Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-07-27 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCF.

TRIAL AND CONVICTION OF BACON FOR
ADMINISTERING ARSENIC TO HIS MOTHER.

This case was tried at Lincoln. The indictment against
the prisoner, which contained two counts—one for poison-
ing, and another for administering arsenic with intent to
poison, was sent up to the grand jury on Thursday, and
Friday was appointed for the trialto take place; but up to
the time of the grand jury leaving the previoca night,
Professor A. S. Tailor, who made the analysis, and who
of course is the mast important witness, had not arrived,
and the consequence was that no bill could be returned.
On Friday morning a letter was a coved from the Pro-
fessor, stating that he was engaged in a trial at Durham,
and that he could not come to Lincoln. The court th n
proceeded to try a case of burglary, which lasted some
hours. In the meantime Professor Taylor had been com-
municated with, and at 3 o'clock an answer was received
from him stating that he could• not come until Monday.
Just before 4 o'clock the grand jury came into court, and
Justice Erie said—" Gentlemen, we are in a difficulty about
one of those hills which has been laid before you ; we have
just received a letter of great importance in connection
with it; but I do not think that it would be proper to
discuss it in public, as I fear it would defeat the ends of
justice and do much injure. If you will retire attain to
your own room, the efficer of the court shall put a question
to you, which you will answer Yes,' or No ;' it cannot
be done inpublte. In fact, we are in considerable difficulty!'
What the nature of the question was, we canrot positively
Say, but after Mr. Coleridge had been with the Grand Jury
some time, his lordship was fetched to them by that gentle-
mar, and after some few minutes conference, the following
telegraphic despatch was sent to Professor Taylor: —" The
judge peremptorily demands your immediate attendance.
Alt the bilis have ben found, and the grand jell,
wait for you. Fail not at your peril. Seed answer
insmeSiately." A message having been rec,ivid from
Dr. Taylor; • stating that he would be in Lincoln on
Saturday, the court appointed eleven o'c'ock to pro-
ceed with the trial. The learned ju lge took his seat
at that tour. Every part of t'te court was densely
crowded, but no proceedings took place till half-past
twelve o'clock, when the grand jury came into court
and handed in a true bill for murder, and a true bill for
felony. The prisoner seas then put to the bar. Mr.
Mellor, Q.C., and Mr. Brewer appeared for the C•own.
Mr. Stevens, los direction of the judge, defended -the
prisoner. During the whole of the trial the prisoner was
weeping. Before the trial was pr ceeded with Mr. Mellor
said, with his lordship's permission, he would proceed
with the secemd eonat first,las he thought that the ends of
justice would he better consulted. The judge said he wes
quite certain that the e3d3 of justice would be safe in
Mr. Mell 'l's hands, and therefore he should allow him to
adopt what course he thought best. The indictment
having been read the prisoner pleaded Not Guilty. Mr.
Mu-Iler, Q.C., opened the case by stating that the charge was
for causing to bo administered to the deceased a large quantity
of arsenic. His mother was an aged woman, raked in Stam-
ford ; and was possessed of some property. On the 13th of
May. 1855, she dined with her son and was taken very ill,
was purged and vomited a great deal. She was taken
home; she recovered, and was well on the Monday, but
on Tuesday she was again taken ill and died. All the
symptoms were those of arsenic, bat the medical men
would not pledge themselves that her death was caused by
it, although there was no doubt it had been administered.
Professor Taylor, on his analysis, found about three-
quarters of a grain of arsenic. It was the opinion of Dr.
Taylor that the poison had been administered shortly
before her death. Although nearly three-quarters of a
grain were found, it must not be forgot that she had
shortly before her death been suffering from purging and
vomiting, which, of course, would carry off a large qeautity.
It was two years after her death before it was found, when
the holy was exhumed from Casterton Churchyard. Well,
where was Mrs. Bacon taken ill ? Why, at Bacon's
house. Oae important fact was, that the prisoner's
mother was possessed of several houses, which
he believed he would come into at the death
of his mother; and immediately after that event
he took away the rent-book ; but it did not turn oat that
the property was left in that way, as his mother divided
it amongst the rest of the children. He (Mr. Atelier)
should prove that the prisoner had purchased arsenic only
eight days before his mother's death. He bad some time
before endeevuured to procure that poison. He sent his
lad for it, saying that he required it for hardening iron,
but the chemist refused to sell it. The next time he
procured it by stating that it was to poison rats. If they
believed that he was the person who had administered
the arsenie, they would say that he was guilty ; bu
if there was any reasonable doubt, he should be
very glad if they could acquit him, but they must
do their duty manfully. The first witness called was
Ann Bacon, who deposed 89 follows : I am the wife of
William Bacon, of Stamford. Ile is the brother of the
prisoner. In May, 18.55, we lived at Peter-hill, Stamford.
The deceased Ann Bacon resided about five minutes'
walk from or. I saw her on the Saturday before her
death. She appeared quite we''. She was 63 years
of age. On Sunday evening, May 13, 1854, I was sent
for to go to Mrs. Bacon's house. I went and found the
prisoner there. He was in the front room. I asked him
bow his mother was, and he said she- was seriously ill.
He further stated that she was taken ill at his house. I
went up stairs, and saw inn Bacon; the prisoner did not
go up with me, but followed shortly afterwards. In the
prisoner's presence I asked Mrs. B icon how she was taken
ill ? She said she was taken ill while having some broth.
She was taken with violent sickness and purging—that it
lasted till-she got home. I remained with her till ten
o'clock that night ; she was sick twice in my presence. I
did not notice what she threw up; she complained of pain
and thirst. Before I left her, a draught came from Mr.
Palmer's, I went home and sent her same barley water. By
the Judge: Did it appear in the conversation what time
the dinner was ? Witness : Immediately alter coming neer]
church. Judge: That would be about one o'clock. Yes.
Witness continued : The prisoner's wife was present
when I was there. On the Monday morning, be-
tween six and seven o'clock, I went again to the
house of the deceased. I found the prisoner in
the room and Mss. Riley, The deceased was very
ill about the same state I lel her the previous eight, or
not so well. She sat up in bed and took same tea. She
then got better; the purging and vomiting had ceased,
and she was very cheerful. In the course of the day the
prisoner and his wife came in to see the deceased. The
prisoner was there frequently during the day. Medicines
were administered to her during the day. Sometimes I
gave them, and someimes the prisoner. When I left on
the Monday night the prisoner was there with Mr. Wake.
I am not sure whether his wife was there. On the
Tuesday morning I was going down to see the deceased,
when I met Mrs. Riley. When I got to the house,
the deceased's limbs were very stiff, and she was in great
pain. The priscner was in the house. I asked de-
ceased how she was, and she said she was very ill, that
she could not think what was the matter with her. At eight
o'clock on Tuesday morning she was unconscious,
and remained so during the day. I stayed with her dur-
ing the day ; she died at eleven o'clock that night ; she
was qvite stiff and rigid all day. I sent for Mr. Barker,
the surgeon, in the morning; he came. I had some con-
versation with the 'prisoner on the Monday, as I was
leaving the bedroom of the deceased. The prisoner referred
his wife to a bottle that was on the dressing table, saying
he thought his mother had better have some out of that.
bottle. Immediately after Mrs. Bacon's death I saw a
bottle in the prisoner's hands. He said, " This is no use
now ; I may as well take it away." He took away a
bottle ; it was a sq'iare ane, not an ordinary medicine bottle.
It was whitish stuff in it. I cannot say whether it was
thicker than water. There were other bottles
and glasses on the table when he took the one away.
Cress-examined by Mr. Steven : The prisoner is a white-
smith. Bacon's wife was backward and forward several
times whilst I was there. Mrs. Bacon has been long
absent from Stamford, and, as far as I know, conSned in
a lunatic asylum. I had not noticed the bottle on the
table before Bacon took it away. I was not present in
London during any proceedings against the prisoner and
his wife. Mrs. Riley said : I know the deceased. I was
one of her tenants.' On the death of Mrs. Bacon the
priscner collected the rents. He did so because he became
heir to them. I remember her death ; for some time
before had seen her every day. She was very cheerful a
few days before her death. I saw her on the Saturday
eight before her death. Whilst I was talking to her the
prisoner came in. I next saw her on the Sunday evening.
I was fetched to her by Thos. Bacon. He said the old lady
was taken very ill, and he thought she would die. I went
to her. She was in bed. She was very ill indeed. She
was very sick, bat did not throw up much matter. She
complained of her feet being cold and her limbs stiff. I
made her barley water. She said she had dined at her son
Thomas's, and was taken ill afterwards. She got better
after the barley water, and had several I•ours rest. The
sickness ceased between ten and eleven o'clock. The pri-
soner left about ten o'clock, and wok the key with him.
Re returned about one o'clock., He asked me how she
was, and I told him she was a little better. Be then left,
and came again between three and four o'clock, and stayed
about half an hour. Ile came agaid between five and six
o'c'o_k. I remained with her all day. On Monday she
was much better. I left her about nine o'clock, and went
to my ownhouse. Between five and six on Tuesday mor-
ning the prisoner came toy house and said " his mother
was worse, and he thought she would die now." I
went to her house, and 'pris?ner went to Mr. Barber's.
Mrs, Bacon bad a great desire to know what Mr. Barber
thought of her, and whether she would die. She was very

feverish and delirious. At eleven o'clock that morning
we put her iato a warm bath. She was very stiff. She
appeared better whilst in the bath ; we put her to bed
again; she was stiff, we could not dress her. The
prisoner was in the house during the day. She died at
eleven o'clock on Tues.lay night. The prisoner was there,
but not his wife. On the Monday before her death, the
prisoner told me he had taken the rent book. He told me
that he had taken it "as it would he his right." In the
coarse: of Tuesday William Bacon asked for the boot, and
I said Thomas has got it. Whilst we were talking Thomas
came in, and William toll him he should not have taken
the book, when Thomas replied, " I have taken it." The
vomits were thrown away. After her death Ilaid her out and
placed her in the coffin. Ir the spring of this year I attended
at Great Casterton churchyard, and saw Ann Bacon's body
exhumed. The coroner, Dr. Taylor, and Mr. Jackson
were prc&?nt. Crose-exemined : I paid my rent quarterly,
and am not aware whether any tenants paid weekly. I
know Mary Chapman as a tenant, but cannot say whether
she paid weekly or not. I thought the attack of whieh
she died was very much like the one she had in March.
The prisener appeared very • kind and attentive to his
mother. By the Court: i never saw the bottle that Mrs.
B.:con spoke of. Ann Bacon recalled and ewes-examinee
by Mr. Stevens : First mentioned aheut the bottles
when she heard aen picion of Mrs. Bacon's death. By
the Court: Oa the night of his fire he Ras accused of
having caused it, and also with having poisened his
mother. That was the first - she heard of it. The pri-
soner appeared extremely kind and attentive. Elizabeth
Blacker: I am a widow, residing at Samford. I

went to nurse Ann Bacon on the sfonday berore her death.
I found her in bed ; she complained of pains, area said
she had been wry ill from the day beiore. She vves vary
ill I got into bed with her, at her r, quest. After I had
been in bed two hours she began to twitch all over, and
she said she felt as if site was paralysed from head to
foot. About two o'clock the prisoner came and staged
one hour, and welt away. He came again about five,
when lie went to Dr. Barber's. I only gave her tea
during the night. I remained till eleven o'clock on the
Tuesday morning. She waa worse when I left than
when I went first. She.was convulsed all over." Edward
Barber, Esq : lam a surgeon at Stamford. I knew the
deceased, and atten led her in March, 1855. She was
suffering very severe pain. I gave her some medicine, and
she recovered. In May last I was ealled.to see her at her son
Thomas's house. She was suffering from cramps and
vomiting. She appeared to be suffering from a disorder
like the secondary symptoms of arsenic. The symptoms
urVer which she labaured were consistent with arsenic.
Vomiting and purging are the natural effects of arsenic.
The first action is vomiting. If given in a fluid it would
be thrown up, hut if in a sufficient quantity to form a
sediment it would be found in the stomach. At the time
I thought she had died of disease of the brain, knowing
nothing of the arsenic. Cross-examined by Mr. Stevens :
I have attended cases of arsenical poisoning, and seen
infl ea:nation of the bowels produced by it. If the whole
of the arsenic were thrown up I do not think there would
he any secondary symptoms. Mark Willson Jackson,
Esq. : I am a surgeon living at Stamford. I was
present at Great Casterton churchyard, in February
lost, when Mrs. Bacon was exhumed, I took charge of
the body. I made a post mortem examination of the body.
Upon opening the b )dy the omenturn was loaded with fat.
It was very 6rm, and had a peculiar redness upon it. It
was firm, in an adipocerous condition. It was in a high
state of preservation. The rest of the viscera was so firmly
united that they could only be severed by cutting. It
was a very peculiar condition, but it is such as is described
as arising from the effects of arsenic. The cententa of the
cheat were examined. The lungs were in a state of de-
composition. Those parts would not have been submitted
to the action of the arsenic. I removed the whole of the
contents of the abdomen, and delivered them to Dr. Taylor.
They were sealed up in jars, and taken possession of by
police-constable Mitchell. By Mr. Stevens : The coffin was
in a good state of preservation; there were no holes in it.
Professor Taylor was then examined, and the purchase of
arsenic was clearly pro'ved. Mr. Stevens addressed the
court for two hours on halalf of the prisoner. The learned
judge was one hour Li summing up. The jury, hav'ng
been absent some time, returned into court at nine o'clock
with a verdict of guilty. The judge, having put on the
black cap, passed sentence of DEATH. The court was
crowded all day, and the greatest excitement prevails.