Trial Of Mary Blandy Part 13

Where was Miss Blandy then?--She was then in the house.

[Sidenote: E. Herne]

EDWARD HERNE, examined--I formerly was a servant in Mr. Blandy's family; I went there eighteen years ago, and left them about twelve years ago last November, but have been frequently at the house ever since, that is, may be once, twice, thrice, or four times in a week.

What was Miss's general behaviour to her father and in the family?--She behaved, according to what I always observed, as well to her father and the family as anybody could do, an affectionate, dutiful daughter.

Did you see her during the time of Mr. Blandy's illness?--I did. The first time I went into the room she was not able to speak to me nor I to her for ten minutes.

What was that owing to?--It was owing to the greatness of her grief.

When was this?--It was the 12th of August, at night.

How did her father seem to be satisfied with her behaviour and conduct?--She was put into my custody that night; when I went into the room (upon hearing the groans of her father) she said, at my return, "Pray, Ned, how does he do?"

Did you ever hear her speak ill of her father?--I never heard her swear an oath all the time I have known her, or speak a disrespectful word of her father.

Cross-examined--What are you?--I am s.e.xton of the parish.

On what night did Mr. Blandy die?--On the Wednesday night.

How came you, as she was put under your care, to let her get away?--I was gone to dig a grave, and was sent for home; they told me she was gone over the bridge.

Had you any talk with her about this affair?--She declared to me that Captain Cranstoun put some powder into tea one morning for Mr. Blandy, and she turned herself about he was stirring it in the cup.

When did she tell you this?--In August, 1750.

Have you seen her since she has been in Oxford Gaol?--I have. When the report was spread that the captain was taken I was with her in the gaol; a gentleman came in and said he was taken; she wrung her hands and said, "I hope in G.o.d it is true, that he may be brought to justice as well as I, and that he may suffer the punishment due to his crime as she should do for hers."

PRISONER--Give me leave to ask the last witness some questions.

COURT--You had better tell your questions to your counsel, for you may do yourself harm by asking questions.

PRISONER'S COUNSEL--Did not the prisoner at the same time declare that as to herself she was totally innocent, and had no design to hurt her father?--At that time she declared that when Cranstoun put the powder into the tea, upon which no damage at all came, and when she put powder afterwards herself, she apprehended no damage could come to her father.

When she spoke of her own suffering did she not mean the same misfortune that she then laboured under?--She said she should be glad Cranstoun should be taken and brought to justice; she thought it would bring the whole to light, he being the occasion of it all, for she suffered (by being in prison) and was innocent, and knew nothing that it was poison no more than I or any one person in the house.

[Sidenote: T. Cawley]

THOMAS CAWLEY, examined--I have known Miss Blandy twenty years and upwards, and her father likewise; I was intimate in the family, and have frequently drunk tea there.

What was her behaviour to her father during your knowledge of her?--I never saw any other than dutiful.

[Sidenote: T. Staverton]

THOMAS STAVERTON, examined--I have lived near them five or six and twenty years and upwards, and was always intimate with them; I always thought they were two happy people, he happy in a daughter and she in a father, as any in the world. The last time she was at our house she expressed her father had had many wives laid out for him, but she was satisfied he never would marry till she was settled.

Cross-examined--Did you observe for the last three or four months before his death that he declined in his health?--I observed he did; I do not say as to his health, but he seemed to shrink, and I have often told my wife my old friend Blandy was going.

Had he lost any teeth latterly?--I do not know as to that; he was a good-looking man.

PRISONER'S COUNSEL--How old was he?--I think he was sixty-two.

[Sidenote: Mary Davis]

MARY DAVIS, examined--I live at the Angel at Henley Bridge; I remember Miss Blandy coming over the bridge the day that Mr. Blandy was opened; she was walking along, and a great crowd of people after her. I, seeing that, went and asked what was the matter; I asked her where she was going? She said, "To take a walk for a little air, for they were going to open her father, and she could not bear the house." The mob followed her so fast was the reason I asked her to go to my house, which she accepted.

Did she walk fast or slowly?--She was walking as softly as foot could be laid to the ground; it had not the least appearance of her going to make her escape.

[Sidenote: R. Stoke]

ROBERT STOKE, examined--I saw the prisoner with Mrs. Davis the day her father was opened; I told her I had orders from the Mayor to detain her. She said she was very glad, because the mob was about.

Did you think, from her dress and behaviour, she was about to attempt to make her escape?--No, it did not appear to me at all.

Cross-examined--Were you there when Mr. and Mrs. Lane came in?--I was.

Did you hear the words she said to Mr. Lane?--I heard nothing at all.

[Sidenote: Mr. Ford]

Mr. FORD--As very unjustifiable and illegal methods have been used to prejudice the world against Miss Blandy, such as it is to be hoped, no man will have the boldness to repeat--I mean the printing and publishing the examination of witnesses before her trial--and as very scandalous reports have been spread concerning her behaviour ever since her imprisonment, it is desired that the reverend gentleman who has attended her as a clergyman may give an account of her conduct whilst in gaol, that she may at least be delivered of some of the infamy she at present lies under.

To which he was answered by the Court that it was needless to call a witness to that, as the jury was only to regard what was deposed in Court, and entirely to disregard what papers had been printed and spread about, or any report whatsoever.

[Sidenote: Mr. Bathurst]

Mr. BATHURST--Your lordships will, I hope, indulge me in a very few words by way of reply, and after the length of evidence which has been laid before the jury I will take up but little of your lordships'

time.

Gentlemen, you observe it has been proved to a demonstration that Mr.

Francis Blandy did die of poison. It is as clearly proved that he died of the poison put into his water gruel upon the 5th of August, and that the prisoner at the bar put it in. For so much appears, not only from her own confession, but from a variety of other evidence. The single question, therefore, for your consideration is, whether she did it knowingly or ignorantly?

[Ill.u.s.tration: Miss Molly Blandy, taken from the life in Oxford Castle (_From an Engraving in the Collection of Mr. A.M. Broadley_.)]

I admit that in some of the conversations which she has had at different times with different persons she has said she did it without knowing it to be poison, or believing it to be so. At the same time I beg leave to observe (as you will find when their lordships sum up the evidence to you) that she did not always make the same pretence.

Examine then, gentlemen, whether it is possible she could do it ignorantly.

It has appeared in evidence that she owned she saw Mr. Cranstoun put some powder into her father's tea in the month of August preceding, that she had herself afterwards done the same; but she said she saw no ill-effect from it, and therefore concluded it was not hurtful. Her own witness, Thomas Staverton, says that for the past year Mr. Blandy used to shrink in his clothes, that he made the observation to his wife and told her his friend Blandy was going. Our witnesses have said that she herself made the same observation, told them her father looked very ill, as though he would not live, and said he would not live till October.