The Sun.
London, England, 1847-08-30 00:00:00

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PRICK SD.

CASE OF
'G.
gone into before C. J.
ent jury, at the Gar-
Iford, touching the
aged forty-eight,
a cooper, cently
employed ri).----hek. Majest.y*s Victuallingre Yard,
Deptford, whose demise took place on Sunday night
week under very remarkable circumstances. The
investigation lasted five hours, and caused great
sensation in the neighbourhood.

The jury having been s.worin, proceeded to view the
body, which presented the ;remains of a delicate-
looking little woman. The appearance of her hands
caused the jury to suppose she had died. of cholera.
On the return of the coroner and jury to the inquest
room the following evidence was; adduced :
Mercy Lydia Bywater, wife tif a cooper in her
Majesty's Victualling Yard, deposed that she lived
next door to the deceased, who used to complain of
pain at the heart. Deceased has threeT children, of
the respective ages of rive, nine, and sixteen. The
deceased and family lived alone; no lodgers. On Syn.-
day erening week, at eight o'clock, yotmg Hutchings
called, and said his father wished to see her, his
mother being very bad. Went, and Nand deceased
in her bedroom; undressed her, and got
her into bed. The deceased sad she had
taken jalap. Mr. Hutchings Le-et for some
br.andy, which he mixed with warm water, and
Ttness administered it ; the deceased then vomited.
Gave her some ten, which had the same efrect. De-
ceased said she had taken nothing bet jalap. Her
husband replied that it was a d-d lie • she had
taken something else; she had taken bitter e'r..inge or
bitter aloes. During the evening Mr. ilutcbings
sAid he had soma arsenic in a drawer, and he was
afraid she had been to it. He had then it from a
drawer up stairs, thrown the contents: on the fire,
broken the bottle, and thrown it down!' the water.:
closet. Witness laid down by deceased„. and at ball%
past eleven o'clock gave her some bee r, which she
vomited; gave her another half-pint, w.i th a like re-
sult. Deceased said her husband was a brute, and
had behaved to her in a cruel manner. Hutchings
told her he had given his wife some tea, tat deceased
said she had taken jalap. Said she felt ill at half-
past one o'clock. The boy said his father had arsenic
for rats and cats ; the latter had killed his chickens.
Had taken the deceased home (house d her) many
nights, on account of her husband's it 1-usage. He
said he threw the arsenic into the fire at half-past
five. Deceased told witness that EL tchings had
acted very brutally; he called her a b— -y old coun-
terfeit, and a curled old sow, and the I he would
4serre-hez,:ps-bo-had done•before. :hat witness
knew how. This was on Saturday nigh\ when be
made a dreadful row. He was tipsy. She, called in
a neighbour to assist her into bed, when sb e sent for
Dr. Downing, the police surgeon. Dec, eased ex-
pired at half-past one on Monday morning. Had
three fits after drinking the beer, and threw the glass
across the bed. Deceased had scarcely abit of food,
merely a cup of tea and bread, all day, ait times.
Hutchings made the tea and brandy and 'water on
Sunday. Deceased complained of great pain in her
stomach.

Edward Downing, surgeon, deposed thalt he was
called to attend the deceased at half-past eight on
Sunday evening. She was vomiting and complained
of great thirst and pain ; pulse very weak, and ap-
peared fast sinking. Sent her a stringent mixture,
and ordered brandy and water to be given. Mrs.
Bywater called in the morning, and requirod a cer-
tificate, as the poor woman was dead. He told her
that, understanding arsenic had been used be could
not comply with her request, nothing about poison
having been alluded to. Involuntary purging and
vomiting was continually going on. Witness had
made a post mortem examination of the body and
contents of the stomach, which he had given over to
Dr. lleisch and Mr. C. Taylor, M.D. Thcoght the
deceased had been labouring under the effects of
cholera.

Mr. Caleb Taylor, M.D., deposed that he had exa-
mined the stomach and contents. Poi-on was preeLt.
Charles Heisch, Esq, of Blackheath. Lecturer on
?Tactical Chemistry at St. Thotnas's 11.)spital, said
'le had examine:a the stomach. Be had cut it up and
boiled it in di6tilletl- water. There were deep rod
leeches on the surface of inflammation. 11E-

it one hour, and placed it in a nevi.- pareel;aii dish,
-ested it afterwards by the usual means, which led }lnn
to suspect the pre-ence of arsenic. Had airendy dis-
•overed ten grains—two grains mi;„Tht cause death,
'ive would produce it, and ten would most certainly.
F"ur medical practitioners had examined it, and
expressed their conviction that a large quantity of
poison had been taken.
Mrs. Bywater re-called—Deceased told her she had
taken no other medicine but jalap.
Mrs. Mary Moulton said she breakfasted with de-
ceased's husband at two o'clock in the morning after
death had ensued. He said he had dined with de-
ceased, and afterwards heard her groan. lie had
lain down after dinner in the next room. He heard
her groan again, and asked why ? She replied to
him, nothing is the matter, only she had taken some
jalap. He then said to her, " That be d—d." He
had arsenic in the house in a bottle, which be had
broken. He had broken open his son's drawer, in
which it was, and had made off with it. Can't say
when be broke open the drawer. He did not say
when, only after the-groaning. He did not say what
he thought was the cause of death. His wits could
not get at it. They dined in the parlour.
Mrs. Bywater re-called--She heard deceased cry
very much in the morning about her husband's treat-
ment the preceding night.
Thomas Hutchings, aged sixteen, eldest son of the
deceased, deposed that his mother was pretty well at
breakfast on Sunday, about nine o'clock. His mother
afterwards prepared the dinner—potatoes, batter pud-
ding, and beef. He took it to the baker's, and all
dined off it. His mother ate some pudding. After
dinner she retched. Had a mulberry pie also. His mo-
ther ate none of it. Half an hour after dinner he was
taken very sick and retired upstairs. Father was up-
stairs at the time. Mother cried at 10 o'clock, and father
went out, and returned at ten minutes to one. Wit-
ness went out after dinner, and remained till half-
past five. His father made tea at six o'clock, and
took some up to his mother. She drank it, and
retched afterwards. Witness had a bottle containing
arsenic locked up in a drawer up-stairs ; was given.
him by a hostler to kill cats and rats. His fowls had
been killed by the cats. The bottle was one-fourth
filled with white arsenic. Had it two months ago.
Always kept the drawer locked and the key in his
pocket. Opened the drawer at seven on Sunday
evening, all was right as he left the bottle ; had not
opened the drawer for a week. Had forgotten that
his father had broken open the drawer on Sunday
last. When his father made the tea he said he had
broken open the drawer and took the stuff out, and
said that he thought his mother had taken something.
This was at half-past five. His father broke the
bottle and threw the contents into the fire, and told
his little brother to put the bottle down the privy.
His mother did not know there was poison in the
drawer. He never used it. His father mixed it for
the cats. Father kept the bottle one day a month
ago, a d gave it him back again to lock up. Did
not say why he broke the ln.ttle. Father had not
beat mother for a long time. A hostl, r gave the
arsenic. His brother fetched the dinr-:.r
Charles Hutchings, aged nine veer:, deposed that
11;.s. brother had poison to kill cats ; never saw it used
at all.

Thomas Hutchings re-called—The bottle was half
lull of polion.
Hutchinws, the husband, was called in, and the
coroner informed him of the nature of the evidence
that had been given; that arsenic was in the house in
large quantities, but under lock and key, and that
the dcceaFed was taken ill before the drawer was
kroken open, and having cautioned Hutchings that
whatever he disclosed Ns to the dreadful affair would
he taken down against him, and thizt he was not
bound to say anything unless he did Fo voluntarily,
Hutchings said he did not intend to make any state..
ment at all. He was an innocent man, and that was
sufficient.
The room was then cleared for about an hour, and
on the doors being re-opened, the husband was again
called in, and the Coroner addressed him as follows :
—John Hutchings, it is my painful duty, after it most
patient investigation into the whole of the evidence,
to inform you that the jury by
the solemn
verdict
ethey
f
have taken, agreed unanimously i
Wilful Murder against you, and that you will be
forthwith committed to Nevvgate to stand your trial
on this most serious charge.

Or GAS.—BRISTOL, SUNDAY MORNING.
—An accident occurred last night at the church of St.
Matthew, Itingsdown, which caused the utmost con-
sternation and alarm throughout the neighbourhood, and
will, it is feared, lead to the death of at least one person.
since
It would seem that the gas-meter of the church,by the
being
out of repair, it was removed a few days
workmen of the gas company, for thuese at the time by
purpose of being
d repaired and regulated. Care was
firmly closing the large cock atthe end of the main
pipe, to prevent any escape of gas into the church; but it
would seem that this part of the. fittings must also have
been out of repair, as an
T.he meter
extensive
not being regulated, escape of the inflam-
mable air took place.
olvedtotipply of gas for Sun-
day's service, it was resolved it being necessary to have a s
temporarily connect the
main and the branch pipe from the church fittings by
means of a piece of lead-piping. For this purpose,
three persons, Baily, the sexton, and two gas-fitters,
named Aylesbury and Taylor, went to the church last
night. Upon entering the building flayly struck alight,
and an instantaneous exntosom took place. The three
men were knocked down, and very much burnt about
the face and bodies, and mottle thavinas in a vault under
tho church cathtlit fir., act) c,)mmuntcated with some
cushions and other meters. which speedily ignited. The
noite of czi'inQ attention to he spot, the
engines were )etched, and the firo exaguished before
much damage had been done to the church. The men
were removed to the infirmary, where they lie in, It is
feared, a post dangerous duo.