The Sun.
London, England, 1863-07-06 00:00:00

SUMMER ASSIZES.

SOUTH WALES CIRCUIT.
(Before ,Baron Wilde.)
THE FISHGUARD MURDER.
Lydia Williams was charged with the wilful murder of
her husband, Dan Williams, at the parish of Llanunda.
Mr. Henry Allen and Mr. Owen prosecuted ; Mr. Thos.
Allen defended the prisoner.
Various witnesses said they had seen the deceased in
good health as late as the 11th and 12th of April last.
Elizabeth Bowen saw him about six o'clock on the day
he was taken ill—he then appeared to be well. She saw
him on the following day in the evening, about four o'clock
—he was then very ill. He came to her house, and said he
had pains about him he never had before in his stomach.
She saw him again on the following Tuesday, when he
complained of the pain in his stomach, and said his throat
and tongue felt very hot. At another time he was vomit-
ing. About nine days later he was very ill, and in great
pain. He complained of pain like a cramp. Before his ill-
ness his limbs were weak from rheumatism, but he was
well in body.
Cross-examined Deceased had two sisters, who did
not live with him, but one attended him before he died. This
sister and the wife were not friendly. Witness and the
wife had at one time not been on good terms. Deceased
was in the habit of tnkingtoo much physic, including boiled
herbs, which were usually simmering in a saucepan on the
hob. The herb he use was called " bog bean."
Elizabeth Davies, on being sworn, said she lived next
door to deceased, whom she saw on Sunday, the 17th of
April, at six o'clock. He complained he was very weak.
Saw him again the following Tuesday or Wednesday inbed
very ill and vomiting. He said he thought he should:die.
Mary Williams, daughter of the deceased, remembered
her father being taken ill on the Sunday. She was ill her-
self that day. After the Sunday she frequently saw him
vomit, generally every day after his meals. He vomited
after the meals which witness prepared, but his wife
usually, but not always; filled the bowls. When witness
took his food to him herself de ceased never vomited. Pri-
soner left the house a fortnight after he was taken ill, and
did not return. Witness saw prisoner pour out a small quan-
tity of gin for her father into a blue basin, and take a white
powder out of tome paper and put in the basin. Her father
did not drink it.
Eleanor Williams, sister to the deceased, said she prepared
the food after the wife left, and he was not sick after taking
it. She found a powder on the top of the press. She gave
it to Dr. Wathan.
Mr. Moses Griffiths, justice of the peace for the county,
deposed that he visited the deceased on the 20th of May,
with Superintendent Jones, and a policeman named Evans.
Jones took down the statement of the deceased :
" On Sunday, the 12th of April last, after I had partaken
of my dinner, prepared by my wife, Lydia, I became very
sick, and vomited very violently and threw up blood; and
each time I partook of food prepared by my wife I became
sick and vomited violently up to dinner time on the 23d of
April, after which time my daughter prepared my food,
through the interference and suggestion of my sister Eleanor,
since which time I have not vomited. I saw my wife take
something out of a paper, which I believe she took from her
pocket, and put it in my food twice of three times, and I
vomited each time. She was standing by the window in my
bedroom the first time, and in the other room afterwards.
The first time I became sick and vomited. I had partaken
of broth, prepared and:given to me by Lydia for my dinner.
The sensation I felt at the time was a burning in my
stomach ; my throat was dry, shrunk up, and burning ; my
tongue much swollen; ray lips swollen and cracked; the
skin on my body dry, withered, and pealing off. I make
this declaration, believing that I am now dying, and will
not recover."
Mr. W. D. Wathan, of Fishguard, surgeon, deposed that
be was called in to see the deceased on the 28th of April.
He described the symptoms presented by the deceased.
There was inflammation and numbness of the limbs, and
various other appearances which led him to form a decided
opinion as to the cause of his death ; he believed he died
from the effects of an irritant poison. Bog beans act as a
tonic, and are very harmless. The package given him by
Eleanor Williams contained oxalic acid.
Dr. J. D. Brown, of Haverfordwest, deposed that he, in
company with the last witness, made a post mortem exami-
nation of the deceased. lle appeared to have died from
heart symptoms, and the nervous system seemed to be
exhausted. He could not say what caused the inflamma-
tion.
Mr. William Herapath, analytical chemist, of Bristol,
deposed to receiving a jar containing portions of the hates,.
tines from Superintendent Jones. He tested its contents
for poison, and found none. There was inflammation in all
parts of the intestines sent to him. He had seen cases
where inflammation proceeding from natural causes had
caused death. Any heavy irritant poison would produce
these effects. Neither in his reading nor experience bad
he ever known poison to be found after ]6 days. He had
received some powders from Superintendent Jones. One
of them was oxalic acid ; the other consisted of oatmeal and
and white arsenic. It contained 27 grains of arsenious
acid and 63 of vegetable meal. Three grains of acid had
been known to cause death, but it usually required more.
Arsenic acts on the nerves where it has been administered
in small quantities, and the sufferers die from secondary
causes. In his experience he had never known so long a
time as had elapsed in this case before death ensued.
Mary Williams deposed that she was a servant living
at Trelleys. She saw the prisoner, she could not say on
what day, and prisoner asked witness for something to kill
mice. Witness replied she had nothing.
Hannah Nicoloa, on being sworn, said she saw the pri-
soner at her house on the Sunday. She heard of Dan Wil-
liams being taken ill that week. The prisoner asked her
for something to kill mice, and she gave her some poison.
She had an equal quantity left, which she gave to the po-
lice.
Mary Jenkins deposed that she knew the prisoner, who
called at the house of her master, Dr. Owen, of Trelleys,
and asked witness if she had something to kill rats.
Aftdr a deliberation of more than half an hour the jury
returned a verdict of guilty of the in tent but not of the
murder.
His Lordship sentenced the prisoner to penal servitude
for life.
On Thursday Francis Weeks Szlumper, late clerk to the
Milford Improvement Commissioners, was charged with
having on Oct. 3, 1862, forged a certain power of attorney,
with intent to defraud. The prisoner was further charged
in another count of the indictment with uttering a power of
attorney with intent to defraud.
Mr. Lascelles appeared for the prosecution, and Mr. T.
Allen for the defence.
It appeared from the evidence that the seal of the Milford
Improvement Commissioners was kept in a boa with three
locks, two of the keys of which were kept by the prisoner,
nancvadiertr bheae
tn. Loth hird by the chairman, consequently the box could
opened bsyz
htheD: cpleerr ka ,n exceptd
the
chairmanthe
hadpresence t
wofo t
sets
of keys duplicates, there being six keys for the three locks.