The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1865-09-26 00:00:00

THE ALLEGED POISONING OF A SWEET.
HEART BY A SURGEON AT SALISBURY.

Since the inquest on the body of the late Miss Blake
was held, letters have been received from Professor A.
Taylor, stating that he has discovered strychnine in the
intestines, and in all the pills. Three of the pills. be
states, would he sufficient to destroy human life. The
',mains of the deceased were interred in Laverstock
churchyard, on Wednesday. The police, we understand,
are making inquiries with regard to the case in Fal-
mouth and the neighbourhood.

On Monday at the Townhall, Salisbury, William
John Storer, who stands charged with the wilful murder
of Sophia Binily Blake, by poison, TIM brought up on
remand before the sitting magistrates. r. RH. Rigden
(mayor), Mr. Jas. Wheeler, and Mr. James Hussey. ,
The prisoner who is a young man of gentlemanly 1
appearance, was brought from Fieherton Gaol, were he
bad been confined since his arrest at Falmouth, in the
custody of a police dilatable who had him secured with
handcuffs. He did not appear to be at all affected by
the position in which he was placed and on being brought
into court he at once produced from his pocket • :
number of documents from which he selected a closely 1
written sheet of foolscap paper, which he opened and laid 1
out before him with the utmost sang froid. The court
in which the proceedings took place wee that in which
the nisi prism cases are heard during the holding of the
assize, and in which Mr. Justice Wines was recently
solicited to take the trial of Constance Bent. It is far
more spacious and convenient than tbe "dismal hole"
in which the celebrated case of the Road murder was
tried, and in it the various representatives of the pram 1
who were present found no difficulty in obtaining ample
accommodation. The court was much crowded, and all
eyes were turned towards the prisoner, who appeared
to be the most unconcerned person present.
The magistrates asked him it he expected any pro-
fessional gentleman to appear for him.
Prisoner—l bad a letter this morning from Mr. Kelsey
who would have appeared for me but as he understood
' that this was to be a merely formal remand he is not
in attendance. Ho will appear for me on Thursday.
The magistrates' clerk then read over the charge,
which alleged that the prisoner did, on the sth day of
September, at the parish of St. Thomas, in the city of
Salisbury, feloniously, wilfully, and of his malice afore•
thought, kill and murder one Sophia Emily Blake.
Mr. Supt. Caldow, of the Salisbury city police said,
in the absence of Mr. Watinan, the solicitor, instructed
by Mr. Blake, to conduct the prosecution, he begged to
apply for • further remand. He had instituted inquiries
in the case, and from what had.corne to his knowledge
he believed that on a 'future occasion he should be pre-
pared with further evidence against the prisoner.
The magistrates accordingly remanded him until
Monday.
Though the prisoner is described as a surgeon, he
never passed the College, and has consequently no dip-
loma. He was form, rly in Salisbury, in the service of
another medical man, but he left and went to Clielten-
ham. Returning, however, siortly afterwards' he
represented that he bad in the meantime oassed his
examination, and thus obtained the appointment which
he held with Mr. Blake, and daring which the unfortu-
nate attachment between him and deceased sprang up.
. .

Immediately upon the conclusion of the examination,
the prisoner was taken hack to gaol, no application being
made to admit him to bail.
On Thursday evening, Mr. Superintendent Caldow
again started for Falmouth, and on the following day
succeeded in obtaining possession of the prisoner's pri•
mite medicine chest, in which a considerable quantity
of strychnine was found, thus negativing the prisoner's
statement, made before the magistrates on Monday
week, to the effect that he never had such a thing in his
possession. We understand also that in the event of a
failure of the graver charge, an indictment for forgery
is likely to be preferred against him.