The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-10-11 00:00:00

LAMENTABLE CASE

On Thursday evening an inquest was held at the Vine
public-house, in Broad-street, Rateliff, on the body of the life
Mr. James H. Hopkinson, chemist and druggist, aged 29. The
enquiry excited an unusual degree of interest among the
inhabitants of Rateliff. The deceased had been in business
as .a chemist and druggist, for about six months only,
at No. 85, Broad-street, next door to the Vine. He
entered upon business with the best prospects, and was
possessed of considerable property. He soon commenced
drinking to excess ; the evil habit increased upon him, and
for some time previous to his being seized with the
serious illness which caused his death, he was almost
continually intoxicated. His wife, a young, well educated,
anti atteactive female, to whom he had been married twelve
months, was more frequently in the shop dispensing drugs
and compunding medicines than her husband._ About
three weeks since she swallowed a large quantity of tincture of
opium, of the properties of which she was ignorant, and which
she obtained in her husband's shop. She took enough to kill
tea persons, and only for the purpose, as she expressed it, of
frightening her husband. The most strenuous exertions and
skill of Mr. A. Carson, a surgeon, of Cock hill, Ratcliff,.and
Mr. Burch, the resident medical officer of the London Hos-
pital, alone saved her. Mr. Burch had no hopes of saving the
unhappy woman when she was first brought in, but after a
fortnight's treatment he pronounced her out of danger, and
sent her to the Thames police court, where she expressed the
utmost repentance for the rash and wicked act she had
committed. Mr. Yardley took occasion to admonish Mr,
Hopkinson, who was then verging oa delirium tremens
i❑ severe terms for allowing his wife to dispense drugs
and poisons, while lie was indulging in habits of intoxi-
cation, and said he was a most unfit man to carry on the
business of a chemist and druggist. Mrs. Hopkinson was
allowed to depart with her husband. On the same evening
Mr. and Mrs. Hopkinson proceeded to the West end to tran-'
sact business with their attorney, and to receive some money
of him. They then repaired to a respectable coffee-house at
Charing cross to partake of tea, and while he was putting a cup
of tea to his lies and conversing with his wife, he ruptured a
blood-vessel and vomited forth a quantity of blood. Mrs.
Hopkinson immediately sent for a surgeon to attend upon her
husband. Some temporary remedies were applied, and he was
sent home in a cab. On reaching Broad street, Mr. Carson,
the deceased's neighbour and friend was hastily summoned,
and discovered the unfortunate man suppoi ted in the arms of
his wife on a bed, partially undressed, and bringing up an
immense quantity of blood from the left lung. Mr. Carson
prepared a dose of medicine from the bottles in deceased's shop,
and administered it to him, and since then had been in constant
attendance upon him day and night, with short intervals of
rest, and had also called in two of the most eminent of the
faculty to assist him. A severe attack of delirium tremens
followed, and after that the deceased became perfectly sensible
and collected, so much so, that he sent for his lawyer to make
his will, bequeathing everything he possessed to his dear
Lizzy, as he called his wife. Mr. Carson assisted the
deceased in affixing his signature to his will.
On Monday the deceased was attacked with bleeding at
the nose, and that was the immediate cause of
death. He expired the same night. Mr. Carson had no
doubt that Mr. Hopkinson had indulged in the vice of in-
temperance to a fearful extent, and that was the primary cause
of the rupture of a blood-vessel. The loss of blood caused
delirium tremens. Mr. Carson also stated that Mrs. Hopkinson
was a most excellent and affectiodate wife ; that she employed
the best nurses, and spared no expense during the illness of
her husband. He never saw more kindness and attention
towards an invalid husband than was exhibited by Mrs.
Hopkinson. He also seemed greatly attached to her, and
said lie would leave all tp his dear wife. Mr. Mathias,
a bookseller, and other jurors, said they knew that
Mrs. Hopkinson was a kind and affectionate wife,
and had been unremitting in her attentions to her
husband. They also expressed a high opinion gf the
zeal and energy displayed by Mr. Carson when the wife took a
large dose of poison, and again when her husband was brought
home on the night of Monday, the 25th ult. The coroner
remarked on the peculiar and lamentable nature of the case.
The fatal illness of the husband had followed close on the
appearance of Mrs. Hopkinson at the Thames Police-court,
and it was greatly to be lamented that poisons could he so
easily obtained. There was no doubt the death of the
unfortunate deceased was caused by the loss of blood, and the

jury would have no hesitation in saying that he died from
natural causes. A. verdict to that effect was imnic4iately

turned by the jury.

LIME-STALLSOPREET'S
,WAX-WORK EXHIBITION, TEUTONIC-HALL
LIVERPOOL.--DOVE, THE MURDER:int.—The
only correct likeness of this criminal is to be seen at the
above exhibition, and is placed by the side of Palmer. Both
these poisoners are full-length, and are acknowledged by all
to I.)e perfect likenesses. They are surrounded by
of 100 wax figures, large is life ; together with 500 statues,
busts, casts of heads, Ste.. &c. ; also a great number of
Stereoscopic and other views. The proprietor begs to state
41-,at the likeness of Dove and Palmer are most
positively
s
taken. Palmer was modelled by Mr.
~-
the only 'true ""
George of London, during hi 4 trial at the Old
Bailey; Eing,
an7da sketch of Dove was taken by Mr. John
Storey, of York, and afterwards modelled expresly for Mr.
Allsop, by Mr. William Lellnd, of Liverpool. Open from
Admission, quadrille
tbanden,a i
nm
am.,
on the two lamps over the entranee.-4dv,
tteilldtaennCe p..m Observe the name of