However, in order to aid the prosecution, he was quite willing to show how Mr.Brenton came to his death.

Then witnesses were called, who, to the astonishment of Mrs.Brenton, testified that her husband had all along had a tendency to insanity.

It was proved conclusively that some of his ancestors had died in a lunatic asylum, and one was stated to have committed suicide.

The defence produced certain books from Mr.Brenton's library, among them Forbes Winslow's volume on "The Mind and the Brain," to show that Brenton had studied the subject of suicide.
The judge's charge was very colourless.

It amounted simply to this: If the jury thought the prosecution had shown Mrs.Brenton to have committed the crime, they were to bring in a verdict of guilty, and if they thought otherwise they were to acquit her; and so the jury retired.
As they left the court-room a certain gloom fell upon all those who were friendly to the fair prisoner.
Despite the great reputation of Benham and Brown, it was the thought of every one present that they had made a very poor defence.