The Sun.
London, England, 1862-05-26 00:00:00

' nothing now in explanation of it. There was no intention
of_ anything like centralisation aimed at by the measure,
but it, in fact, gave the ratepayers powers which they did
not at present possess for the purpose of enabling them to
have the roads placed under a proper system of supervision.
Besides the measure was a permissive and not a compulsory
one, so that those counties who refused its operation coull
not have it forced upon them ; and as to the question of
expense, he had no doubt that ultimately the measure would
have the effect of reducing rather than in increasing the
expenses of the management of roads.
Sir M. RIDLEY considered that, while the measure had
several recommendations, it had a great many defects ;out
at the same time many of the latter could be amencted in
committe. He hoped, therefore, the house would at once
go into committee on the measure.
[LEFT SITTING.]

THE TRAGEDY EV LUDGATE-Rny.

CORONER'S INQUEST.-(THIS DAY).

The Coroner's inquiry into the causes connected with 11.
deaths of Anne Howard Vyse, aged seven, and AliceVyse,
aged five years, commenced this afternoon at the London
Coffee-house, Ludgate-hill, before Mr. Payne, the coroner

for the City of London.
Mr. Humphries, jun., the solicitor, watched the case on
the psrt of Messrs. Keating, chemists, St. Paul's Church-
yard, and Mr. "Vining attended for the family of Mr. Vyse.,
The jury having been sworn proceeded to view t/.10
bodies.

On their return, the first witness called was,
Mr. John Saunders Moon, residing at Oakley-road,
Islington, said he was a member of the Stock Exchange.
He knew the two deceased children, one was Anne Howard
Vyse, aged six years and 10 months, the other Alice Kate
Vyse, aged five years. They were the children of Valen-
tine and Ann Cornish Vyse. He was one of the
assistant-surgeons at St. Bartholomew's Hospital. He
first saw the children on Thursday afternoon about
five o'clock, in a front room in the top floor of
Mr. Vyse's house. They were both dead. The bodies
were much discoloured and livid, and although they were
quite warm, having almost tke living temperature, they
were quite rigid. The youngest was rigid all over, the
eldest in that state about the jaws and neighbouring part,,
sir oh
bodies
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teiar
ec
lhy,
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disappeared, decomposition had already commenced. The
witness then proceeded to give a description of the appear-
ance of the intestines, but said he had not examined the
contents of the stomach, because he believed that it was
necessary that a chemist of authority should make the exa-
mination in preference to a surgeon. Ho might, however,
state that he had made certain experiments on a cat with, a
portion of the contents of the body, and from effects pro-
duced, he was of opinion that strychnia was contained in
the stomach.

The Coroner—Then we are for the present stopped.

Witness-1 thought it necessary, as the examination of
the stomach would be connected with very important re,

sults, it would be better that a chemist of eminence shorAld

undertake the analysis in preference to a surgeon.
The Coroner—What has become of the contents of the

stomachs ?

Witness—They are in jars, under lock and key, in my

possession.
Coroner—Because it is important they should not be
tampered with.
Witness—That is the very reason I have not touched
them.
Coroner—l should not call your touching them tamper-
ing. It is very important no one should interfere with
them.
Witness—l will take care that no one shall touch them
without your order. I simply did not make the analysis,
because I consider no surgeon, as a surgeon, is competent
to make that analysis.
Mr. John M. Taylor, assistant to Mr. Keating, chemist,
St. Paul's-churchyard, was the next witness examined.
The Coroner—Did you sell any poison on Thursday ?
Witness—Yes, to Mrs. 'Wyse, about a quarter to 12.
Coroner—Did she come to your shop ?

Witness—Yes. I knew her as a customer. She asked
to be shown somo perfume. I showed her some, and she
chose a bottle containing extract of spring flowers. She
said it was very nice. She afterwards said she was much
infested with rats and mice at her house, that it had lately
cost £5 to repair the damage they had done. She also said
they were much troubled with them in the bed room, so
much so that she could not sleep, and that one even came,
up on the bed to her, that she had to put her hand out to
shake it off, and that she heard it fall on the floor. She
was afraid that they would get to the baby, and she asked
for some prussic acid or other stuff to destroy them.
She was told she could not have it, and some
poisoned wheat was recommended. This she declined,
and asked whether any other thing was kept for the pur-
pose. I told her we had Butler and Battle's vermin killer,

She took away some of the latter.
By a juror—l told her it w,uld require great care in the
using, and that she must be careful the children did not
come near it, I did not know the mixture contained
strychnia, or that it was of so deadly a nature.
Mr. Frederic Marshall, another assistant to Mr. Treating,
said he sold the servant of Mrs. Vyse a large packet of the
powder her mistress had purchased in the morning,
Mary AnnilN.l'Sweeny said she was housemaid to Mr
Vyse, and had been so for about six months. She :yaw the
children is the afternoon upstairs. They told her they
were going to lie down. She saw them afterwards :asleep

on the bed. They had their boots off. Whilst upstaikvs Mrs.

Vyse called her down and told her to g to Mr. Beating's
and gat a packet of the same powder she had had in the
morning. She went and got the powder, and on going to
her mistress's bedroom door she found it shut. She knocked
at the door but got no answer. On knocking again she
heard a noise as if some one vomiting. She went and told
the cook she could not get in to Mrs. Vyse's bedroom; but
on knocking a second time, Mrs. Vyse said, "Who's there;
you cau't come in." She then went down into the shop
and told Miss Saunders, Mrs. Vyse's sister, that something
was the matter. They both went upstairs and broke
the door open, and found Mrs. Vyse near the marble wash-
stand with her throat cut. Miss Saunders said, "Pray
God, what are you doing ? Let me die with you." Mrs.
Vyse said, "I am mad. Let me hang myself. I wish to
die." She also said the two children were in heaven, and
she wished to be with them. Witness said she would go
for a doctor, but Mrs. Vyse said it was too late. She had
seen Mrs. Vyse since the. occurrence, but she has not
spoken on the subject.
Sarah Saunders, sister to Mrs. Vyse, recollected her going
out on Thursday, and also her return home. The children
dined about 2 o'clock. She knew of nothing until the
housemaid called her upstairs. On going into her sister's
room witness said, " Dear, what have you do,t2e
It
wasM
Vyse pointed to the wall, and said, " Go thehrere.
in
an
since foundt,
e
thethe
tdwireeccthioi
her sister on the subject.
generealelhiy
lrderseindeodnliyn the
By they usually
uldroefnthgeuinteexdteraodo.m.ShSehheawd
lie down after dinner, by Ns
By the Coroner—The children went
nott spokene
country, but when they her..sh!
the Exhibition
• tended to take them to
that she in
11:ilufeahgwraoiunldofdsetpryeachdnuitiro,norheewvenit
rived in town on Wednesday morning, the mother saying
Mr. Savory,ran thdehsonr :sego noi eosi3eimn
opinion
dth—aHt
it contained
saideent.
ahienhe
da had
strych-
ninetestedthe pow
adjourned.
in some form. He gave four and a half grains to a
wr less,aabTBb hi wet administered.oi whichnu i kr yi kl
kill al laecsdhiiltd. then.