The Sun.
London, England, 1839-01-04 00:00:00

COURT OF EXCHEQUER.

Sittings at Nisi Prius in Middlesex and London, before the
Right Hon. James Lord Abinger, Chief Baron of her Ma•
jesty's Court of Exchequer, in and after Hilary Term, 1839

DEATH OF MRS. MACLEAN (L.E.L.)

THE CORONER'S INQUEST.

The most painful shock to the natural feelings of all who
were acquainted, not with Mrs. Maclean herself—for these
were the few—but with her writings—has been occasioned by
the published extract of a letter from a Wesleyan missionary
at Cane Coast Castle, furnishing a partial statement of the
awful circumstances under which Mrs. Maclean perished, and
giving the verdict of a Coroner's Jury, to the effect that she
died from mistakingly swallowing an overdose of Prussic
acid. We have no comments at present to offer on this oc-
currence. It is in the main correct; but as we were in posses-
sion of all the original documents relating to her death and
the inquiry, we simply add here the depositions before the Co-
roner's Jury.
At an inquisition held at Cape Coast Castle, the 15th day
of October, 1838, before me, James Swanzey, Esq., one of
her Majesty's Justices of the Peace, and others, the jurors of
our Lady, Queen Victoria, upon view of the body of Letitia
Elizabeth Maclean—Emily Bailey, being duly sworn upon the
Holy Evangelists, and examined, deposeth and saith—That
between the hours of eight and nine of the morning of the
15th inst., the deponent having received a note, addressed to
Mrs. Maclean, from Mr. Swanzey, went to her room for the
purpose of delivering the same to her, found some difficulty
in opening the door, in consequence of Mrs. Maclean
having fallen against it. That deponent, on entering the
room, discovered Mrs. Maclean lying on the floor with
an empty bottle in her hand—(which bottle being produced
was labelled Acid. hydrocianicum delatum, pharm. Lond.,
1836 ; medium dose five minims," being about one-third
the strength of that in former use prepared by Scheel's proof),
and quite senseless ; that on seeing this deponent went for her
husband to call Mr. Maclean. She believed that Mrs. Ma-
clean must have been attempting to open the door to call for
assistance when she fell. That her mistress was subject to
be attacked by spasms, and was in the habit of taking
occasionally a drop or two of the medicine in the bottle
in water ; but had not herself seen her do so more than
two or three times. She (Mrs. Maclean) had the spasms
rather badly the previous evening, and wished to take
a little of the medicine contained in the bottle to give her
relief. She did not complain much this morning. Deponent
was not present when her mistress was taken i:1; but had
seen her about half an hour before, when she appeared well,
and made her a present, as the deponent was about leaving
tie coast for England. That Mrs. Maclean then told depo-
nent to retire, and shewould send for her when she wished to
dress. Deponent had not seen her writing this morning; but she
was so employed the previous evening,when she delivered to de-
ponent two letters for friends in England, and was affected at the
thought of deponent leaving her. That when deponent saw
her last she was in her usual spirits. The bottle found in
Mrs. Maclean's hand was uncorked, and she (deponent) after-
wards corked it, and put it aside. She could state nothing
more which could throw any light on the subject.
[An unimportant deposition by the husband of the above
deponent, who merely states his being called by his wife, his
placing the head of the deceased on a pillow, and going for
"the doctor" at Mr. Maclean's request, follows.'
The next deposition is that of George Maclean, who de-
poseth and saith that deponent saw nothing particular about
Mrs. Maclean this morning, except that she complained of
weariness, and after having, as usual, given him some tea and
arrow-root, at six o'clock went to bed again for an hour and
a half. Deponent attributed her weariness to attendance upon
himself while sick, and want of rest for three previous nights ;
that she was very subject to spasms and hysterical affec-
tions, and had been in the custom of using the medicine
contained in the small bottle produced, as a remedy or pre-
vention, which she had told him had been prescribed for her
by her medical attendant in London ( Dr. Thomson); that
on seeing her use it, deponent had threatened to throw it
away, and had at one time told her that he had actually
done so, when she appeared so much alarmed, and said it
was so necessary for the preservation of her life, that depo
nent was prevented from afterwards taking it away ; that he
had been called by Bailey that morning, when he found Mrs.
Maclean on the floor near the door, quite senseless ; that he
immediately sent for the doctor, and assisted to carry her to
the bed ; that the efforts of the doctor to restore life were in
vain, and that d •ponent cannot assign any cause for her death ;
that the letter, in the following words, now produced to this
deponent is stated to have been found in Mrs. Maclean's desk
this morning, is in her own handwriting, and that an unkind
word had never passed between Mrs. Maclean and deponent :

(LETTER.)
" Cape Coast Castle, Oct. 15.
"My dearest Marie—l cannot but write you a brief account
how I enact the part of a feminine Robinson Crusoe. I
must say, in itself, the place is infinitely superior to all I
ever even. dreamed of. The Castle is a fine building—the
rooms excellent. Ido not suffer from heat, insects there are
few or none, and lam in excellent health. The solitude,
except an occasional dinner, is absolute ; from seven in the
morning till seven, when we dine, I never see Mr. Maclean,
and rarely any one else. We were welcomed by a series of
dinners, which I am glad are over, for it is very awkward to be
the only lady ; still the great kindness with which I have been
treated, and the very pleasant manners of many of the gen-
tleman, made me feel it as little as possible. Last week we
had a visit from Captain Castle of the Pylades. His story
is very melancholy. He married, six months before he left
England to one of the beautiful Miss Hills, Sir John Hill's
daughter, and she died just as he received orders to return
home. We also had a visit from Colonel Bosch, the Dutch
Governor, a most gentlemanly-like man. But fancy how
awkward the next morning, I cannot induce Mr. Maclean to
rise, and I have to make breakfast, and do the honours of
adieu to him and his officers—white plumes, mustachios, and
all. I think I never felt more embarrassed. I have not yet
felt the want of society the least. Ido not wish to form new
friends, and never does a day pass without thinking most
affectionately of my old ones. On three sides we aro sur-
rounded by the sea. I like the perpetual dash on the rocks—
one wave comes up after another, and is for ever dashed in
pieces, like human hopes that only swell to be disappointed.
We advance—up springs the shining froth of love or hope, a
. moment white and gone for ever.' The land view, with its
cocoa and palm trees, is very striking—it is like a scene in the
Arabian Nights.' Of a night the beauty is very re-
markable ; the sea is of a silvery purple, and the moon de-
serves all that has been said in her favour. I have only
once been out of the fort by daylight, and then was delighted.
The salt lakes were first died a deep crimson by the setting
sun, and as we returned they seemed a faint violet in the
twilight, just broken by a thousand stars, while before us was
the red beacon light. The chance of sending this letter is a
very sudden one, or I should have ventured to write to Ge-
neral Fogan, to whom llbeg the very kindest regards. Dearest,
do not forget me, Pray write to me, Mrs. George Maclean,
Cape Coast Castle, care of Messrs. Forster and Smith, Si,
New City Chambers, Bishopsgate-street.' Write about your-
self, nothing else half so much interests your affectionate,
"L. E. MACLEAN,"
On reading the above most affecting letter it will at once be
conceived that it must have produced on the minds of the Jury
an impression as to the tranquil state of mind of the writer,
and of her having, therefore, perished by a most deplorable
want of caution on her own part. But we here feel it due to
truth and justice to state that letters previously written by ths,
same hand, a few hours, a few days, perhaps a month brore,
give evidence that that most affectionate and nobles spirit was
not always so tranquil. It should also be distinctly stated that
she had never been known by her friends its England to have
resorted to the use of the deadly medicine in the case of spas-
modic attacks. In justice to Doctor Thomson, whose name
is above introduced, and who was one of the most faithful, the
most dear and estimable of Mrs. Maclean's friends, let us say
that lie furnished her medicine-cheat, and took the utmost
pains to mark everything it contained, so as to prevent (ap-
parently) the possibility of her ever making a mistake. This,
without any communication with Dr. Thomson, we can con-
fidently state.
The next deposition is that of William Cobbold, surgeon,
who states that he " was called upon to attend Mrs. Maclean,
and that on his arrival be found her perfectly insensible with
the pupils of both eyes much dilated, and fancied he could de-
tect a slight pulsation at the heart, but very feeble, and which
ceased in a very short time after his arrival. Knew that
violent action was going on, and immediately administered
a dose of ammonia, which happened to be in the room, and
directed frictions of the same kind to be applied." The
deponent then goes on to describe that he was preparing other
remedies, "before which could ba effected lite was extinct.
Was strengthened in his opinion that death was caused by the
improper use of the medicine, the bottle of which was found
in her hand, from learning that Mrs. Maclean was in the halo's,
of taking it occasionally for spasmodic) affection, to whicSa She
was subject. The body after death was perfectly natural.
Imagined that Mrs. Maclean, not havia.is experienced the
usual benefit from the prescribed quantity, may have been in-
duced to exceed it, or that the spasmbser:nayswhaallvoewecd7He
Had
when she was in the act of tablng the medicine, and thus in-
voluntarily a greater quantity may have
no hesitation in ascribing her death to this cause. Ten drops
would be sufficient to cause death in ten or fif. een minutes, to
a person not in the habit of using it. Was so fully convinced
that the medicine was the cause of her death, that he did not
think it necessary to opon the body."
An unimportant deposition from Mr. Brodie CriliAaslat k
closes the evidence. He merely siwearilsgltaonhd
fv
Maclean the night before "in her usual spirits.
hand t
Aoi7 aeenoMharvs.
ing promised to take some letters a L
The inquest is then given, It recites havinrw her
taken
" before me, James Swanaey, member of the Council of the
Government, and one of her Majesty's Justices of the Peace
in and for the British Settlements on the Gold Coast of
Africa, acting as Cos
our, upon the view of the body of
Letitia Elizabeth Maclean, then and there lying dead—
Lyon the taihs of William Topp„ John Jackson, Robert
Jap'ason, William Edwaial Stanley, Joseph Clouston, James
Henry Akhurst, 14-Isenu smith, spinks, and Thomas
Hutton, P 134 and lawfal men of Cape Coast Castle,
ak*S.ssasta as welt] as upon the oaths of James Morley,
master of #l.O let Governor Mad.%
ixeolio; John Gardiner bolo'''.
; and Brodie CriaieVsl'ank' maas,teFrraonfcitsilSowbauriag ey,Os.
.-,: of
of Annamahee, who, being
sworn and chatrged asa inquire on the part of our said lady the
Queen, sXheas, where, and after wlvit manner the said Letitia
44stbeths came to her death, do upon their oaths, say that on
the day and year stWesaid, and at the place afo,reaaid, the
death of tle gala Letitia Elizabeth was caused by her having
incasatipassly taken an over-dose e,t pAIS:ale acid, which froya.
ol4denee it appeared she 1414 been in the habit of us ;w:: z; a
remedy for spasmodic attections to which she waF.,
It will sot fail to be remarked, and it wiA 4Cmbtless be la.
tad' that only this written evidence, as:as taken. But on
this point we forbear to comment,, atli considerations are in-
deed, for the present merged in profound grief for the loss of
one who was as, woirthy to be loved as she was worthy to, bt,
admired.— courier,