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engaging speculation。 It was brought to my notice by Mr Alan Brock；
author of By Misadventure and Further Evidence。 Just how far did the
use of flypapers by Flanagan and Higgins for the obtaining of arsenic
serve as an example to Mrs Maybrick； convicted of the murder of her
husband in the same city five years later？
The list of women poisoners in England alone would stretch
interminably。 If one were to confine oneself merely to those employing
arsenic the list would still be formidable。 Mary Blandy； who callously
slew her father with arsenic supplied her by her lover at Henley…on…
Thames in 1751； has been a subject for many criminological essayists。
That she has attracted so much attention is probably due to the double fact
that she was a girl in a very comfortable way of life； heiress to a fortune of
L10；000； and that contemporary records are full and accessible。 But
there is nothing essentially interesting about her case to make it stand out
from others that have attracted less notice in a literary way。 Another
Mary； of a later date； Edith Mary Carew； who in 1892 was found guilty by
the Consular Court； Yokohama； of the murder of her husband with arsenic
and sugar of lead； was an Englishwoman who might have given Mary
Blandy points in several directions。
When we leave the arsenical…minded and seek for cases where other
poisons were employed there is still no lack of material。 There is； for
example； the case of Sarah Pearson and the woman Black； who were tried
at Armagh in June 1905 for the murder of the old mother of the latter。
The old woman； Alice Pearson （Sarah was her daughter…in…law）； was in
possession of small savings； some forty pounds； which aroused the
cupidity of the younger women。 Their first attempt at murder was with
metallic mercury。 It rather failed； and the trick was turned by means of
three…pennyworth of strychnine； bought by Sarah and mixed with the old
lady's food。 The murder might not have been discovered but for the fact
that Sarah； who had gone to Canada； was arrested in Montreal for some
other offence； and made a confession which implicated her husband and
Black。 A notable point about the case is the amount of metallic mercury
found in the old woman's body： 296 grainsa record。
Having regard to the condition of life in which these Irishwomen lived；
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there is nothing； to my mind； in the fact that they murdered for forty
pounds to make their crime more sordid than that of Mary Blandy。
Take； again； the case of Mary Ansell； the domestic servant； who； at
Hertford Assizes in June 1899； was found guilty of the murder of her sister；
Caroline； by the administration of phosphorus contained in a cake。 Here
the motive for the murder was the insurance made by Ansell upon the life
of her sister； a young woman of weak intellect confined in Leavesden
Asylum； Watford。 The sum assured was only L22 10s。 If Mary Blandy
poisoned her father in order to be at liberty to marry her lover； Cranstoun；
and to secure the fortune Cranstoun wanted with her； wherein does she
shine above Mary Ansell； a murderess who not only poisoned her sister；
but nearly murdered several of her sister's fellow…inmates of the asylum；
and all for twenty odd pounds？ Certainly not in being less sordid；
certainly not in being more ‘romantic。'
There is； at root； no case of murder proved and accepted as such which
does not contain its points of interest for the criminological writer。 There
is； indeed； many a case； not only of murder but of lesser crime； that has
failed to attract a lot of attention； but that yet； in affording matter for the
student of crime and criminal psychology； surpasses others which； very
often because there has been nothing of greater public moment at the time；
were boomed by the Press into the prominence of causes celebres。
There is no need then； after all； for any crime writer who wants to fry a
modest basket of fish to mourn because Mr Roughead； Mr。 Beaufroy
Barry； Mr Guy Logan； Miss Tennyson Jesse； Mr Leonard R。 Gribble； and
others of his estimable fellows seem to have swiped all the sole and
salmon。 It may be a matter for envy that Mr Roughead； with his uncanny
skill and his gift in piquant sauces； can turn out the haddock and hake with
all the delectability of sole a la Normande。 The sigh of envy will merge
into an exhalation of joy over the artistry of it。 And one may turn；
wholeheartedly and inspired； to see what can be made of one's own catch
of gudgeon。
％ III
‘‘More deadly than the male。''
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Kipling's line about the female of the species has been quoted；
particularly as a text for dissertation on the female criminal； perhaps rather
too often。 There is always a temptation to use the easy gambit。
It is quite probable that there are moments in a woman's life when she
does become more deadly than the male。 The probability is one which no
man of age and experience will lack instance for making a fact。 Without
seeking to become profound in the matter I will say this： it is but lightly as
compared with a man that one need scratch a woman to come on the
natural creature。
Now； your natural creature； not inhibited by reason； lives by theft；
murder； and dissimulation。 It lives； even as regards the male； but for one
purpose： to continue its species。 Enrage a woman； then； or frighten her
into the natural creature； and she will discard all those petty rules invented
by the human male for his advantage over； and his safety from； the less
disciplined members of the species。 All that stuff about ‘honour；'
‘Queensberry rules；' ‘playing the game；' and what not will go by the board。
And she will fight you with tooth and talon； with lies； with blows below
the beltmetaphorically； of course。
It may well be that you have done nothing more than hurt her pride
the civilized part of her。 But instinctively she will fight you as the
mother animal； either potentially or in being。 It will not occur to her that
she is doing so。 Nor will it occur to you。 But the fact that she is
fighting at all will bring it about； for fighting to any female animal means
defence of her young。 She may not have any young in being。 That does
not affect the case。 She will fight for the ova she carries； for the ova she
has yet to develop。 Beyond all reason； deep； instinct deep； within her she
is the carrier of the race。 This instinct is so profound that she will have
no recollection in a crisis of the myriads of her like； but will think of
herself as the race's one chance to persist。 Dangerous？ Of course she's
dangerousas dangerous as Nature！ Just as dangerous； just as self…
centred； as in its small way is that vegetative organism the volvox； which；
when food is scarce and the race is threatened； against possible need of
insemination； creates separate husband cells to starve in clusters； while
‘she' hogs all the food…supply for the production of eggs。
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This small flight into biology is made merely for the dim light it may
cast on the Kipling half…truth。 It is not made to explain why women
criminals are more deadly； more cruel； more deeply lost in turpitude； than
their male colleagues。 But it may help to explain why so many crime…
writers； following Lombroso； THINK the female more deadly。
There is something so deeply shocking in the idea of a woman being
other than kind and good； something so antagonistic to the smug
conceptio