The Sun.
London, England, 1839-08-16 00:00:00

OLD COURT.
CHARGE OF POISONING. —John Clifton, aged 22, a
tailor, was indicted for the wilful murder of Caroline Clif-
ton, his wife, by administering arsenic to her on the 14th
of July last.
Mr. Garratt—ls a surgeon ; prisoner was a tailor.
Knows prisoner's wife ; she had had one child, which
is dead. He was called in to her on the night of the 14th
of July. Prisoner fetched him, and told him no time was
to be lost. He said she was in labour. Went with pri-
soner to his house and found his wife in bed, apparently in
great pain. She complained of her stomach and bowels,
also of sickness and purging ; the was tossing about in the
bed; her hands and test were cold—the pulse had ceased
—he felt none whatever ; there was great tenderness
about the stomach and bowels on pressure. She was quite
sensible. Prisoner was not present during this examina-
tion. He thought prisoner, who was in the next room, must
have heard what was said. He inquired the cause of her suffer-
ing, and how long it had lasted, she frequently turned her
eyes to the door while witness was asking her questions. No
conversation took place about her complaint after prisoner
came into the room. There were decidedly pains inde-
pendent of Labour pains. There were very slight labour
pains. The deceased died without having given birth to
any child. There wasegreat prostration of strength, ex-
treme anxiety of countenance, and other symptoms already
described, which had nothing to do with labour. His
judgment at the time was that the circumstances were
very suspicious. He was positive these symptoms did not
arise from natural causes. After having made certain in-
quiries of the deceased, during which time the prisoner was
absent from the house, he told prisoner, who had returned,
that his wife said prisoner had given her a powder. In
reply he said he had given her some cream of tartar, which
he had frequently been in the practice of doing when she
felt poorly. Witness replied that cream of tartar would
not produce these symptoms in the quantity he sad he had
given her, which was about a tea-spoon full. Witness said
are you certain you have given her nothing else? Prisoner
said he was positive he had not. Witness requested him
to produce the cream of tartar. Prisoner showed him about
hall an ounee of cream of tartar. Witness took it away
with him. Prisoner made no remark. At the same time
witness told prisoner his wife was in a most dangerous state.
Witness remained with her about three hours, at the end
of which time she died. It was about three quarters of an
hour after his arrival he told the prisoner of the state of
his wife. Prisoner made no reply. Shortly afterwards he
again told prisoner that she was in a dangerous state,
and he came into the room. The prisoner seemed very
much affected, and kissed her. No conversation took
place whilst the prisoner was in the room. After leaving
the house witness met police sergeant Donnegan. Saw
the prisoner in the back kitchen before he quitted the
house, after the death of deceased. Witness told him it
was a very alarming and remarkably sudden death—said he
would call again at nine o'clock. After communicating
wish Donnegan, witness returned to the house with his
assistant. This was about five o'clock in the morning—
he saw prisoner in the back kitchen, and repeated what he
bad said about the suddenness of her death, and informed
him that in all probability there would be an inquiry about
it. In reply, he said he hoped witness would make it as
mild as he possibly could, to which witness made no reply.
(The witness here became so confused in his testimony that
the Learned Judge requested he would sit down for a
few minutes to recover himself, and the Jury took that
opportunity of retiring for the purpose of refreshment, &c.
Alter a lapse of ten minutes the Jury returned, and the
examination was resumed.) When witness returned with
his assistant he told prisoner that deceased had desired him
not to tell the prisoner about the white powder, or he
would murder her, and that the reason the prisoner gave
her the powder afas, that she might not have any more
b--y children. Prisoner said she could not he sensible
when she said that. Witness said she was perfectly sen-
sible and remarked again as to the suddenness of her death.
The woman was perfectly sensible, and continued so for
at least two hours after witness's arrival. She lost her
senses about three-quarters of an hour before her
death. Dees not think deceased imagined she
was going to die. Witness opened the body of
the deceased on the day of the death. Found the
stomach highly inflamed—slightly contracted— thrown into
wrinkles—the inner surface livid, with a thick coating of
mucus, interspersed with flakes resembling half boiled
white of egg, containing a light brown fluid—the small in-
testines, with their glands, slightly enlarged—slightly in-
flamed—containing a large quantity of fluid, and a sub-
stance similar to that contained in the stomach. The
large intestines inflamed, with their glands enlarged and
inflamed—they were empty. The deceased was six
months gone with child—the lungs were conk•sted, and
1 effused blood in points. The examination matfirmed his
opinion as to the state of the deceased. With these ex-
ceptions the appearance of the body was healthy in the ex-
treme. Had examined the bodies of many who had died of
poison, and has no doubt the deceased died of poison. lie
gave the contents of the stomach to Mr. Lunn, a chemist, to
analyze. Cannot account for no arsenic being found in the
stomach, if any such had been taken, unless it was ex-
pelled previously to death. This was an opinion of the
profession.
Cross examined by Mr. PRENDERGAST-Did not save
any of the matters ejected. Is it not a medical opinion
that where no poison is found in the stomach, it is not safe
to come to a conclusion that a party has died of poison ?
It is certain she must have died from same irritating mat-
ter taken in the stomach. Never heard of persons dying
of sudden and rapid inflammation of the stomach and
bowels where poison had not been administered. Is the
parish surgeon. Receives a salary of 1001. a year for attend-
ing all the inhabitants, and finding all the physic. Gde
his evidence before the Coroner. Does not know what
was the verdict ; it was not against the prisoner. He
ordered carbonate of magnesia as a sedative. Would not
give carbonate of magnesia in a state of poisoning by
arsenic, if he were called in early. If the deceased had
lived she must have miscarried.
John Golden—l am a shoemaker. I lived in the same
house with prisoner when his wife died. Saw her at sever,
o'clock the evening before she died. She seemed like a
person ill with a cold. About half after three the follow-
ing morning found her dying. Mr. Garratt was there.
Was in the back-kitchen with Mr. Garratt and the pri-
soner. Mr. Garratt told the prisoner his wife said he had
given her three powders, and that she desired him not to
tell prisoner, or he would kill her. Does not remember
whether prisoner made any reply. When the doctor was
gone witness told the prisoner it was a bad job. Prisoner
said " it was, but he was innocent, by God ; but let the
worst come to the worst they could but bring it in man-
slaughter, which would transport him for life." Witness's
wife was present.
Cross•exarnined—Did not state anything about the con-
versation with the doctor before the Magistrate.
Susan Golden—ls wife of the last witness. Saw pri-
soner's wife at seven o'clock the evening before she died
in bed. She complained of great pain in her bowels and
head. Atone o'clock prisoner called her, saying his wife
was very ill. Witness remained with her until she died.
She had been poorly on the Saturday before. She corro-
borated her husband's testimony as to the expressions made
use of by prisoner to the last witness,
Cross-examined—Deceased was in bed on the morning
of Saturday. On Sunday she seemed worse. On Sun-
day morning she cooked the dinner and washed her hus-
band's shirt ; she complained of being ill. At seven she ex-
pressed a desire to see Mr. Garrott, and the prison& de-•
sired witness to fetch him. Witness sent a friend, who
went to the wrong doctor ; he came, and the deceased
declined having any medicine, although the prisoner was
willing she should. The prisoner and his wife were on
good terms on Sunday.
Mr. John Adams—ls a surgeon ; was present at the
post mortem examination of deceased; corroborates the
testimony of Mr. Garratt as to the appearances presented,
except that the small intestines were only inflamed at their
commencement. From what he had heard of the symp-
tons, coupled with the:post mortem examination, is of opi-
nion that the deceased died from some acrid poison. That
was his unqualified opinion. A large doge of a powerful
medicine, such as gamboge, colocyth, or calomel, might
produce those symptoms. Could not conceive any quan-
tity of cream of tartar could produce them. The facts of
no mineral poison appearing upon the analysis of the
stomach and intestines would produce no effect upon his
opinion, because if a person took small and repeated doses
, of metallic poison, the symptoms would be produced but
the poison would not be found, as it would be absorbed into
the system. This is the only way in which he can account
for the absence of poison in the stomach. It might be
all discharged by vomiting, and yet the sickness remain,
and thus also the patient might die of metallic poison, and
yet none be found. If arsenic were given in a quantity
sufficient to cause death he should expect sickness of great
intensity to come on in half an hour.
Cross-examined by Mr. PRENDERGAST-The finding of
arsenic would add greatly to the strength of his opinion.
Medical men will certainly not assert from any particular
set of symptoms when poison does not appear That a per-
son has died from poison. In this case he thinks it highly
probable the death arose from poison, but will not posi-
tively assert that such is the case.
Mr. Thomas Lunn is a chemist and accustomed to
analyses. Received some liquid from Mr. Garratt, con-
taining a brownish matter. Has chemically examined this
liquid in every way he thought requisite. Tried four sets of
experiments. Is not aware of any experiments that,he
did not try but Mr. Marsh's experiment, by which sonic
chemists assert the 500,000 th part of a grain of arsenic
could be detected, but did not detect a particle of it, or of
any other mineral poison.
Cross-examined by Mr. PRENDERGAST—Mr. Garratt
also gave him a powder which he examined, and found it
did not contain any arsenic.
Joseph Lockwood is a chemist. Knows prisoner. Sold
him some arsenic about ten weeks ago. He said he wanted
it to destroy mice. Wrote " poison" on the paper con-
taining it. Sold him some cream of tartar about a month
afterwards.
John Donnegan, is a police-officer. After something
......... Olrammnve•••••••••W_______j-..--.''----""'"--- - that had passed between him and Mr. Garratt, he went to
RAMSGATE, AUG. 12.--Their Majesties the the prisoner's house about a quarter to five. Witness said
King and Queen of the Belgians are expected to arrive at he supposed prisoner suspected his business, to which pH_
this port on or about the 30th of this month, on their route soner made no reply. Witness then said the doctor sus-
to visit our most gracious Queen and her august Mother.—
lie Gazette. had giv
up he was to consider himself in custody. Prisoner
The Tories have resolved to offer no opposition said nothing. When witness desired him to go to the sta-
, states,there d thaturin
to the election of Mr. Oliphant, for Perth. tion house, prisoner requested to stay until nine. Witness
channelt
U nefoGNE._A corresondent at Boulogne refused, and told him to come instantly. He said he wished
ginpeaertnaoorifoleaosteeof the late deepeningi of the Golden to go with him. Prisoner fed his dog, and then
and the steam
mhep paporte
packets
there r
were
has b beenle to
es
nu
tcehr aadt el pn teih t
iodf water
prisoner
dewr istanieds
something
otmo
et the stationiig
to
o Mrs.house.
whichre he wentw it .
.a—t
h eTr,hheas
had recent
a most
ods
tr y,
month, that the largest vessels
ness did not hear. Accompanied prisoner to Lockwood s,
Golden,Befo
the who said he had sold prisoner cream of tartar. Witness
whHoleAwßaVrmEsw'reasked Lockwood if he had sold prisonerpoison, or any
whole any
the growing : arsenic, and Lockwood said he had not.
crops, and the harvest has partially
favourable and
ueptfoe nc
t upon 1 .
com-
menced in Worcestershire.w
eek orten
days i
In anotherl Mr. PRENDERGAST addressed the Jury for the defence, and
it will become general. Though it cannot be denied that I contended that there was no evidence to prove that the de-
the long continuance of Wet weather immediately succeed. I, ceased had been poisoned at all. With regard to the
ing St. Swithio, accompanied with high winds has beaten '1 denco of the medical man, he would appeal to the personal
down the wheat in many Places, yet upon the whole the I experience of the Jury to contradict his assertion that death
prospect of a crop is more favourable than under such un- , in consequence of inflammation of the stomach occasioned
propitious circumstances might have been expected.— \by food,' never occurred
under thirty-six hours. The
Worcestershire Chronicle. I Learned Counsel then proceeded to comment upon the