The Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-06-29 00:00:00

THE INQUEST.
Yesterday the coroner and a respectable jury proceeded
with the inquest in the case of Anne James, whose
death is alleged to have been caused by antimony, and
on that charge Thomas Winslow is in custody. The
case has been before the public since Monday, when
the prisoner was brought up before the magistrates at
the police-court. It will not, therefore, be necessary to
give any further preface to the proceedings of yesterday,
as the details speak for themselves.
Mr. Cobb appeared yesterday for the prisoner, at the
Coroner's Court. The first witness called was
Jane Cafferata, wife of Henry Cafferata, an orna-
mental japanner, residing in No. 6, Barton-street, Man-
chester.—Deceased was my aunt. Her name was Ann
James. She kept an eating-house in Vauxhall-road ;
her age was fifty-six. The house is kept open day and
night. The establishment consisted of the deceased,
Thomas Winslow, and two female servants. Winslow
had the management of all. The servants' names are
Eliza Higgins and Margaret Higgins, two sisters ;
no relations to deceased. Up to December last, I
can't say if she enjoyed good health ; she had
attacks of a bilious kind, vomiting and purging. I
formed the conclusion that they were bilious attacks.
In February last I was sent for by Thomas Win-
slow, who reported she was dying. It was by letter
„which I have destroyed ; the words were, "If You wish
to see your dear aunt alive, come immediately." On
receipt of this I came from Manchester the same night ;
I found my aunt very ill; she was in bed. She said,
I never expected to see you again. I remained a fort-
night, and then returned home, leaving her convalescent.
I did not see Dr. Cameron. We all provided her with
food; she principally took tea, egg, sago, and beef tea.
I have prepared sago for her ; that was during the day,
until I went to bed. I slept with deceased ; prisoner
brought the food every night. He generally brought tea
and sago ready prepared for eating. He took the sago from
a shelf in the shop, a pound package. During the fort-
night she was occasionally vomiting and purging. I took
no notice how soon *after taking the sago she commenced
vomiting. I saw her frequently take sago. After a fort-
night I went home, and received a letter from my
brother, in March, to say that deceased was still unwell.
My brother is named Martin Townshend. Early in
March I received the letter. I did not thou come, as I
was too unwell, but I came over on the 2nd of May, I
believe, in consequence of a letter from Winslow, which
I have destroyed, I sent for money, £l, which was
sent, and the words were, as near as I can recollect, he
wished me to come by the next train, as she was veryl
ill, On the 3rd of May (Thursday) I found her in the I
shop, sitting up, but very much altered for the worse.
She kept up for several days, and complained of a pain
in the side, and very sick. I slept in the same bed with
her. No doctor was in attendance. I was informed Dr.
Cameron was the first doctor. She was supplied in the
same way as before. I and the servants attended by day,
and Winslow by night. Dr. Cameron was sent for—l
believe 'Winslow went for him. At that time Winslow
did not say she Was dangerously ill. Dr. Cameron
attended her for some days. On the Thursday before
Whitsun Week, I asked Dr. Cameron his opinion, and
he said it was a tumour in the inside. I asked him if it
would be advisable to send for my brother Martin, who
was at Plymouth—he was in the militia. The doctor
said she was in danger. She got better on Saturday
again. Dr. Cameron visited her, and found her much
better, and I believe he discontinued his visits. She
was better on the Monday ; she gat up ; and then con-
tinued to get better and worse. I think Dr. Cameron
gave a prescription on the 11th. When D. Cameron
came again, nothing passed between us 110 allusion
was made to her being removed to the Hospital. He
continued in attendance upon her up to the early part
of the present month. He did not make allusion to
having her removed; he requested me to keep the eva-
cuations for his inspection; and I did so. Saturday,
June 9th, I prepared sago, and the deceased eat it ; I
took the sago out of the package on the shelf. I saw the
remainder of the package of sago taken possession of
by Horne the inspector. At two o'clock in the morning
I took a cup of tea, and at three I retired to bed. I
left 'Winslow and Henry Bagley up. My aunt, I think,
appeared worse in the night than in the day. This was
on the 10th. On that morning I was asleep and 'Win-
slow did not inform me if he had given sago or not : he
did not say so at any time. Dr. Cameron came on the
10th. Dr. Cameron said she must be removed to prevent
another occurrence taking place; she was removed that
day. 1 saw her occasionally at the hospital : sometimes
I saw her, and sometimes I did not. She died last Sun-
day, 23rd inst. She was possessed of considerable pro-
perty. I believe she made a will. I had no suspicion
that anything improper had been mixed with her food.
Winslow was very kind and attentive to her. After the
removal of my aunt he said that I had been trying to
Palmerize him, as he had been very bad in the bowels
and insulted me very much.

After some questions of no great importance, Mr.
Cobb proceeded to cross-examine the witness, who said—
I did not tell my aunt anything. The reason was, I
did not want to disturb her, as she was ill. I met him
at the door, and he took the key out of his pocket aftd
introduced me to her, saying here is Jane. He was in
the shop when I met him, and he said come and see her.

I think there was only one lodger at that time, and
there were a great many rough characters visiting the
house, so the door was locked to keep anyone out; that
was the time she gradually got better.• Went every
night to the hospital to see her, and Winslow went every
morning to see her, and expressed great feeling for her,
and said the world would he a blank to him without
her. Knew the will was made, but was not present
when it was executed. Martin was on his way from
Devonshire then. I did not hear him say he was to
have all the property. Heard my aunt say that Martin
would squander money in drink. Never asked her
to make a will, nor did my husband. Winslow might
have said to her, " Make a will, for it will not shorten
your days;" but I don't recollect such a thing. I think
Winslow suggested that a respectable attorney should be
sent for to make the will. I was not present when my
aunt gave instructions in the will. Winslow might
have been in bed through drunkenness when the will
was signed, but not through illness. I know my aunt
bad a gold watch, and Inspector Horne has it now.
Never heard her say to give that watch to me after her
death. This book, I think, belongs to Wiaslow. [The
book is the "English and Irish Lawyer," and contains
a great deal about murders by poisons, &c.] One of the
legatees in the will is my illegitimate son.—Mr. Cobb
Will you swear the book is Winslow's ? I never saw
him reading it.—Mr. Cobb : When was the child born ?
In 1851. What were you doing in 1851 ? I won't
answer that question. I was in Radley's confectionery
in Old Hall-street in 1852. I decline to say what I was
doing in 1851. I was with my mother and father in
1853, and they supported me.
Eliza Higgins examined-4 am twenty-five years of
age. I have been with Mrs. James three or four years,
with my sister Margaret. The evidence of this witness
went to show that herself and sister, with the last wit-
ness carried on the business in the day, and 'Winslow
carried it on in the night, and took deceased her food.
On the 10th of June, Jane Cafferata said she would pre-
pare deceased's food, and witness might go to bed.—
Cross-examined by Mr. Cobb : Martin Townsend and
the last witness prepared the food, and Jane administered
the food, Mr. Cafferata is at Vauxhall-road. Heard
Martin Townsend say he was a long time looking for
this, and it came at last ; dad that he was master
now. That was the week before she went to
the hospital. She was then very ill. Cafferata
comes back and forward ; heard him one day, when
going for medicine, tell his wife that poison was
to be given to the deceased, and that a couple of spoon-
fulls of laudanum would do the mistress good. He
took a bottle in his hand and went for the medicine.
Can't say Martin said anything else.—Mr. Cobb Have
you made any statement about Martin ? I can't think
now; I told a person that Martin was watching for his
opportunity, and I heard him say so on the Friday or
Saturday before she was taken to the Hospital. He
said it in the shop, but j don't know who was there. I
don't knew anyone particular who was in the shop at
the time, as there were several in and out when I went
there; the family consisted of Mrs. James, Mrs.
Townsend, and her three sons. Mrs. James some-
times got good health, sometimes bad, and at
other times was very poorly. She Ny,a.a awful
bad at one time with a sore 'leg. I iemember when
Samuel Townsend died, and deceased loved him and
when he died she said 'she would never have anv plea-
sure again, for such a nice young man to go that way.
I remember when Mrs. Cafferata came from Manchester