The Sun.
London, England, 1863-10-22 00:00:00

Suspected Poisoning of a Child by its

Mother,

EDGWARE, Wednesday Night.
The quiet village of Kingsbury and the adjacent
parts have been in an unwonted degree of excite-
ment during the last few days, consequent upon thet
death of a child, aged about four years, such death
having taken place under circumstances that have
given rise to a very strong suspicion of its having
been caused by the administration of poison by its
mother, Ann Clarke, the wife of a journeyman ear-
penter. It appears that these people, who had
three children, went to reside at Hyde, near Kings-
bury, some few months ago, and that the husband
obtained work. They lived at a small d welling,
called Poplar Cottage. About three months ego one
of the children died, and Mr. Masson, a surgeon of
Edgware, not feeling quite satisfied, called in a Mr.
Evans, who lives at Hyde, and immediately upon
the last named gentleman entering Clarke's cottage
he recognised a carpet that had been missing some
short time previously from his house, where Clarke
had been working. He spoke of it to Mr. Blasson,
saying, " Bless me, this is my carpet," and Mrs.
Clarke overhearing the remark, without coming
into the room to the two gentlemen, went off to
where her husband was at work, and he appeared
no more. An examination of the zhild was
made, and from the statements and appearances a
certificate was given that the child died from tetanic
convulsions. About a fortnight ago another child
died, and the doctor to the summoning officer stat-
ed circumstances that made it necessary there
should be an investigation. Accordingly, on the
14th inst. Mr. Bird opened an inquest at the Red
Lion Inn, *hen

Ann Clarke, the mother, was examined. She said
the deceased was three years old last November,
and about ten days since was seized with what she
thought a fit. She took her to Mr. Blasson, who
attended her nearly every day. The child died on
the previous Thursday, about 4 o'clock in the after-
noon.

Mr. W. Blasson said he had made a post-mortem
examination of the deceased child. He was unable
to assign the cause of death. He had taken out the
contents of the stomach for analysation.
The inquest was resumed to-day with the fol.*
lowing evidence :
Mary Ann Oldfield, a governess living next door
to Mrs. Clarke, said—l knew the deceased child.
On Thursday, the Bth inst., I first saw her, between
8 and 9 o'clock in the morning, and she appeared to
be suffering from convulsions, and at that time the
sight was quite gone. I remained there half an hour
and the convulsions continued. I have seen chil-
dren in convulsions before, but never like that.
have never seen anybody. who died from the
effects of poison. I went in several times dur-
ing the day, and about four o'clock to put on a
leech, but the child was just dead. I made a
remark to the mother that I had never seen
any death more like strychnne, and she
said, in a quiet way, " Yes, yes," but nothing more.
I had read a great deal about the effects of strych-
nine, and considered the appearance of the child's
death the same. The convulsions were twitching
of the hands, the mouth was very much drawn
down on one side, and the back beat in very much.
The Coroner—Curved you mean, I suppose ?
Witness—Yes, very much. The child threw her•
self about so much that the mother was obliged to
stand by the table on which the child was laid to
prevent her throwing herself off. I laid out the
child about half-an•hour after death, and the limbs
were rather rigid, but the month was not drawn
up. I have laid out other children generally about
an hour after death, but never found them so rigid.
I should certainly say the limbs were more rigid
than usual. The child did not vomit while I was
,present, nor do I know that it was purged.
Elizabeth King, a straw plaiter, stated that she
also saw the child several times during the day of
its death. It was in strong convulsions, moving
about its feet, hands, and head. Its stomach pro-
jected, and its back was very much bent inwards.
The hands were rather clenched, she had never Been
a child die in convulsions before.