other works on the case

The Maybrick case was dramatized on the radio series The Black Museum in 1952 under the title of "Meat Juice".

The BBC Radio series John Mortimer Presents Sensational British Trials featured an episode about the Maybrick case, entitled "The Case Of The Liverpool Poisoner".

Fiction inspired by the case

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florence_Maybrick#Fiction_inspired_by_...

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=130390929

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Victorian era murderess. She was born Florence Elizabeth Chandler to a former mayor of Mobile, Alabama. While on a boat trip to England the 19 year old Florence met James Maybrick, a 42 year old cotton broker. They were married in London on July 27, 1881, then settled in Liverpool. The Maybrick household seemed happy on the surface, with them having two children together and attending many social events arm in arm. What the public didn't suspect was that Maybrick had several mistress, one of whom bore him five children. He was also a hypochondriac, regularly administering medicines to himself, including arsenic and strychnine. Florence engaged in several affairs of her own, including a suspected dalliance with her brother-in-law and a local businessman. Upon finding this out Maybrick, enraged, sought a divorce. On May 11 1889 James Maybrick died. He had taken ill on April 27 and never fully recovered. It was found that he had slight traces of arsenic in his system. His brothers, suspicious of his death, and aware of Florence's affairs, pointed the finger at her. After an inquest she was charged with his murder. She was tried and found guilty of his murder, then sentenced to death. After a public outcry the case was reviewed and it was established that although she had administered the poison to him, it could not be determined that it was enough to kill him. Her sentence was commuted to life in prison. During the ensuing years the case remained in the public eye as more information came to light, including Maybrick's abuse of arsenic to feed his addiction. While the case for Florence's innocence seemed stronger no appeal was ever heard. She languished in prison until 1904. She returned to the United States and briefly gave lectures on her imprisonment. She also wrote a book entitled My Fifteen Lost Years. Her whereabouts for many years went unknown, until she showed up in South Kent, where she was able to subsist with the help of a few acquaintances, living in a small shack near the South Kent Boys School, with a large group of cats as her companions. Her mental state deteriorated over the years and she became a notorious recluse. However, no one who knew her was aware of her past. She died in her shack, alone, after a short illness. A footnote to this story occurred over forty years later when her husband, James Maybrick, was suspected of being Jack The Ripper, after a diary supposedly belonging to him came to light. His role as the ripper has never been proven, and in fact has been dismissed by many. Florence continues to be an object of much discussion, however, and the case for her innocence seems to grow stronger with time.* Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Jun 20 2019, 19:58:13 UTC