The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1818-11-14 00:00:00

INQG EST.

•
FATAL MISTAKE..
Yesterday 41ot-worn an inquest was ba lal In fore . STIR.
LI%G, Esq. Coroner, at the Old Ikea Jon■oi public honse,
Great 11 inl.strcet, Drtery-lane, un the• body of Rahn,*
Richardson, late landlady of the T'w•o Cumwasseta, in I.ittle
{Vital-street, what died me Thisratalay morning, I Itraingli taking
half an ounce of oxalic netal, in mistake for salts,
The evidence of .111111 PS Bailey and George Cluny, the
first witnesses examin,ll, went 11111161 e, that they wire in
the tap
about ten o'clock, when Mr. Richardson was dissolving,
something in a cup of water, which he slut wire salts—that
his wife complained of a sick beathaehe, anal drat lie was
mixing them for her by her ilesite. He went out of the tap-
room for about three minutes. when lie reform') iii great
agitation, and *hewed then. a paper containing with:, from
the View, appeared to he Epsom salts. G. Clutiy tasted
them, and prouonucesl them not to be salts. Mr h. thus
stated, that his wife had taken a quantity similar to that out
of this piper as salts, and begged of them run fur a
doctor. They proceeded immediately to Mr. Hooter, same.
(eon, in Long-acre, anal shelved him the drug : he directly
observed, that if any person had taken a similar quantity,
it was beyond the power of nietheine to save them. .Me. H.
whited only a few minutes, to mix some medicines, anal then
went with them to the Two Compasses. Mrs. It. died in
about 12 tar 13 minutes after they were informed of lair
having drank the contents of the cop. The deceased mid
her husband lived togrther on the nitwit amicable terms.
. .

John Hunter, of I.ting•arre, surgeon and apothecary,
deposed, that he knew the deceased, and attended the fa-
mily professionally ; she appeared to the witness to enjoy a
good state of braid; ; waa called opus. 011 Thumlay morn-
ing, about leu o'clock, by two permns, who ►hewed hint a
small blue piper, similar to one of those ',acerbs now lying
on the table —Mere a large blue paper of oxalic acid, and
fourteen tubers, of about an entice each, were laid on the
table.)—ls almost positive that they contain the same ar-
ticle; he immediately pronounced it lobe oxalic acid, more
commonly termed acid of sugar; was then informed that
a female had taken some of it as salts; be wailed to mix
up some emetic medicines, and went with them to the
house of the deceased; found her sitting up in her bed
in extreme agony, the perspiration pouring down her face,
great laxity of the limits, the head drooping, and eveiy
other symptom of her having taken poison. Ile administer-
ed the emetic, but was convinced at the time she was beyond
the power of his art ; she died in a few minutes after his
through the effect of the poisonous di alight. Mr.
Richardson appeared literally deranged by the violence of
his grief.

The witness then, in answer to questions from the Jury,
stated, that the drug displayed on the table was oxalic
acid, so like to Epsom salts in an impure state, that mu
Medical men may he deceived unless they taste it.
Thomas Howgill, of No. 6, Wild-street, stated that be was
an intinerant grocer, formerly kept a grocer's shop in the
Borough of Southwsrk ; knew the deceased particularly for
the last three years; has been in the habit of selling salts to
Mrs. Richardson and others ; sold Ills. to Mrs. Richardson
in 16 parcels on the 17th of October last ; believes those
now shewn to him are some of them ; had them from a Mr.
Robert Shillitoe, Who was an assistant at au rlaboratory,
near Brick-lane, Whitechapel ; does not recollect the name
of the chemist or of the street ; Mr. Shillitoe lodged with
him some time ; he had obtained a great quantity of salts
from him, and could hive staked his life on Mr. Shillitue's
knowledge of medicine ; Mr. Shillitoe is dead ; he died at
the London Hospital last October; was an out-patient, and
bad gone front the witness's house in the morning to die
above Hospital, where lie died the same afternoon; the de_
'ceased, Mr. Shillitoe, owed the witness 301. ; he left 21b. of,
as he told him, salts, in part payment of this sum.
Harriet Martin, servant at the Two Compasses, staled,
what site knew Thomas Moretti, he frequented her master's
house; heard Mrs. Richardson about a three weeks since ask
him if be had any good Epsom salts ; he replied " Yes ;"
her mistress then advised him to bring tier some, he did
bring something which she thought was salts, aid sold to
her mistress; it was diVided into small parcels, wrapped up
in blue paper, similar to that now shewn the witness. .4
few days ago Mrs. It. took one of thtae parcels into the bar
and laid it on a shelf, stating, the pest time she had the
head-ache she would take it. On Thursday morning her
mistress did out come down stairs, her master said she was
very sick, and desired witness to make het some beef tea,
she did so, her master took it np stairs, but directly after
brought it down again, stating, that her mistress could not
take the beef tea, but wished fur some salts; Mr. Richard
son then look the parcel off the shelf, and dissolved half of
it in some water; he then gave it to his daughter who took
it up stairs; soon after her master came into the tap ram
in great agitation, and told her to go up to her mistress,
for be was afraid be had poisoned her. Mr. Hunter, the
surgeon, came in a few minutes after, and gave her mistress
some medicine, bolt she died in about twelve ur thirteen
minutes from the thee of drinking the contents of the cop.
Has lived at the Two Compasses about nine mouths; she
never observed her mistress ask Thomas Howgill fur salts
but once; saw Mr. Shillitoe at her master's house some time
ago, but knows nothing moie of him titan that he was
T. Howgill's friend.
The Coroner then slammed up the evidence with great
perapienity, in the course of which he animadverted iii strong
terms of disapprobation on the conduct of the witness Thus.
Hue:gill, who, from his own confession, was entirely tow-
tent of medicine, and vended drur, the poisonous qualities
of which be was unable to diatinguish. He was of opinion
that the oxalic acid was not peocureil honestly, being sold
at the price of Epsom salts, whereas it was considerably
dearer.

The Jury, after deliberating some time, returned the ful.
lowing verdict ;—" Raising Riclisrdson time to her death
by poison, a considerable quantity of 'robe acid, or acid or
anger, having been administered to her es snits, which she
purchased as ►uch of an itinerant vender of medicine."
'Monis How•gili was again called in, and admoui►hed by
the Coroner as to his conduct in future.

IEITINGS OF CREDITORS AT GUILDHALL

TIDO DAY.

A. H.

1. C. Hawkes, Oketismpton, busker v 2 12
R. &holey, Paternoster row, bookseller
J. Hari iron, Miles maiibury, factor
W. Hulimn, late of Bermondsey, 'carpenter
G Richards, She►rard-street, silversmith 2 10
R. Yorke, Ylvet.market, botcher
1.. Drouet, late of Conduit-sheet, dole—mailufbe-
niece

J. Gunn, Eton, coacb-msker
5. Singer, Kensington, bairerdashrt
R. Wilcox, 'Strand, woollen-draper
J flowed, late of Harp-lane, dealer
W. Mitchell, Plaistow, ship-huiltier 2 12
W. Whitmore, Holland-street, rortlwainer
_ __

W. Chivers, eunituercial-road,mariner
_ _

H. Hills New RoueLstreel, linemetraper
R. ti. Dny, Torii, Wed rroeher 6 1 12
J. Puwill anti Co Jutily-strvel, slatioulhrs
W. %Mir, Poplar, rag merchant
G. Howes, Rochrster, tarrniArciwr
C. Suitor, Margate, printer 1 10
R. Waller, juu. es orlon, Intuit-maker. 1 10
It. Bishop. Whilchurcls, hutmdraper
J. Carter, Vauxhall, grocer

. . _
DIVIDENDS.
17. Pearson, Leadenhalloltreet, tailor
%V. Balk, Esher, Surrey, victualler
A. Anderson, Pin'pot-lane, 'merchant lO
W. Browning, St 31.try-Axe, wine-merchant .. 10
W. Hopkins, Ald te street, cooper...
T. Lester, II it ton-nardeu, hatilwarcusan ...► lO
W. 11rsaii, Caniheraclli intreli.int
D. Healey and Co. Briink.strret, woikosc-noldsinitlis 10
J. S Mains, Wapping. merchant
CERTIFICATES.
- -

J. Walker, of Upper Russell:olreet, Bermondsey, Surrey,
glue•tuiker —C. Muni, of Isvo.tork•sireet, Coveaticardeo,
Middlesex, optician.—G. W. Verdeohslon, of Wbite`a yard,
itusemary•lane, Middlesex, sticar.iefiiier —T. Flower, or
Castle street, Holborn, Loudon, iris eller.—G.
of liastnig., Setstx, sliip-co