The Sun.
London, England, 1863-11-13 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 13, 1863.

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HER MAJESTY.

WINDSOR CASTLE, Nov. 12.

The Queen, accompanied by her Royal Highness
the Crown Princess of Prussia (Princess Royal)
walked and drove in the grounds this morning.
Earl Granville arrived at the castle yesterday and
had an audience of her Majesty.
The Queen honoured Mr. Frith with a sitting
yesterday for. his picture of the Prince of Wales's
marriage.

THE TRIPLE MURDER IN A CAB.

CORONERS' INQUEST.-PHIS DAY.

This morning, Mr. W. Carter, coroner for East Surrey,
held an inquest at the Rose and Thistle Tavern, Warner-
road, Camberwell, on the body of Samuel William Hunt,
the husband and father of the female and two children who
were found dead in a cab, under the terrible circumstances
already so generally known.
Mr. Hubert Wood, solicitor, attended to watch the pro-
ceedings on the part of the relations of the deceased, and
Inspector Tanner, of the detective force, was present by
direction of the Commissioners of Police.

The Jury having been sworn,
The Coroner said they assembled that morning to in-
quire into the causes attending the death of William Samuel
Hunt, and the questions they would have to consider was,
first, whether the deceased died from his own hand, the
condition of his mind at the time, and whether he could be
considered in such a state as to he responsible for his own
actions.

The jury having viewed the body, returned to the inquest
room. The following witnesses were called and examined :

Inspector Molloy, of the E division, said—Shortly after
10 o'clock on Monday night, in company with Inspector
Smith, I went to Ann's Cottage, Warner-road, Camber-
well. We saw no light when we arrived, and then Inspec-
tor Smith knocked at the door. Not receiving an answer
he knocked again.
Coroner—Before you knocked the second time was any-
thing heard within the house ?

Witness—No, sir ; but immediately after I heard a noise
in the passage. It was a sort of coughing, and as of a
person moving about in the dark. I called Inspector
Smith's attention to it, and then he gave a loud knock, and
immediately a person inside called out, "Who's there ?" I
said, " Open the door, if yeu please ; we want to speak to
you." I heard the chain of the door removed, and the door
was opened. There was no light; but I saw a man in his
shirt. He said, " Who are you—the police ; what do you
want ?" and he immediately made towards the stairs, I
said " Stop ; where are you going ?" He replied, " For a
light." Inspector Smith said "I've a light," and he turned
on his lamp, saying to the deceased "Where do you, want
to go." To which he replied " Upstairs to my bedroom."
Coroner—ls the person you have seen dead the same
man ?

Witness—He is, Inspector Smith then preceded de-
ceased upstairs and I followed. Itamediately we entered
the bedroom deceased sat on the bed and commenced retch-
ing very much and was sick. He did the same on going
upstairs. When he recovered he said, " What do you want
with me." I said " Have you read the account of the mar-
der on Saturday last ?" He replied, "Yes, I was reading it
this evening." I said, from information we have had, I
believe your family is not at home. He said, "That's
right; they went to Southampton on Friday." We cau-
tioned the deceased when he first entered the bedroom, and
after I said, "You answer the description," and we must
take you into custody on suspicion of being the murderer.
He said, " How were they dressed ?" Smith said they wore
dark clothing. Deceased replied, "It can't be my family,
for they all wore light dresses when they left here." Find-
ing he continued vomiting, Inspector Smith asked himwhat
he had been taking. He said, "I took a small portion of
gin, before I went to bed, which I found in a bottle." We
then told him he must dress immediately and go with us.
He did so ; and on the way to the station he said he hoped
it was not his family, but he would not be surprised. His
wile led him a wretched life; and the children had told him
some time back that one day when they were out for a walk
with their mother they met a gentleman, who took them
for a ride in a cab; that he was very kind to them, and
much like himself, viz., that he wore a moustache. Imme-
diately on arriving at the station Dr. Puckle was sent for,
and immediately attended. Finding the deceased was get-
ting worse, we sent for Dr. Massey. While Dr. Puckle
was attending him he appeared perfectly sensible. The
vomit was of a lightish colour. When Dr. Puckle came
in he asked him what he had been drinking, and deceased
said some gin, upon which the doctor said " Havn't you
been taking something else," he said "No. Don't you know
me, you attended my wife some time ago. She was lying on a
mattress, we had been moving and had not got the furniture
into the house." Dr. Puckle said he remembered the cir •
cumstance. Deceased then said, " I shall get round
directly, my heart is affected and the excitement has caused
me to be in this way." At this time he was retching
very much. Dr. Puckle attempted to administer an an-
tidote saying, " take this it will de you good," but ac-
cording to my mind there was a disinclination to take
it, as it was all spilt. On the second attempt deceased's
head was held back, and the mixture was poured down
his throat. There was a slight force required but not
much. After a short time deceased said, "I'm
dying, let me lie down." He did so, but shortly after
he called out, " I'm better now lift me up, I
lost my eyesight for a short time and could not see, but now
I can see very well." This latter remark was made after
he had been assisted up. He attempted to walk about, but
he staggered very much, and he was placed iu a chair,
when be again exclaimed, " I am dying fast." His eyes
closed, his head dropped, and he appeared to be unconscious
for a short time, but all of a sudden he started on his feet
and said, " I want to write something before I die; give me
pen, ink, and paper. I hope I shall live to finish it." He
then wrote the paper I now hand in. It was read as fol-
lows :—" Mr. M'Culloch, pay to my wife £l2O, due 17th
September last, and the remainder due to me." Deceased,
after he had done so, said to me "I wish you would take
charge of it, as Mr. M'Culloch owes me 18 months' back
wages. I wish that and the £4O I have in my pocket to be
given to my wife and children, if they are alive." We then
assisted him to a chair, when he requested to be placed on
the ground as he was dying, and after he had been there
a short time he again seemed to rally, and said,
" I know how she died ; she took prussic acid."
I said, " Your wife ? Where did she get it?" He replied
" I had it in the house—she took it." In a short time after
that ho expired in an insensible state. I omitted to state
until the present moment that when Dr. Puckle first saw
deceased he asked what he had been taking, to which he re-
plied, " I think there was something else in the glass, I
believe I have taken aconite." In searching the deceased's
house, there is a cupboard in the bedroom in which I found
12 or 14lbs. of soap, cut in pieces, and a small bottle con-
taining a fluid. I handed it to the doctors, who were pre-
sent. The bottle had neither stopper nor cork. I searched
the house carefully to find either, but could not.

Coroner—Rave you taken any steps to discover whether
his family went to Southampton ?
Witness—There is no such street as that to whi'h he
had said they had gone.

Coroner—After you entered the house had he any oppor-
tunity of taking anything ?
Witnt ss—No ; I am certain he did not. When I entered
the room I saw some vomit in the utensil. When he sat
down on the bed he Look it up apparently as if he had been
using it before. The fluid in the bottle looked to me like a
dark kin-i of oil. I don't know the e a avia of prussic acid.
Coroner—What amount of time was there between the
first and second knock at the door?

Witness—Just sufficient for a person to come to the door.
I should say about a minute and a half elapsed before he
came down. I don't think he had time to take anything
between the interval that elapsed between the knocking
and opening of the door. It was impossible for him to have
seen us before the door was opened, because we took care to
place ourselves in such a position to prevent that. The bed
had been used when we saw it.

Dr. Puckle said, I practice as a surgeon. and reside at
Denmark-hill. Last Monday night I was called to the
station-house, at Camberwell-green'minutes after
a few
eleven o'clock. I there found deceased sitting in a chair.
I know him to be a person of the name of Hunt He w
retching violently at the time. His countenance ;as pallid,ss
the eyes presenting a remarkable appearance—the
pupil
very much dilated. I felt his pulse, which was scarcely
perceptible. The action of the heart was extremely
feeble, but, with the exception of the retching, his
breathing was regular. I asked him what he had
been taking, and he said only some gin. I said you'v
taken more char that—what is it ? He replied, No.''
put my nose to his mouth, but could not detect any P I
arti-
cular effluvia. The retching was violent and spasmodic
but he did not complain of any sensation at the chest.
thought he had taken a, narcotic irritant poison. I at-
tempted to administer sulphate of zinc in water. He ob-
jected to take it. I said, "Come, Come, Hunt, you know
me, take it." He allowed his mouth to be completely filled,
but he spat it out again. I had with me a second dose of
the emetic, which I took care that he should swallow. He
did not appear to have the power to resist. The mixture
passed easily down his throat. After the emetic he vomited
immediately, and then exclaimed, "Oh
my heart." I
roused him up to ascertain whether he could stand, but he
staggered across the room, almost knocking his head
against the wall. He did not seem to have the power to
raise his arms. I asked him again what he had taken, ana
he still said only some gin- I asked him from whence
he had taken it, and he said from a six ounce
bottle. He appeared to doze for a few minutes,
when he revived, and said he had had such delightful
dreams. I Lotted him if he had any poison in the house, to
which he said, " I procured some prussic acid some time
ago, intending to destroy myself. I. walked about for nights,
I felt so miserable. But it is not in the house now. My
wife must have taken it with her when she went into the
country on Friday." Some one asked I,im if he had taken
prussic acid. Ho said, ,4 No, or I should not have been
here now;" showing his knowledge of the drug. I asked
aim if he had any other poison, to which he said he had a
packet of opium. I again asked him what he had taken,
ani he then said, " I may have taken. aconite—l think it
was." He lived about a quarter of an hour after making
that observation.; I have never seen a case of poisoning by
aconite, but, from reading, the effects are consistent with
those produced by aconite on the human frame.
I received from an officer a bottle, which I produce. It was
given to me by Molloy. It contained about two drops of a
liquid the colour of sherry. I have tested it, and have come
to the certain conclusion it was aconite. I tasted it, and it
produced a complete deadening of the tongue. Aconite is
procured from a plant known as monkshood. I have
no
doubt about the mixture being acronite ; 1.50 of a grain will
destroy life in certain animals, but, according to the opinion
of Dr. Taylor, ten minims of acronite will produce death in
a human being. I have made a post-mortem examination of
the body in company with 'goers, H. , Massey and Flower.

The examination was mad e 42 how s after death, The body was
well formed. There was extretae rigidity of the muscles.
On opening the head I found the brain healthy, the blood
vessels being fuller than usual. The ventricles contained
very little fluid, and there was no effusion at the base of the
brain. The heart presented a healthy appearance, but the
right side was greatly distended, the left side was con•
traoted, and did not contain any blood. Tho struc-
ture of the heart and lungs were quite healthy. I
have analysed the contents of the stomach, and
found it to contain aconite in small quantities.
I have no doubt that death was produced from that poison.
I detected it in large quantities in the vomit. Aconite does
not produce immediate prostration. It has not so immediate
an effect as prussic acid.
By Mr. Herbert Wocd— I have known the deceased for
some time, but I never noticed anything peculiar in his
manner.

The Coroner said he thought upon the subject of the
poisoning it was quite conclusive, and therefore they might
well pass to another branch of the case—viz the motive or
state of deceased's mind.
The suggestion being assented to

Adolphus Orlando Ritchie was then examined. He said
—I am in the service of Messrs. Butler and MacCulloch,
herbalists, druggists, and seedstuen, of Covent-garden-
market. I know the deceased. He was employed by the
firm as traveller and shop assistant. He used to take
samples out when he went his journeys. Last Monday
afternoon he told me to get some things from the ware-
house for him. He was then in the shop serving customers.
He came about half-past one in the afternoon and remained
till half-past seven in the evening. I saw him the whole
of that time. I did not notice anything unusual in his
appearance or conduct. He told me to get him some oil of
juniper, oil of roses, tincture of aconite, and essential
oil of almonds. None of the bottles produced are those
that I gave him. All the bottles were labelled except the
aconite. He did not usually require aconite. Two of the
bottles were to be sent out to the Waterloo-road, and the
aconite and oil of almonds were to be called for. I told
him the aconite had no label, and he said he would write
one and place it on the bottle We do not keep prussic amid
in a pure state. Any article he required would be supplied
without the least hesitation. He usually asked for what
he required if it was not kept in the shop. This was
the case with the aconite. All the goods are kept under
leek, the 'warehouseman keeping the key. The aconite
could not have been got without going to the warehouse.
We do not sell essential oils re: ail. Our business in those
articles is chiefly with chemists. The deceased was not at
the shop on Saturday.
Mr. Charles M'Culloch said the deceased was in my ser-
vice. His name was Samuel William Hunt. He had been
in our service about three years as traveller, and when at
home, assistant in the shop. I last saw him alive last Mon-
day. He was then in the shop attending to business. He
remained till half-past seven. I did not notice anything
out of his usual manner, which was reserved and morose,
but to me he was always very respectful. I have com-
plained to him about incivility to customers, and he made
uo reply, but seemed to regret he had done anything to dis-
please 'an, person. I never gave him any order to procure
the aconite. I had received an order for oil of rosemary
and oil of juniper, and it was given to the deceased. The
direction given hirn was a written one, but T know nothing
about the aconite or oil of almonds, The rosemary and
juniper was sent to the place as directed, but nothing fur-
ther had been heard of the aconite and almonds, neither
had been discovered.
George Gooll, of 5, Ann's-place, Camberwell, cabman,
said he was on the rank at the corner of the New-road on
Saturday evening, when a female and two children hired
him to drive them to the Eastern Counties Railway. After
he had driven a short distance a gentleman hailed him from
the path, and said he wanted to go to the Eastern Counties
Railway, He said he knew the lady, and it was all right.
When he had driven as far as the corner of Worship-street,
by the direction of the man he pulled up at a chemist's
shop, when the woman got out, and went into the shop.
After remaining there a short time, she re-entered the cab,
and told him not to drive up to the platform, but to set them
down before they came to the entrance. He did so. The
man paid the fare, and ha then drove home. The deceased
man is the person who hailed me after the woman and chil-
dren had first hired me. He was positive about the mat-
ter. He had quite sufficient opportunity to see his
features. He had no doubt about the matter at all.
The only luggage was a small parcel carried by the woman.
It was about 7 o'clock when they arrived at the railway
station. He saw Hunt at the station house, and then he
said he was quite certain it was the same person as paid
him his fare at the Eastern Counties Railway station. On
that occasion he wore a moustache, but it had since been '
shaved off. He gave his information to the police imme-
diately atter reading the particulars published in the papers
on Monday evening.
William Parker. the cabman, who was engaged to drive
the deceased parties to the Royal Oak, Paddington, and
who gave his evidence at the inquest held before Dr. Lan-
kester on Monday last,was then examined, and repeated his
statement with respect to the parties inside his cab taking
some beer at a public house in Bishopsgate-street. He
said he was certain it was the man who held the
pot upside down after the beer was drank,
as he saw his hand and coat sleeve eut of the
cab window. When the man got out of the cab he
did so as quick as it was possible to do, and closing the
door after him he paid 4s. for the fare, and told him to
drive them safe to the Royal 03k, saying they would be
all right by the time they got there. He never heard the
slightest noise in the cab. He identified the deceased
as the man who hired him to drive from Bishopsgate-
street to Balswatet, on Saturday, and who got out of the
cab at Furnival's-inn.
Mr. Currey, surgeon, at St. Mary's Hospital, said he
had made a post mortem examination of the three
bodies, and upon that he had come to the conclusion that
the woman and the two children died from the effects of
came
either prussic acid or cyanide of potassium.
C
a chemwoismt,anof 18,
to my shop and asked for
Norton-folgate, said—On
Saturdayyrus Fay,evening
a
two draughts for a gentleman who had taken a little
too much to drink. She wished them havoured with cinna-
men and cardamons. I made up two draughts of bicordone
of potash, sal volatile, compound tincture of cardamons,
and cinnamon water, for which she paid me. She also
bought a medicine glass, but before paying for it she asked
me if I would allow her to take it to the cab to ask the gen-
tleman whether it would do. She returned, saying it would
not answer, and she then purchased a small tumbler in a
case called a medicine glass. lam certain there was
nothing else in the mixture I sold the female but what I
have stated.
William Imrie, hairdresser, 420, Strand, said last Wed•
nesday or Thursday a gentleman came into my shop and
said he wanted to purchase a moustache. I sold him a
frizzy one, and fastened it on his upper lip. He asked me
if it looked natural, and I told him it did, and he left the
shop with it on. It altered his appearance very much. I had
a good opportunity of looking at his features. I have seen
the deceased, and I am positive he is that person.
The Coroner said that was all the evidence which would
be laid before them. There did not appear to be any doubt
as to the deceased being the destroyer of his life, and the
question for them to decide was whether he committed the
deed whilst labouring under insanity, or whether he adopted
that course in order to escape the ignominy of being pub-
licly executed.
The room was then cleared, and on the admission of the
public,
The Coroner said the jury found averdict of fele de se, and
he accordingly issued his warrant for the burial of the self-
murderer to-night, between the hours of 9 and 12.
The inquiry then terminated.