Rare Scottish Stories #9 Scotland’s Unsolved Hot Chocolate Killer
It was a brisk Autumn day in 1856 when Madeline Smith opened the door of John Currie’s pharmacy on Sauchiehall Street in Glasgow to enquire about the purchasing of arsenic to kill rats. Little did she know that this action would lead to one of the most tragic love stories in Scottish history that is still debated today. Arsenic is a lethal poison that can be used overtime to slowly kill someone by building up the amount in their body, little by little, leading to a gradual decline of health followed by death. It was a popular form of murder in Victorian times as arsenic poisoning presented itself no different to many other illnesses and without todays forensic pathology, you could say that one could get away with murder quite easily.
On the hearing of arsenic alarm bells sounded in John Currie’s head and he stepped forward to gather more details before agreeing to the sale with this attractive young woman. He suggested that Madeline procure another form of poison as it would do just as well, if not better, to kill rats. Madeline insisted that she believed arsenic to be the most effective form of pest control. Reluctantly, Currie agreed and as was mandatory in those times, insisted that she wrote her name in the pharmacy poison book. Happily and without fuss, Madeline obliged and signed M. H. Smith in the book. Her open and respectable manner put Currie at ease and he finalised the sale of one ounce of arsenic powder. Afterall, Madeline was from a well-to-do family, fashionably dressed and locally respected.
Raw arsenic
In June the following year, Madeline took the stand in the High Court of Judiciary in Edinburgh on three charges - two of administering poison with intent to kill Pierre Emile L’Angelier and one of murdering the same man by poison. The trial was a sensation and attracted a large crowd in the court room that rushed into the viewing gallery to secure the best view. Tragic romance novels were popular at this time in Victorian Glasgow and this story had all the entrapments of stories that the public had been devouring for years - the daughter of an affluent architect had fallen in love with a penniless Frenchman of a much lower social rank and the romance had ended in abject tragedy. What made this case even more tantalising to the gossip hungry public was that blackmail and murder were involved.
The public waited expectantly for 2 hours and 25 minutes for the three judges to enter the courtroom and sit in their judicial chairs. These men of the law were Lord John Hope (The Lord Justice Clerk), Lord Handside and Lord Ivory - all dour gentlemen who were similar in social rank to Madeline and well known for being fair in the eyes of the law. The trapdoor on the floor then opened and up the stairs came a policeman followed by Madeline Smith. The public were divided by the sight of this slender young woman and both sympathetic murmurs and catcalls were heard.
Madeline stood tall and graceful with a brown fashionably cut dress matching the colour of her hair covered by a veiled bonnet. When she removed her veil, she became more handsome than beautiful due to her large nose. As her three charges were read out to her, she replied in a proud voice “not guilty” to each one. An audible murmur spread through the viewing gallery. Her love entanglement with Pierre L’Angelier unfolded over the next few days at the trial.
It came to light that L’Angelier was not as French as his name suggested and that he had been born in Jersey, drifting across Europe and eventually ending up penniless in Glasgow. He took up meagre employment as a £50 a year clerk in a local firm supervising the dispatching of company goods. How Madeline and L’Angelier met no one knows but a full blown love affair began.
Over the period of months, many letters were exchanged between the lovers which, to Madeline’s embarrassment, were read aloud in court. The language used shocked the public due to its intimate nature and many times the Lord Advocate ordered that certain passages be omitted.
“Beloved Husband!” she wrote in one letter “This time last night you were with me. Tonight I am all alone... I love you more than ever... You are the only being I love.” In another Madeline wrote “Beloved and best of husbands... the man I love and adore.” For a penniless clerk to receive such devoting letters from a woman of the wealthy elite was simply unheard of and must have given great reassurance to L’Angelier that his days of severe poverty would soon be over. No mistake could be made - Madeline all but guaranteed marriage to her pauper lover in her letters. Imagine the heart break and anger L’Angelier must have suffered when Madeline decided, with no warning, to marry one of her own social rank instead - William Minnoch. Madeline then wrote to L’Angelier to inform him that their secret engagement was now off. L’Angelier did not respond kindly.
The court heard Madeline’s response. “On my bended knees I write to you and ask you , as you hope for mercy at the judgement day, do not inform on me... Write to no one, Papa or any other... Do not make me a public shame.” We can surmise from Madeline’s reply that L’Angelier has responded to the cancellation of their secret engagement with venom and blackmail and here is Madeline pleading for mercy to not make their shameful relationship public.
Madeline Smith’s and L’Angelier’s letters were read out in court.
When L’Angelier had first arrived in Glasgow from Europe, he had found lodging with David Jenkins, a joiner, and his wife Anne. In court, Anne have a graphic description of L’Angelier’s illness in her home. She stated that his illness had began one day in Februarywhere she had found the man in bed suffering from violent nausea. She asked him why he had not called on her for help and he responded that he was so ill he was unable to get up or call out as his stomach was seized with such awful pain. He did not have energy to even ring the bell to ask for help either. Anne went on to describe how L’Angelier became increasingly ill at different times throughout the month. She summoned a doctor and informed him that he became the most ill after leaving the house for a while. Anne tasked herself with noting his whereabouts and who he was meeting with but before she could do so, L’Angelier died on 23rd Match.
A post mortem revealed that L’Angelier had 82 grains of arsenic in his stomach. At trial Dr Frederick Penny, Professor of Chemistry at Glasgow University stated that “four to six grains are generally regarded as sufficient to destroy life.” More sensation was added to the trial by a small elderly spinster, Mary Perry, who attended the same church as L’Angelier and acted as a go between the two lovers. Under oath she testified that Madeline served L’Angelier hot chocolate and coffee as a refreshment during their meetings and it was after this that he became ill. Perry testified that L’Angelier has told her “If she, Madeline, were to poison me I would forgive her.” Perry asked why Madeline would want to poison him, he replied “Perhaps she might not be sorry to be rid of me.”
AI generated - Arsenic and hot chocolate used to allegedly poison L’Angelier
The pharmacist who sold Madeline one ounce of arsenic the Autumn before also testified, calm and confident in his manner, that Madeline had poisoned L’Angelier. His pharmacy poison book was used as proof of the purchase. The prosecutions case was building stronger by the day and one letter read aloud on court seemed to conclusively prove Madeline’s condemnation. “You did look bad, Sunday night and Monday morning. I think that you got sick walking home so late - and the long want of food, so the next time we meet, I shall make you eat a loaf of bread.” Could any one that was guilty of such a cold blooded murder implicate herself so clearly in writing? Throughout the whole trial, Madeline sat emotionless and was completely cool, calm and collected. Madeline also admitted in court that she had indeed bought arsenic and that it was to kill rats. Would anyone who had been planning a murder, so far in advance, sign their real name so readily?
As the trial continued, Madeline confessed that the arsenic was not to kill rats at all but was for cosmetic reasons. Arsenic was a popular cosmetic enhancer that could be watered down and was considered to be good for the skin. Madeline claimed that a former school friend, Augusta Guibeli, had taught her this technique but when this former friend was brought to testify under oath, she denied that this was ever the case.
The prosecution summed up the case against her - she had written damning letters to L’Angelier that seemed to almost taunt his growing illness, there was a motive for murder and she had changed her story on the reason she purchased the arsenic. The jury, judges and the public were were certain of a guilty verdict. That was until Madeline’s father, acting as defence council, The Dean of the Faculty of Advocates presented his evidence. The Scottish legal system differs to that of England in that an advocate is similar to a barrister and is considered one of the most prestigious lawyers. The Dean’s speech was in depth and awe inspiring in defence for his daughter’s innocence.
The Dean stressed that Madeline was a good girl from a moral family and had never once in her life been the subject of even the smallest kind of gossip. He further presented that while their affair had been degrading and corrupt socially that Madeline could never have learned of such wrong doing if she had not been corrupted by a source - L’Angelier. He claimed that it was L’Angelier that brought her degradation and that Madeline’s pure mind would never think of poisoning anyone. The Dean claimed that it was L’Angelier who had seduced Madeline and manipulated her affections. He presented evidence that L’Angelier had suffered from stomach complaints throughout his life and had even bragged to several people about being an “arsenic eater”. The evidence against Madeline was only circumstantial after all.
After only 30 minutes, a decision was reached by the jury. All charges were found “not proven” and therefore not guilty. Not proven is a Scottish verdict which generally means that the jury consider the accused guilty but there is insufficient evidence to convict. A prisoner is freed after such a verdict in Scotland.
Madeline gratefully received the congratulations of these in court who believed her innocent from the start and ignored the hoots of derision from those that believed she was getting away with murder. After the trial, Madeline moved to London where she married an artist and in later life moved to the United States where she died in 1927 aged 91.
This tragic Scottish love story has fascinated lovers of true crime for decades and still remains unsolved. We will never know wether Madeline really did poison L’Angelier but it seems likely that she did. Is this a case of true love gone wrong or a passionate affair that flexes on the power of the upper class? L’Angelier’s grave can be found in Glasgow’s Ramshorn Church graveyard at lot L32, near the entrance of the gates. Below is a photo of his grave taken by us as we visited his final resting place while researching this story. We are thinking of him this Valentine’s Day.
L’Angelier’s grave at plot L32 at the Ramshorn Church in Glasgow