The Press.
London, England, 1856-09-20 00:00:00

I Stir. 20, 1856.

poor man must have been sane because he had long
declared his intention to destroy himself, returned a
verdict in accordance with the medical testimony.
A LAMENTABLE CASE OF POISONING BY MISTAKE
occurred last week at Weymouth, Dorset. A child
of Colonel Broughton, residing at Chickerell, com-
plained of headache. Mrs. Broughton sent her
maid to the chemist's, requesting " a black draught
for a child eleven years old." The servant gave the
note to one of the assistants, who handed it to a lad
named Barrett, about thirteen years of age. This
lad, it appears, was subsequently directed to get the
aperient," black drauOtt," and proceeded to mix a
proportion of " olack drop," a strong preparation of
opium. The girl took the draught home, it was
administered to the child, he became comatose,
could not be awoke, and shortly after expired. The
lad who put up the " black drop " is only about
thirteen years of age. An inquest was held on view
of the Jody. The surgeons, Messrs. Lit hgow and
Tompson, stated that the reFult of their ex
amination of the contents of the body led them
to conclude positively that the death of the de-
ceased was caused by the administration of a prepa-
ration of opium. The chemist and druggist, Mr.
Barling, and his assistant, John M'Connochy, made
statements on oath, from which it would appear that
the former was absent at the particular time, and
that the latter knew nothing of the execution of the
order in question. The only other persons who
could have executed it were James Barrett and John
Lundie. The former is about twenty years of age,
aid has been apprenticed to Mr. Barling about four
y ears; and the latter is thirteen years of age, and
hti been in the service of Mr. Barling just over four
months. The jury, after along consultation,returned
t to following verdict :

We find that the deceased, Augustus Broughton, came
to his death from the effects of a preparation of opium
being administered to him instead of black draught, the
mistake having occurred through the want of care on the
part of John Lundie and James Barrett, two servants in
the employ of Mr. Barling, chemist and druggist; and
the jury also wish to express their disapprobation of
allowing young persona in the employ of druggists to
dispense medicine until they are properly qualified by ex-
perience to do so.
Two BOYS, at Bristol, Crewe and Watkins, were
throwing stones at one another. Crewe threw a
stone which cut Watkins on the bead. The boy
wont home, feeling ill, was sent to the General
Ho4pital, and died in a few hours. Crewe was ar-
rested, but on examination it was proved that the
deceased threw the first stone, and Crewe was dis-
charged.
Ma. ROUPELL, of Lambeth, died in his bed last
Thursday week from an attack of apoplexy. An
inquest was held, and a verdict of " Natural death "
rat ►reed. _ _

A Mits. Nimes, a person of independent property,
reel hog in Thomas-street, London bridge, po;soned
hnrself last Sunday morning with oil of almonds.
Since the great fire at the Tower some years since,
Mrs. Philips, who was suddenly and seriously
alarmed at the time, bad suffered severe pains in
her head, and in a fit of insanity, brought on by
intense suffering, she put an end to her life.
Verdict, " Temporary insanity."
A CABMAN, one Wigmore, on Tuesday summoned
Mr. Broad, the eminent woolstapler of Leicester, for
passing a bad shilling. The case came before Mr.
Norton at Lambeth. The cabman detailed the tir-
o 'instances. Mr. Broad had hired him on Monday
ev !ning from Bermondsey•street to Peckham, gave
hi n a bad shilling, and refused to take it back. On
cr %A-examination he swore to the shilling, because
he said he had only 4s. 6d., two shillings and five six-
pences, besides in his pocket. On the other hand,
Mr. and Mrs. Broad and her nurse swore that the
cabman, when paid, declared that the two shillings
Mr. Braid paid him were all the silver he had about
him. Mr. Norton, after a careful summing ur, de-
tided that the cabman had been guilty of perjury,
and deprived him of his badge.
Mr. WAKEFIELD, a farmer, of Bedminster, near
Bristol, has been committed for trial on a charge of
manslaughter for causing the death of one Rowland,
a tenant. The deceased before death deposed that
Mr. Wakefield on the 19th July met him and struck
him several times on the head because he could not
pay his rent,
THE MELANCHOLY COMPLAINTS OF HOUSEHOLDERS
upon the subject of " burglaries," and the detail of
their nightly sufferings, must be very diverting to
the men of violence who prowl about the streets and
rob with impunity. One or two will be shot some
night, as husbands are becoming irritated beyond
endurance at the present state of affairs. "Revolver "
Writes from Kensington this week :
Continually have our domiciles been pillaged, and our
condition is as beyond a joke as are our spoons and forks
beyond our power of keeping. Only recently my amial la
spouse despatched me downstairs, in the dead of the
night, on the plea of being sure there was "somebody
in the house." On entering my drawing-room the light
of. my farthing dip disclosed a professional gentleman re•
alining gracefully on my wife's newly upholstered sofa.