The Sun.
London, England, 1852-09-29 00:00:00

CAPTURE OF RAILWAY THIEVES.

BRISTOL, SEPT. 28.—Three notorious characters,
named George Taylor, Elizabeth Barnes, and Mary Cal-
laway, who have for a lengthened period infested the
railway termini of this city of the Great Western,
Bristol and Exeter, and Midland Companies, committing
extensive depredations on persons travelling by the
trains, bat who had hitherto by their adroitness suc-
ceeded in eluding justice, have just been captured, and,
after a very lengthened inquiry before the magistrates
yesterday, they were all three fully committed for trial
They were charged by the railway authorities under the
following circumstances:—lt appears that for some time
they have pursued the plan of forcing themselves into
the crowded booking-offices, and upon
the arrival and
departure platforms, where, by pretending to be in a
great hurry, and pushing about, they -managed to
create a great deal of confusion which
purses,
which they took
advantage of to steal watches, po
&c. They have been also known
for some time to
have been in the habit of travelling by various
trains, principally in first-class carriages, with a
view of committing
depredations on the journey, and
such was their skill that, although carefully watched,
they contrived to escape detection till a day or two
since, when they were captured in the following man-
ner, which shows one of their most successful plans of
operation :—A lady named Lewis and her niece having
occasion to proceed to Wotton-under-Edge, went to the
booking-office for the
purpose of obtaining their tickets.
The three prisoners were observed to come on the pre-
mises at the same time in company together, apparentby
conversing eagerly. Mrs. Lewis was closely observed
by them, and when she took out her purse to pay for the
tickets her nice°
6,w Barnes cell the prisoner Taylor,
and, touchilg her own dress in front, where Mn. Lewis',
rocket was, point to that lady. Tayl r and Barnes then
closed in upon her, as :if for the purpose of obtaining
tickets, bit in a minute they left. The niece immedi-
ately inquired of her aunt if she had been robbed, end
having been answered in the affirmative, she followed the
man, and observed him pass the purse to Callaway, who
wrapped it in a corner of her shawl, leaving a point
hanging out. The niece at once accused them of the
theft, 'dim Callaway struck at her, and while .he
stooped to avoid her, passed the purse into her reticule
basket. The magistrates committed them all three for
trial.

DEATH or Mu. ROUSE.—This gentleman, for many
years well known to numbers as the proprietor of the Eagle
tavern, in the City-road, died on Saturday last, at Boulogne-
sur-Mer, in the 69th year of his age.
MIND WWII PRONOUNS .—A notice of a recent
steam-boat explosion closes as follows :—" The captain warn
ashore, so did the chatnbermaid. She was insured fur 15,000
dollars, and loaded with iron."

DEATH OF THE HON. MAJOR
FORESTER.

.ADJOURNED INQUEST.

Oa Saturday week an invest was opened at the
King's Head Tavern, Margaret-street, Cavendish-square,
before Mr. Wakiq, the CorJner for Middlesex, and a
highly respectable Jury, relative to the death of the Hon.
Major Forester, who had died suddenly on the previous
Wednesday night at his town residence, in Cavendish-
square. From the position of the deceased the inquiry
naturally caused some excitement in the neighbourhood,
and the room was very much crowded.
The Hon. Cesil Forester, deceased's brother, subs
comptroller of her Majesty's household, and lieutenant-
colonel is the Horse Guards, said the deceased returned
very ill from Ireland; on Thursday witness was hastily
summoned to deceased's residence from the Regent's-
park Barracks, but deceased had died before witness
arrived,

John Milley, deceased's valet, said that for seven weeks
the deceased suffered greatly from pains in the loins and
stomach; at first Dr. Chapman attended him, but sub-
sequently discontinued his attendance. After eating a
hearty breakfast on Wednesday morning he started for
the city at half-past ten, returning home in a cab about
half-past twelve. He was so ill that he had to be carried
to his room. The pains through his body were fright-
ful, and ho took a hot bath; after which he lay on the
sofa. At two o'clock witness went out with the carriage
with Lady Forester, when his master gave him a pre-
scription to be made up at Savory and Moore's, Bond-
street. The medicine, with syringe, was sent immediately.
At five o'clock his master rang the bell violently, when
witness found him sitting at the foot of the bed. He de-
sired witness to get thirty grains of Dover's powder,
which was refused him without a written order. De-
ceased then requested her Ladyship to write an order for
13 grains, which he ordered witness to get with another
bottle of the mixture, as he had taken the first. In giving
the medicine Mr. Savory cautioned witness to tell his
master that the powder contained three doses. At nine
o'clock his master had a cup of tea, and witness heard no
more until he wile summoned by his master's bell, when
his master told him that there would be no prayers that
night, and that he might go to bed. But many minutes
did not elapse ere another violent ringing of the bell
again summoned him, and upon entering the sitting
room, her Ladyship directed him to few. the nearest
medical man. -Witness accordingly called on Dr. Halley.
and then having gone for Madame Beaumann, remained
with his mastee until he expired.
By the Coroner—Daceeaect took the medicine and
used the syringe just before his tea. Deceased, himself,
generally got his medicines, such as laudanirie
c.
Witness here produced one of deceased's prescriptions,
which was as follows: " two drachms of sedate
solu-
tion of opium, half a drachm of camphorated t 1
sedative
twentyuro
f
opium, two drachms of mucillage of gum acacia,• •
mine= of spirit of camphor (to be used for injec-
tion) H. D."
Alexander Halley, M.D., member of the College of
t
Surgeons, 14, Queen Anne-street, deposedfond him at
he ,i
h
was called to see the deceased,
paunpdi
of his eyes
u
perspir-
ing and apparently asleep, tn
con-
tracting perfectly to light, and were in a half dilated
state."
Witness—" No stertorous breathing.„
Post mortem exanlinati°n—
, The blood was found
clotted in the heart, but in the head it was found fluid.
The lungs congested. The bladder was found con-
gested at its trigone. The mucous membrane lin-
ing the prostate perfectly healthy, but a short
distance from the neck of the bladder there was
an irritable spot about the gee of half a pea,
with congestion around, which was likely to give
rise to a constant desire to pass water. No stric-
ture, no portion of the mucous membrane was in the
slightest abraded; nor could it be referred to any cause,
for the delicate membrane which lines the methra was
In no way abraded."
.Witness—" I attribute death to an overdose of a nar-
cotic, an over-effect of opium. There was no smell in
the contents of the stomach of opium—was not any
sign of any poison. No direct evidence that opium had
been in the body by injection or otherwise. I never
heard or knew of such a thing as opium causing death
under such circumstances! Quite contrary to all me-
dical experience."
Coroner's statement...." Nor did I in all my life!!!"

Witness—" I should say, on the whole, that is after
hearing the evidence of every party, coupled with my
own observation and post mortem examination, that it
was not opium that produced death. I should not even
have suspected opium to have caused death."
Alexander Shaw, surgeon to the aliddiesex Hos -
pital—" I cannot tell what in this case was the cause c f
death; I have nothing to form the opinion upon."
The inquest was than adjourned until Tuesday, the
28th instant.

The adjourned inquest was held yesterday morning.
The CORONER, addressing the jury, said,—Gentlemen,
you will recollect that this inquest was adjourned from.
Saturday, the 13th instant, to this day, at your unani-
mous request, in consequence of what you considered
to be the imperfect stew of the evidence at tho
time; and it was your wish that a further
examination of the body should be made, that the
blood should be analysed, and that other witnesses
should be called. We have now assembled again in par-
snance of that adjournment; and I believe all the other
witnesses required by you are in attendance, ready to
give evidence on this occasion.
The first witness called was

Lady Forester, who was accompanied by her noble
father the Earl of Roden, her sister, and her brother-in-
law the Hon. Colonel Forester. She deposed as fol-
lows:—Major Forester was my husband. He was 40
years of age. On Tuesday week last the Major's
health was as usual, and wa went out together,
when he met his brother, Colonel Cecil Forester.
Oa the following day the Major was not well, and com-
plained of illness, and after breakfast he went out be-
tween eleven and twelve o'clock, saying that he was
going into the City by an omnibus. He returned home
to Cavendish-square about two o'clock, and complained
very much of a pain in his inside. I was not with him
during the rest of the day, because I went out, but I
returned about half-past three o'clock, and he had
taken a warm bath before I went out. On my re-
turn I found him lying on the sofa, and in the course of
the afternoon, about eight o'clock, I gave him some
medicine. It was a Dover's powder. I gave him a
little more than half a paper, a whole paper being, I
believe, 15 grains. I did not see him take
any other medicine, but I understand he took
some more afterwards. We took tea together about
half-past eight, at which time he seemed setter, and did
not complain at all, indeed he said he was quite com-
fortable, only rather sick, and he remained so when the
tea things were removed. Re then lay down on the sofa
and began to perspire very much, asking me at the
him
give soul,
same time totoast and water, which
I did, and then sent for a clean shirt to change the one
he bad on, as it vi very wet wish as perspiration. I
afterwards directed iho servant to
warm his bed, and
then asked him to go to bed, but he said he felt so com-
fortable on the sofa that he should stay n L there a little
longer, adding that wh"es tit:Len, quite ro-
li :ved from all pain, and ,_ a°"4 God for
all his mercies, I then vegan,
.stotes.oaange
his
shirt, and whilst I was doing 83 nIII d, d fell down
between the sofa and the pillow, a
left sroawilig. the
blanket round him, he begged to
beb fore ten "1 gQll
asleep. This was about a quarter e
the pillowe
to,
ock
He remained lying between the sofa and
a short while, making a snoring noise with
his throat, and once he started up and looked
so wildly round that I became alarmed, and rung the
cted
bell violently. When the servant came up I direarc
him to go for the nearest doctor, and shortly afterwards
i
the servant returned with Dr. Halley. The Major never
spoke to me afterwards, nor did he to the doctor, for
now he was quite insensible. Dr. Halley took off his
coat, and remarking that he was uncomfortably placed,
the doctor lifted him up and place I him on the sofa,
with his head on the pillow, and in that pcsition he re-
mained till he died.

.* Dr. Halley, being recalled, stated that according to
the directions of the coroner, he had again examined
the body and collected as much blood from the heart,
spleen, and liver as he possibly could. He had
previously received the stomach and its contents,
and now he collected the blood and contents of the rec-
tum and bladder. He had received no portion of the
liver, but got as much blood from it as he could, about
two ounces and a half. The contents of the stomach and
he collected blood he placed in two separate jars, which
be sealed up, and then deposited them in a sealed box,
which he afterwards handed over to Mr. Rogers.
Mr. Roitera, surgeon, Professor of Chemistry and
Lecturer at St. George's School of Medicine, exa-
mined.—l received a box from the deputy-coroner, in
which were
contained the stomach, the bladder, their
contents, also the contents of the rectum The box was
sealed up, snd was ced by Dr. Halley in my pre-
sence. I examined tiewbole of the contents, and sub-
mitted them to chemical analysis, separatel and dis-
tinctly. I found the stomeoh in a
atm,
of
rapid
I washed decom-
position. It, tu,d added the washing
h, to the contents of the, 5t0p,341, which I had in
another jar. I found no appearances in the stomach from
which I
the contents coul d
of the stomach to au el
d raw nanY inrerenc. I then subjected
flalY%los, and I found
there mcaconic acid, but no trace oi.morphir
The con-
tents of the rectum I also examinefd and
r examined
found there
traces both of mceconic acid and o
ul°P
the bladder and the urethra also. There 4"r4ed to
be no signs of old disease, though there was
con.
siderable redness in one portion of it,_ and r great
deal of vascularity in the commencement of the posterior,
sterior,
immediately behind the prostate gland.
Anterior to
the prostate, also, there was considerable redness, but
no vascularity. This extended about half the length of
the urethra. I did not see any wound, and no destruction
of surface, except a small black spot, which however
was easily removed, and there was no disease under it.
I should say that it was merely a little furred blood.
The integrity of the mucous membrane was quite main-
tained. I also submitted the contents of the bladder,
which were about 2i ounces, to very careful analysis ;
I discovered there decided indications of morphia. Be
sides the test of nitric acid I submitted them to another
test,;which is not very generally known. I took some
bicromate of potass, and after aopl)ing it to the contents
of the stomach they immediately b-came green, and as
morphia is the only acid which will turn bicromate of
potass green, I immediately inferred from that
that there was morphia present in the contents
of the bladder. In order to show that it was
something foreign to the urine which had caused this
result, I also took some urea and some urine, and ap-
plied the bicromate of potass to them, but they did not
Produce the same result. I could not form any opinion
as to the way in which the morphia had been introduced
into the stomach. I also examined a small quantity of
the blood, about 1 oz. 6 dr. I purified it from every-
, ,fuing else besides morphia, if there had been any there,
Vai could 111303Ter only very small traces, not sufficient

THE SUN,

to enable me to give a very positive opinion on the
subject. When I applied nitric acid there was a very slight
yellowing, that was al!. In the quantity of blood which
I examined tnere could not have been more than the
2,000 th part of a grain. The physical quality of the
blood was quite destroyed, and the globules broken
down. I examined a portion of the enema, and I found
there mceconic acid and morphia. The packet of Dover's
powder which was handed t ) me I also examined, and I
touad it to be what I represent it to be. From the re-
sult of my examination I have no hesitation in stating
it as my opinion that opium had been taken by the de-
ceased. An ordinary dose of opium, in the form of
laudanum, is from 15 to 40 minims. I am
not aware of the exact composition or the
strength of Batley's liquor opii sedativus. Opium
introduced into the rectum acts by absorption
into the blood. Authorities differ as to whether it acts
more or less powerfully than when taken into the mouth.
From my own experience I hate generally found that it
acts very well, but that introduced by the rectum it re-
quires a larger dose to produce the same effect. When
ordered as an injection, it is generally taken with a
quantity of mucillage or gruel, and in small quantities:
say loz, or 1 ioz., the object being that it should beThroet.
tained, and therefore produce the desired
e con-
In that case the laudanum generally
drechm,
sists of from about drachm to
to
According to some authorities, there are three grain
others s
h
of opium in a drachm of laudanum; ac"rdinel'heard, and
five grains. From the evidence which I hayopinion
is the results of my own examination, my
emitted,stm ah
is that the deceased's death was caused by the effects of
which
ntertat ts opinion
morphia. Another reason why
both
is, from the peculiar manner in
decomposed,
e e afterwards dis-
decomposed, and from the smell „
of which appearances I have notip?dvm several cases of
which thei
suspected poisoning by 013inin ta
the .
stomach. The largest
covered traces of opium
dose of opium that I have ever known injected into the
rectum is 2 drachms, and that was in case of colic some
not n such
years ago; bat it wa
int of ig
iquicl a concentrated form,
'
but was given in a p.
The CORONE3 said the case was now brought within
a very narrow compass indeed, and he thought if Mr.
Dawson was examined, the inquiry might be brought to
a speedy close.
Mr. Dawson said he should like to make a statement,
if the coroner would tam him.
The conotexa said he should have no objection, and
Ber. Richard Dawson, M.D., having been sworn, he
read the following statement to the coroner and jury:—
Major Forester called upon me in July at
the request of his physician, Dr. Chapman, to obtain
my opinion upon his case. On the 21st of the same
month I forwarded a written opinion to Dr. Chapman,
stating
my belief that the constant desire to empty the
bladder, and the frequent calls to go to stool, which the
Major had been suffering from for so long a period, were
in a great measure owing to the irritable state of the pros-
tate gland, and that I thought it was a case that would
be greatly benefited by warm baths, the direct applica-
tion of chloride of zinc, and the injection of compound
gall ointment into the lower bowel. In answer to this
communication, Dr. Chapman informed me that his
patient had been ill for many years, and had been at
very great expense in procuring medical assistance,
considerations which would probably prevent him
placing himself under my care. I therefore offered to
attend him without fees. He was anxious to become my
patient, for ho knew that I had cured a Major, who had
been obliged to sell out of the army in consequence of
suffering from an irritable prostate.
" When Major Forester first visited me, he was
obliged to come in a carriage and to sit upon a soft
cushion. His health improved, till at length he was able
to walk to my house. I saw him almost every day for
nearly two months, and he expressed himself as feeling
very much better.
" On the 15th of this month he complained of a peculiar
pain in his head, and said that he felt generally unwell,
which he attributed to the intelligence of the sudden
death of the Duke of Wellington, (which it may be re-
membered was announced on that morning,) having pro-
duced a great desire to pass water, an effect usual with
him when he heard any unpleasant intelligence. But
being in an omnibus, he was unable to yield to the calls
of nature, and he informed mo that he felt as if he
should die. At my house he passed water and relieved
his bowels, but still suffered severely from spasmodic
pains. I advised him to return home immediately in a
cab, and I prescribed an anodyne enema, one-half of
which I directed him to use immediately he reached
home, which I expected would be about one o'clock, and
I requested him to use the remaining half about six in
the evening, provided the bowels acted immediately
after using the first, which is a very usual occur-
rence, and that he still continued in pain.
This advice as it appears from the evidence
he followed. It also appeared from the evidence that
the greater portion of the first enema was wasted on the
carpet, and certainly half of the second enema remained
in the bottle. It is important to remember that the
bottle produced in evidence was never full, for the in-
jection I ordered consisted only of five drachms, and
the bottle would hold nearly twice this quantity (the
bottle was produced). It is also important to inform the
jury that the Major had been in the habit for some time
past of using an injection of the compound gall ointment,
which contains opium, three or four times a day, to re-
lieve the urgent desire to pass urine, and the constant
desire to go to stool, which he had sufered from for so
many years.
" In ordering the enema, which I prescribed for the
Major, containing two drachms and a half, I always cal-
culate that a great portion must be wasted when the
patient, as in this case, injected it himself. I will illus-
trate what I mean, for the information of the jury.
" But I am willing to admit in this case that the quan-
tity I ordered was all injected in the manner 1 pre-
scribed, and I will now prove that it was not only a
safe remedy, but a proper application. Dr. Christison,
who is one of the first authorities in Europe upon
this subject, states at page 630 of his work that it is the
custom to give twice as much opium in an injection as
in a draught. ' I have given,' says this authority, by
injection, without producing more than the usual
drowsiness, two drachms by measure of laudanum.'
Dr. Paris, another eminent authority, at p. 175 of his
work states that where our object is to allay pain and
relax spasm, small doses of opium will have a tendency
to aggravate the symptoms, but when administered in
large doses they will speedily relieve. I attended a
case with Professor Ferguson in the Albany-road, Stoke
Newington, where the patient had suffered for years se-
verely from irritation of the prostate. We found nothing
to relieve him so much as opiate injections. I attended
another case with Mr. Partridge, the surgeon to King's
College Hospital. The patient had lived in a warm cli-
mate, and suffered from organic stricture, which was
frequently attended with retention of urine, which injec-
tions containing a drachm of liquor opii sedativus seldom
tailed to relieve. I myself had the misfortune to suffer
from an irritable prostate attended with retention of
urine, and nothing relieved me so much as the opiate
injection; and there are two medical gentlemen in court
who attended me with Mr. Ferguson who can confirm
this statement, for they injected the enema."

The doctor added, in conclusion, that although he had
attended the deceased for a considerable time he never
received any fee or reward for it whatever.
The CORONER—Now tell, if you please, what is
your belief as to the cause of death, which is the real
object of our inquiry?
Dr. Dawson said he could not answer that question,
as he was not suffered to be present at the post
mortem examination, but it was aot at all unusal for per-
Errs suffering from the disease of the urethra and blad-
der die suddenly, especially after any powerful mental
emotion, the symptoms of approaching death being
generally those
a, 11,2. of druakenness and stupor. The Major
beenins perfect health as had been r: resented, but
had
enanoiTering from disease for many years.
The
your opinion have Tic', told us now what is
I repeat that ait3 to the cause of death? Dr. Dawson—
not having be,l3 impossible for me to give an opinion,
present at the post mortem examina-
tion, which, t.. 0
of urine in the
of
unusual. Had 11,4? the least of it, was most
present, and discovered the smell
n . might have positively said
taken e
e, the, / •
that the
renillfoto:sawayassothneowc.ause of death,
evidence
stated that ho had
bat irt.
Risoihmarptovssoibulaebficera
ohfeartdhattheto-day, and part
which whole o
was
la e
occasion, but there was on the former
So
about the case that he could g;vmach ambiguity
if _fl no positive
opinion as to the cause of death.
4,, had, however,
known repeated instances of sudden death in
cases
where the patient had been suffering iron, a
Similar dis-
ease to this. He did not think the quantity
that had been found in the body of the dececz,aseodpium
sufficient to account for death, and therefore he was
the more inclined to attribute it to the disease. s
The CORONER—You are inclined, then, Doctor, to
refer the death to the action of the disease. Dr. Vans,
bles—Yes; and I think Dr. Prout mentions© hie work
several cases of a similar nature; at least, has told
me so, and his experience, therefore, accords with
my own,
Dr. Samuel Mason was the next witness examined.
•

The CORONER—Dr. Mason, have you heard the evi-
dence that has been given to-day? Dr. Mason—l have.
The CORONER—Haro you formed any opinion as
to the cause of the death of this gentleman ?
Dr. Mason—l have not. I think it is excessively ambi-
guous; but what strikes me as being most remarkable
is, that Dr. Halley should have been called in at eleven
o clock, and yet not be able to discover that the deceased
was suffering from the effects of opium, Had the de-
ceased been suffering from the effects of opium Dr. Hal-
ley must have perceived it at once, and would not have
left him
.

The CORONER—You say, then, that you can form no
opinion as to the cause of death? Dr. Mason—l can only
give a qualified opinion; my impression is from the evi-
-"ee I have heard the death is very much ref errible
to disease of the urethra, but still it is very ambiguous
tt is very doubtful.
Coamixn—Death is refeirible, then, to the ure-
he ure-
sease? Dr. Mason—Combined with the effects of
opium, because there has been a partial effect of opium,
although not at all to an extent sufficient to accocnt for
death.
Dr. Shaw heilag recalled, said, having heard the whole
of the evideace, he was inclined to attribute the death
to an overdose of opium, but the case was full of am-
biguity, and he Could give no
positive opinion on the
subject, It was not impossible for persons to die of the
disease lvith the same symptoms as would
presented by an Overdose of opium. CORONER—Have you ever met with such a case ?
have ina been
e
at the]. Middlesex Hospital, if you re-
DrT. hS
Shaw—Yes;
member, two patients yed. one a disease of the kidneys
y much alike in both cases.
and the other from having taken an overdose of opium,
nweexrtervee-cralled and examined.
andD rt
.h the sayl
Halley
yp t
was
ma
ss
The CORONER--NOW, Dr. Halley, the case being com-
plete, have you formed any opinion as to tho cause of
death ? Dr. Halley—l feel in the same position as Dr.

Shaw. The case is very ambiguous throughout, and
therefor I should nut like to give a positive opinion
upon it.
This was the whole of the evidence.
in summing up, said that there was
no doubt tht:t the dose of opium which had been pre-
scribed Dawson had not been considered by him
The ConoNER,
by Dr.
as being too great, asinfac_t
.he had directed that it
should be taken in monies. That direction had not been
followed by the deceased, who, on the contrary, had
taken the whole dose, and in addition to that, had also
sent for another bottle, two-thirds of which he had used,
so
his system, from half-past 4to o'clock,
n
eight or nine grains of opium. In all these
a bolesse sr
could be no desire on the part of any one
o ss
bear harshly against any body in consequence of
absorbed
thate
ert i
there
then t
he appearedria that the unfortunate gentleman had
b en
any misfortune of this kind, but it was of enor-
mous value in these cases that the truth
should be known, and if death had been caused
by medicine, or by inadvertence, or by ignorance, or
carelessness, that the fact should be known in order
that other fatal results should be prevented. In this case,
presuming that Dr. Dawson had stated what occurred
when he saw the patient, there was nothing in
the quantity ordered by Dr. Dawson that was of a dan-
gerous character. It appeared when the prescription
iwas written and handed to Major Forester that he was
told to use one-half of what was ordered immediatelyjon
his return home; and if that quantity was dis-
charged from his bowels at once by the ac-
tion of the intestines, and if the pain continued,
the second half was to be used about seven
o'clock in the evening. Now, it certainly did
appear, from the evidence,
,that, instead of
following the directions given, Major Forester
used the whole quantity about half-past four o'clock,
and before tea time, which was between eight and nine
o'clock, he used two-thirds of another bottle, there being
in fact 7 or 8 grains of opium absorbed into his system
within the :space of three hours and a half. Besides, there
would be contained in the half packet of Dover's powder
which he took about three-quarters of a grain of opium,
and there was an article inithe prescription, half a
drachm of .-.: amphorated tincture of opium, which would
contain about one-eighth of a grain of opium; so that this
unfortunate gentleman had in him at that time sufficient
opium, to kill any man. They had just heard the
conflicting statements of the medical men ; in fact, he
could hardly call them conflicting, because they were
to the effect that they could form no certain opinion on
the cause of the death, and he was afraid the
jury would have to come to the same conclusion. He
hardly kne w what else to advise them to do, because
in these cases they must be guided by the evidence that
was laid before them, or otherwise there would be no
security for anybody.
In consequence of an interruption from Colonel
Forester, the valet of the deceased gentleman was called
in, and, on being examined, stated that some part of the
first enema .was wasted on the floor, and a great quan-
tity of the second.
The CORO:NER said it was useless to go into these mat-
ters, as the medical gentlemen had been unable to
form any opinion as to the cause of the death, and the
jury could ad opt no other course but come to the same
conclusion. All he could advise them to do was to state
that the unfortunate gentleman died on the day
named, but they had not sufficient evidence be-
fore them to show the cause of his death.
That was the safest course he thought they could pursue.
Mr. Rogers certainly gave it as his opinion that death
was caused by opium; but, on the contrary, a multitude
of other medical gentlemen had said that there was
extreme art biguity in the case. With regard
to Dr. Dawson, he was put out of the category of com-
plaint in comiequence of his having directed the unfor-
tunate gentle man to take only half the prescription at
once. The only blame that could be attached
to him was for not having written his directions, which
certainly wins an error. Had those directions been
written no g round of complaint could have existed
against that g;entleman.
Dr. Dews:3 n explained that the deceased had been so
long in the h abit of using the injection that he did not
consider it n c Tessary to give him written directions, and
besides the deceased had a great personal dislike to
having his directions written on the prescription.
The jury then retired, and after a short consultation,
returned with the following verdict:—" That the de-
ceased died fe om the effects of opium incautiously ad-
ministered by himself in the absence of written instruc-
tions from hin medical attendant."
The jury vii 3re then discharged.