The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1860-07-31 00:00:00

THE POISONING CASES AT LIVERPOOL

After repeated remands and numerous delays,
Thomas Winslow was brought up on Inday before Mr.
Raffles, the stipendiary magistrate, at the Police Court.
on the charge of having caused the death .4 Mrs. Ann
James, a boarding-house-keeper in Vauxhall-mail.
There were also charges against the prisoner of having
poisoned Mrs. Elizabeth Townsend,sinter to Mrs. James,
and William and Samuel Townsend, two sonsof the laid
named woman. In all the four cases the allegation was
that the prisoner hail poisoned the deceased by 1110111111 Of

antimony.
Mr. Aspinal, instructed by Mr. Walter, appeared for
the prosecution ; and Mr. Cobh, assisted by Mr. .1. J.
Pope, surgeon, as medical assessor.
The prisoner, on being placed in the dock, looked
around the court with an air of composure, but he sud-
denly concentrated a very fixed amount of attentive
observation on Mr. Anpinall, as that gentlemon pro-
ceeded to state the course lie intended LO pursue in con-
ducting the preliminary inquiry. Without going into
any detail of the circumstances attendant on the charge,
as that had been brought out in the inquiry before the
coroner, from the evidence adduced at which tin:coro-
ner% jury had returned a verdict of "Wilful Murder"
against the prisoner in reference to the case of Mrs.
J MIMS. the learned counsel called the following witness,
the first being
Jane Caffemtta, niece of Mrs. James and daughter of
Mrs. Townsend, who proved generally that Mrs. James
kept • boarding and lodging-house in Vauxhall-rosd,
was about 56 years of age at the time of her death, and
that the business she carried on was a successful one.
During her illness deceased was attended to by the
prisoner and servants as before. Dr. Cameron was
sent for on the Tuesday after witness arrived, the pri-
soner having sent for him. The &seemed improved,
and then got worse. Dr. (:amenin gave nntructionn
that the dejeetionn and other evacuations of the
deceased nhould be kept Thin Was dune, and he took
them away. On the evening of the 9th of June witness
prepared sonic sago in • china teacup and gave it to
her aunt, who took it .dl, and slept afterwards for
several hours. On getting up in the inornieg wit-
now saw • cup or two on the table, which had
not been there when witness fell isslccii. The pri-
soner had access to the room in the interval. The
cups were left till Dr. CAIIICIOD came. which was about
11 o'clock. Ile was accompanied by two detee
tive officers, but witness did not know they were detee
tives, nor that any one was to come with him. 1)r
Cameron then sent for witness. Ile then said,.
"I AM going to remove your aunt to prevent • 'tar
occurrence," and desired witness to get her dressed
as won as possible. This was done, and witness
accompanied her aunt and Dr. Cameron to the
Southern Hospital. Home, one of the detectives, took
ion of the two cups that had been left. On the
ritlsse
ii'; June Dr. Catneron took away the bottles con-
taining the evacuations of the deceased. Generally
when the deceased WAS sick elle also complained of
great pain in her side. These paroxynnin were nucceeded
by • kind of rallying, but, on the whole, she became
gradually weaker. Witness occasionally visited her
aunt while she was in the hospital. and SSW her there
in the act of vomiting. Thin was in the presence of
the nurse. She died on Sunday, the 24th of June, and
witness last saw her alive on Wednesday, the
20th. On the latter day and the Thursday
prisoner and witness hail • quarrcl. He said
"You are taking things too easy; You are
a second Palmer." This arose from the fact that
the prisoner had ordered witness's husband out of the
house, adding, "1 have authority to put you out of the
boon." Witiwiss said she Rhould remain till her aunt's
recovery. He said, "11l see about it." On the Thurs-
day witness said to prisoner she intended to go to the
hospital to see her Runt. Ile sail, "If you do, I'll put
you in arrest." He also said witness's husband was
carrying about " white powders in his pocket, and lie
was not doing WI for nothing." Witness s husband then
took some carbonate of soda out of Isis pocket, and
showed it to the prisoner, who said, "It's nut likely you'll
show me the right sort." Witness's hunband was 'using
carbonate of soda for his'stomaeli,and had it in his pocket.
He (prisoner) said while she was in the hospital
that deceased occupied all his thoughts—that he fre-
quently saw her at his bedside calling Min out. HO
said the same in reference to witness's brother Samuel
previous to his death.
In cram-examination by Mr. Cobb, the witness said
her husband never put any cot-Isolate of soda in her
aunt's foist. He never interfered with the food of her
aunt. She (witness) never put corbonate of soda in het
aunt's food. Witness never mid she could get anything
she liked 'from a druggist's, and that without paying for

it.
Henry Cafferatta, husband of the precoding witness,
was next called. This was somewhat out of the in-
tender order of proceeding, but it we' adopted in con-
sequence of his having suggested to his wife an answer
to one of the questions put to her. About a week
before Mrs. James' death the prisoner oonapliiineil of