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

(From the Lancet.)

The suicide of the man who accompanied the unfortu-
nate persons found poisoned in a cab, under circumstances
which have produced so profound an impression of horror
on the public mind, hardly diminishes in any degree the
necessity for carefully prosecuting the inquiry as to the
actual cause of death in those cases. Indeed, by closing the
only course from which direct information might probably
have been obtained at fist hand, it gives additional im-
portance to the inferences drawn from the physical ap-
pearances and chemical reactions of the tissues removed for
examination by the order of the coroner, Dr. Lankester.
The stomach and other of the viscera have by his direction
been placed in the skilled hands of Dr. Matthiessen,
F.R.S., and Dr. John Randall, the professors of chemistry
and medical jurisprudence at St. Mary's Hospital Medical
School, and aro now undergoing analysis. Their evidence
will be given at the adjourned inquest early next week.
The inquiry is still incomplete, but enough has been done,
we believe, to determine the nature of the poison, with
certainty, in the case of the mother. The stomach, we
learn, presented a general condition of pink congestion,
with three spots of the characteristic " plum-coloured"
extravasation, each about the.size of a sixpenny piece, near
the lesser curvature, at its posterior aspect. After distil-
ling over the contents; which were only about an ounce
and a• half of a syrupy fluid, of treacly colour, the affir-
mative tests for hydrocyanic acid, with silver sulphide of
ammonium and the " iron test," were applied, and the
characteristic reactions obtained. Hence it may be
accepted as true that the woman was poisoned with prussic
acid. With a view to ascertain whether it was realty ad-
ministered in beer, the presence of alcohol in the stomach
will also be quantitatively determined. It has been sug-
gested that the mixing of prussic acid with beer might be a
work of some difficulty, in-ismuch as the prussic acid,
being of much less specific gravity, would float on the
surface ; but this would not be the case with the
mixed acid probably used under such circumstances. It
was considered possible that a solution of cyanide
of potassium had been employed, as this poison has similar
reactions and properties; but Dr. Matthissen has applied a
test with tho view of ascertaining that fact, and we believe
the conclusion on that score at which he has arrived is ne-
gative. The analysis of the contents of the stomach of the
children is yet incomplete. In addition to the parts of the
mother and children, some pewter pots, a cork, and three
cakes and figs found in the possession of the children will
be examined. And, in the first instance, the physiological
test will be employed of feeding some small animals with
parts of these cakes and figs. Little, however, can be ex-
pected from the examination of pewters, as the man is said
to have emptied the pot after handing the beer to those sit-
ting in the cab, and some of them, at least, were used in the
course of trade during the evening. 'When all had been
done there will still remain in connexion with this case se-
veral features of a remarkable kind and difficult to explain ;
for if it be assumed that the three persons were poisoned by
the hydrocyanic acid conveyed in beer, it is difficult to see
why some one of the three did not take alarm at perceiving
the sudden effect which must have immediately followed the
drinking of the beer in the others. The further examination
of the contents of the stomachs of the children will be
awaited with interest. The entire absence of any alarm
given to the driver, or any appearance of a struggle, is a
fact of importance in juridical science.

Railway Directors in the French Corps
Legislatif.

In the Corps Legislatif on Monday M. Emile
O;iivier formally announced tne determination
which the Opposition had come to not to raise the
question of the incompatibility of railway directors
to sit in the house. His short speech is very impor-
tant. He said, apropos of the election of M. La-
croix St. Pierre for the Doubs

I do not oppose this election, although M. Lacroix St.
Pierre is a railway director, and it has been argued else-
where that such a position is incompatible with the func-
tions of a deputy. It is for the dignity of the house that an
objection of this kind having been strongly insisted on out
of doors should be distinctly answered here. Now, in my
own name, and in that of several of my colleagues, I am
here to express an opinion that this pretended incompatibi-
lity does not exist. The argument is that Art. 81 of the law
of 1849 is not expressly repealed; and that Art. 2 of the
decree of 1852—which only in a general way repeals all
former laws inconsistent with itself—does not affect this
law of 1849. It is further urged as a matter of public po-
licy, that there is something repugnant in a deputy being
entrusted in that character with the duty of overlook-
ing himself in the character of a director of a company
privileged by the State. I do not deny that there is
something in this worthy the consideration of the Legis-
lator—if not with regard to railway directors, at least with
regard to Government contractors. But we have not to
make a new electoral law at this moment. And, dealing
with the law as it stands, we think it clear that the law of
1849 is repealed by the decree of 1852. Art. 26 of that
decree says that all electors 25 years old and upwards are
eligible without any condition of domicile. This positive
enactment evidently does away with all anterior incapaci-
ties. lam happy that the Opposition has had the oppor-
tunity at this cur first sitting to show by an act what is the
attitude it means to assume in the Chamber. The attitude
will never be either annoying or ♦iolent, but on the contrary,
loyal and high-minded ; for we feel that one of the privi-
leges of right principles is to have no need to resort to
equivocal and blameable means.

This speech was marked by loud applause from
all parts of the house.

Naws has, however, transpired since that one of
the bureaux of which MM. Marie and Picard are
members does not take the same view as M. 011i-
vier of the decree of 1.852, as having repealed all
incompatibilities not expressly mentioned in it.
This bureau, by a majority of 12 against 8, is un-
derstood to have voted that the Marquis d'Avrin-
court, one of the Emperor's chamberlains, is, on
account of his office, incapacitated from sitting in
the Chamber.

STAMFORD ST. SIMON AND ST. JUDE FAIR.—
This great annual fair commenced on Monday, and
was brought to a close on Tuesday, The cattle fair on
Tuesday was pretty well supplied with mulch cows, store
beasts, Bcc. There was a fair demand, and good prices wore
obtained. Mulch cows, £l5 to £2O ; barren cows, £7 to £l4
per head. The show of sheep was rather abundant, and a
satisfactory amount of business was done at full prices—
ewes, 40s to 50s; shearlings, 508 to 635; lambs, 25s to 36s
each. Horses were in limited supply, and good animals
were very scarce. The best cart cart horses made £4O to
£l5; colts, £2O to £2B each.
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