The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1882-01-10 00:00:00

THE WIMBLEDON POISONING CASE.

On Frkity, Dr. G. H. Lam•on eras again hmncht
bane Sir James Inghsro. at Bow-street, London,
charged with poisoning his brother-in M -law, r. Percy
MaleAm John._

Mr. St. John Wontner represented the Public
Prosecntor, and the prisoner was defended by Mr.
Montagoe Williams and Mr. Walston..
Charles Albert Smith, a chemist at Ventnor, was the
Seat wits... called. He said he had known the defend-
ant for about eighteen months, and had been in the
habit of making up prescriptions for him. The
defendant was then living at Mount Vernon. Tho lad
preaeription he made up for him was on the Bth of
August. On the 28th of August the prisoner came in
the evening and purchased three grains of sulphate of
atropia and one grain of agoras. He did not make
any entry In the poison book, as the poisons were • ld
to a medical man. The prisoner did not state for
what purpose he wanted them.
Mrs. Marin Jolilt living at Clarenceorilla, 312anklin,
said at the and of August last apartments were
engaged for Mr. and Mrs. Chapman by Mrs. Lamson,
the prisoner'a wife. Mr. and Mr.. Chapman came
shortly afterwards, accompanied by Percy Malcolm
John. Dr. Lamm came with them. Percy John
was ill one night towards the end of the visit. He
complai-ed of being in pain all over. Next morning
be was also very ill, but improved during the day. Did
not remember whether she saw the prisoner on the day
before this illness.
Mr. St. John Wontner said he could show that the
prisoner called the day before.
. . .

_
Mr. James Littlefold, chem4it, High-'treat, Vent.
nor, said he had known the primer for some time,
and lest saw him en the 13th October, 1880. On that
day he gold him a dozen of quinine powders, each
containing a goals and a half. The writing on the
box produced was, he thought, that of his fats oasis-
tint. It was in a box of that description that the
powders were icoplied to Dr. Lamson. Did not
ripply the defendant with any acooitine powders.
The powders were made from the same stock.
John Henry Astridge, station-muter at Hyde,
stated that on the 30th of November he saw the pri-
soner arrive from Pfftemouth. He told witness that
he had not enough money to carry him to Ventnor,
and asked if be could be allowed to go on. The wit-
ness allowed him to pass without a ticket, on the nu-
clerstanding that the money would be paid at Ventnor.
The money WU paid.
Mr. Price Owen, wine merchant, Ventnor, stated
that the prisoner's father was a customer of his. On
the 30th of November the prisoner called at his place
of business, and obtained cash for a cheque for £lO.
He said that he was in a hurry to catch a train. The
primmer returned in a quarter of an hour, and, stating
that he had lost his trail. 'eked to have the cheque
returned and one for £2O cashed. This the witness
did. On the Ist of December he received a telegram
and letter from Dr. Lamson. The former ran :
" Just sliscovered cheque you cashed yesterday made
on wrong bank. Please don't send it on.' The letter
stated that the prisoner had picket up the wrong
cheque-book by mistake on leaving home. Nothing
was done to put the matter right, and the cheque. on
being p..& thronall the witness's bankers, was re-
turned, marked "No account."
Mr. Meyrick Heath, cashier of the Bournemouth
branch of the Wilt' and Dorset Bank, said the
prisoner opened an account at their bank on the 9th
of November, 1880. It was closed in January, 1881.
by the payment by the prisoner of an overdraft, and
afterwards he had on authority to draw.
Jobs Fuller, inspector of police at Wimbledon,
detailed the inquiries he had made; and Sergt. Trot,
Supt. Digby, and Supt. Williamson gave some formal
evidence.

-.Dir.-75tomaa Stevenson was then called, and said:
On the Bth of December I received instructions from
the Home-office in this matter. On the 9th Mr.
Dupr6 wee associated with me. On that day Dr.
Bond called upon me and handed over the intestines
of the deosased, and the boxes containing the powders,
sweetmeats, he. The bottle marked A, containing
,he Liver, spleen, and kidneys, had slow spirits in it.
From the contents of this bottle I extracted a sub-
stance in minute qtranti.y, which had the character-
Jades of an alkaloid, in which morphia was specifically
detected. The morphia was mixed with some other
substance. The No. 2 or B bottle contained pa-'s of
the intestines. The bottle marked C contained 114
of • liquid. The fluid was turbid, and consisted of
coagulated blood and spirits of wine. From one-half
of the contents of the bottle I extracted an alkaloidal
substance, which was not morphia. but which had the
characteristic 'filet on the t Argue of &cookie or &cosi-
tine. The bottle marked I) contained a human stomach,
It also contained seven flui ounces of spirits of wine.
which Dr. Dupre told me he had aided. From one-half
of the fluid in this bottle, and from an extract made from
one-half of the stomach itself, I obtained an alkaloidal
substance which was not morphia. The bottle marked
E contained six Raid ounces of liquid. From three-
fourths of this liquid I obtained a small quantity of a
mixture of alkaloids, in which morphia was specifically
detected. Another alkaloid besides morphia was pre-
sent, which produoed, when placed on the tongue the
effect of acoustics In an intense degree. These effects
lasted on the tongue for four hours. One-fourth of the
mixture of alkaloids now remaining was injected into
the back of • mould, which exhibited signs of pots nil ne
In twq minutes end died in thirty minutes, with the
symptoms of raornitine poisoning. He then reverted
to the jar containing the stomach, the liver, the spleen
and the kidneys. Time alkaloidal extracts were
mixed and dissolved. This mixture was injected into
the back of a mouse, which showed signs of poisoning
In nine minutes, and died in twenty-two minutes after
'bowleg the signs of aeonitine poisoning. Having
now obtained evidence of the presence of aconite in
the viscera and in the urine, I turned to the bottle
which qoutaieed vomit. From the contents of this
bottle I extracted an alkaloidal atheism., with the
character of moraine. The effects were undistinguish-
a le from those of awaiting, and lasted in an almost
Intolerable form for upwards of six hours. I took one
twenty fourth part of the vomit and injected it into
the back of a mouse. It exhibited violent symptoms
of poisoning in two and • half minutes. and died iii
fifteen and a ball minutes. I have no doubt that the
portion of the vomit submitted to us contained • does
of moraine which would be probably fatal to an adult
person. Witness wanton to gay that the capeulensweet.
meats, and quinine es= to him were free from
pOiaoo. tie then tasted a parcel of powders. They
wire tied together and numbered from 7 to 90. One
of them, No. 16, weighed 1 4-tha of • grain, which
was b &vier than any of the others. I tasted the
powder. It had the taste of quinine at first, but when
that had disappeared it had a most virulent action
upon the Longue, like that of acealtine. It is • very
delicate fawn colour. No. 17, too, was fawn coloured.
No. 19 was alas • similar mixture. I have ascertained

that these powders are a mixture of disulp`uste of
quinine and aconitine. It was proved by separating
sloid. One-fiftieth of • grain extracted from No.
16 wea injected into the back of • mouse, which
showed signs of pawning in three and a half minutes,
and dial in nix an I • half minutes, with symptoms as
when sconitine was administered. No. 11 was •
packet of two pills, wrapped in tinfoil, one of which
weighed 3 gm. and the other 21 gra They are quite
different in eppearanoe from the quinine pills spoken
of before. They are not what are called coated pine.
A minute p•rtiou if one pill was rubbed up in • iii•l•
water and injected into the back of • mouse. The
animal was affected in two minutes, and it died in 4i
minutes with the symptoms of aoonitine poisoning.
Ile separated in a pure form nearly half • grain of
aoonitine from the pill. One-tenth of • grain hie pro-
duced death, and 1.50 th of • grain has produced
' alarming symptoms. One-bvaltindredth part of •
grain has been sufficient to make me ill all night.
the sherry I found to be free fr at poison.
Briefly summed up, what are the results
you have arrived at ?—The internal viscera of
deceased contained traces of &aniline, which is
pick's's. the most deadly poison known. 'the urine
of the deceased contained aco:it no in an appre-
ciable quantity. The portion of the vomit of the
deceased submitb d to us contained aconitine'
and probably in sufficient quantity to produce a fatal
result if absorbed into the system. Three of the
quinine powd n were mixed with so initine, and one
ofthose powders, No. 16,c more than sough
to destroy an adult pers .n. Of the two pill. submitted
to us one contained more than en ,ugh &wahine to
destroy an adult.
Do you agree with Mr. Bond that death was the
result of poison f—l is.
TAPIR the whole history of the matter, are you able
to form any "pita .n as to the cause of death ?—I feel
no doubt toat deceased died from soonaine p deeming.
Dr. Auguste Dupre. examined by Mr. Woutner,
said he had co-operated with the previous witness
in his &dialysis, and confirmed all his evidence
entirely.
Are you able to offer an opinion he to the medical
aspects of the caes ?—I am not • medic.ll man, but
from my experience in tracing poisons in thrum, I
have no doubt irorn the quantity of aconitine found
in the urine that the buy must have taken a poisonous
dose.
Mr. Wontner said that completed his case.
Mr. Williams said he would reserve his defaces.

Being asked U he bad anything to say,
The prismer, in a firm voice, said —.• All I have to
any, Sir James, is that I am not guilty, and by the
advice of my connsel I reserve my defence."
Sir Jemes Ingram then formally remanded the
primoner until Thursday next before committing him,
in order to carry the case to the next sessions.
In the course of the proceedings at Bow-street, on
Friday, the prisoner's coutniel stated ea a reason for
not croes-examining Dr. Steveeson that the authorities
had ref used to allow hie client to be repmente 1 at the
analyani. The prisoner and his friends, it is under
stood, consider that in this matter they have been
treated unfairly by the Crown. App ication was
originally made to the Coroner upon the subject, and
some correspondence smarted. An analytical expert
was present in court on behalf of the prisoner to watch
the evidence of Drs. Stereos°. and Daprol.
It is stated that the Home Secretary hae ordered the
exhumation of the body of the brother of Mr. John,
who died in the Isle of Wight while staying with the
prisoner, Mr. LBOISOII, IMMO time ago.