The Sun.
London, England, 1865-09-22 00:00:00

Letter No. 6 was of similar purport to Nog. 3 and 4.
The Coroner then read some letters which had been pro-
duced by Superintendent Caldow.
Mr. Leich, a juror—l should like you to ask Mrs Blake a
few questions on those letters.
Mrs. Blake having been sent for,
The Coroner said—Had you, before Mr. Storer left, any
cause 0-imams-Inc. that there b.u.a haan imprnpar tuninAction
between Mr. Storer and your daughter?
Mrs. Blake—None whatever.
The Coroner—Had you any reason to suspect it ?
Mrs. Blake—No.
The Coroner—ls it a fact that you were frequently
making inquiries of her as to her irregularities ?
Mrs. Blake—l might have asked once.
The Coroner—These letters state that you had threat-
ened to have her examined by her father. Have you ever
threatened there should be a strict investigation of her by
her father ?
Mrs. Blake—No, I have not. I keep the key of the
letter box, and the deceased could not get the letters out
of the box without my knowledge unless she possessed
another key.
The Coroner.—l think these letters which have been
read show that there was a considerable degree of intimacy
between the parties.
Some other letters were put in and partly read by the
coroner. They were letters sent by Storer to the deceased,
and couched in the warmest terms of a lover, but as they
did not affect the question under consideration the coroner
refused to admit them as evidence.
The Court then adjourned till half-past ono, for the
arrival of Professor Taylor.
On the reassembling of the court,
Dr. Taylor was sworn, and in answer to the coroner said
—That report (produced) contains a correct statement of
the result of the analysis of the stomach, the intestines, the
pills, the liver, and some blood which were delivered to me
by Mr. Collins, the clerk to the coroner, on the 7th of
September.
The report was as follows :
" On Thursday, Sept. 7, 1865, I received from Mr. Col-
lins, at my house, No. 15, St. James's-terrace, Regent's-
park—first, a jar containing, as it was alleged, portions of
the viscera of deceased; second, a small bottle; and, thirdly,
a box containing pills.
"I re-sealed these articles with the exception of the box
of pills, which was already distinctly sealed with the im-
pression of a cock, and delivered them on the following
morning, Friday, Sept. 8, to my assistant, Mr. Richard
Prior, to be placed in a private room in the laboratory,
Guy's Hospital, until the result of an application to the
Secretary of State was known.
" On Monday evening, Sept. 11, I received an order from
the Secretary (Sir G. Grey) to make the requisite analysis
in this case.
"On Tuesday, Sept.:l2, I proceeded to examine these
articles in the chemical laboratory, Guy's Hospital. They
were re-delivered to me by Mr. Prior, my assistant, who
had kept them locked up in the interim. I then observed
that the seals were unbroken, and that the three packets
were precisely in the same condition as when I delivered
them to Mr. Prior on Friday morning.
" Tan Box OF Puzs.—This was contained in two
paper wrappers—the outer one of a pink colour, sealed with
the impression of a cock, and labelled in writing ink, ' 12
pills found in Miss Blake's drawer.' The innerpaper wrap-
per was white, soiled, and marked with ink stains—nothing
legible. It had a broken seal, with a lion rampant. The
box itself was an ordinary white pill-box, but without any
address upon it, or any writing to indicate how the pills
were to be taken. The pills in the box were 12 in num-
ber. The average weight of each was rather more than
four grains. They were of a brown colour, and had an
aromatic smell. They were soft, as if made with treacle or
syrup. Under the microscope they presented no unusual,
appearance. No crystalline or mineral matter could be per-
ceived in them. They contained neither arsenic, antimony,
nor mercury ; but they contained a large proportion of
sugar with vegetable matter, similar to the aromatic con-
fection of the Pharmacopeia.
" Three of the pills, weighing 12.6 grains, were sub-
mitted to the usual process for the detection of strychnia
and other alkaloids of the like nature. Strychnia was
separated from them in a crystallised state, and distinctly
identified by all its principal chemical properties. The de-
coction of the pills in water and spirit had the intensely
bitter taste of strychnia ; this taste remained upon the
tongue for more than au hour.
" From the three pills a quantity of strychnia equivalent
to half a grain was separated. Assuming that the strychnia
was equally distributed, among them, this would make a
proportion of one-sixth part of a grain for each pill. By
another chemical process the strychnia contained in the
half of another pill was extracted. This was found to be
equivalent to one-ten part of a grain, or representing one-
fifth part of a grain for each pill. (The strychnia was here
produced.) Considering that it is exceedingly difficult to
extract the whole of the strychnia contained in a pill under
such circumstances, it may be inferred that each pill would
not contain less than from one-sixth to one-fifth of a grain,
and that three pills would therefore contain from three-
fifths to one-half of a grain. Three other pills, taken from
the other box, were made iuto an extract with spirit (for
dissolving the strychnia), and one-half of this extract was
placed within a, wound made in the skin of a rabbit. In four
minutes the animal was seized with the usual tetanic con
vulsions which are produced by strychnia. These followed
each other in rapid succession, and the animal died in three
minutes, making altogether seven minutes from the time at
which the extract equivalent to one pill and a half was
placed beneath the eldn.
" Tun BOTTLE 07 BLOOD.—This was a green glass 40z.
‘QttiO se led, sSals unDrOtoi. It contained 7 drachma," or