The Sun.
London, England, 1847-04-10 00:00:00

POISONING IN NORFOLK.

ATTLEBURGH, THURSDAY NIGHT.—The investigation
opened by Mr. Pilgrim, the Norfolk Coroner, on the
30th ult., respecting the deaths of Mrs. Mary Pearson,
aged 50, and Mrs. Elizabeth Everett, aged 56, who were
poisoned by means of arsenic being secreted in tee pro-
visions which they partook 4.f, was resumed this morn-
ing, at ten o'clock, at the Greyhound Inn, Tibbeuham, a
village eight miles distant.
The deceased, who were sisters by marriage, were the
wives of very much respected yeomen Lvieg in the vici-
nity of Tibbenharn. The evidence at the previous in-
quiry showed that on Sunday morning, the 28th ult,,
Mrs. Pearson was takingsher breakfast with her husband,
when she was seized with her fatal sickness. She to,-41i
two cups of tea, and two or three mouthaful or bread
and butter, when she was taken sick. She sent for Mrs.
Everett to attend her. On her arriving, she was invited
to breakfast, and had some of the tea, when she was
also seized with sickness. It violently increased, and at
twelve o'clock on the same day Mrs. Pearson d ed, and
at four o'clock Mrs. Everett followed her. The investi-
gation was then adjourned, fora post modem examination
of the bodies to be made. The deceased ladies being
much esteemed in the neighbourhoo i, their mysterious
demise naturally produced a west painful sensation.
The jury being duly assembled this morning,
James Warren, an intelligent lsd, azed eighteen, was
the first witness examined.—l have been a servant to
Mr. Joseph Pearson, the husband of the deceased, since
last Michaelmas twelvemonths. I have been in the habit
of taking my meals in the same room as Mr. and Mrs.
Pearson, only at another table. At dinner we sometimes
dined at the same table, and partook of the same food. 1
recollect my master and mistress breakfasting on the
28th of March. Me and Eliza Sage, the servant, were
at another table. I had a basin of milk and some bread
and cheese for my breakfast that morning. Eliza Sage
had none. Ido not know why. I cannot say if my
master had tea that morning. lie always bad beer, and
sometimes I have seen him take tea.

CoaosEa—Do you know the reason why E:iza, Sage
did not take breakfast that morning? Witness—No, I
do not, Sir. She often not took breakfast, and some-
times supper.
CORONER—Who was in the habit of coining to your
house? Witness—Mrs. Everett and her danghter. The
other members of the family used also to visit my
mistress.

lu answer to the jury, the lad stated that he thought
every person in the parish believed the deceased were
poisoned. Did not know what Eliza Sage and John
Everett thought. Had seen the latter speaking together.
Still did not recollect who had talked to him about the
deceased being poisoned. Could not say when Juhn
Everett had called at the house—whether it was a month
or a day.
By the CORONER—I n9ver recollect filling the kettle.
Had brought the water from the pit by the side of the
road. It is a running stream. Sage used to fill the
kettle. Sage told me after the death of my mistress,
that she put the water in the kettle on the Sunday
morning. Did not know when she told him, or where
he was. On Sunday last, on going home, he was asked
if the deceased were poisoned. Could not read or write.
Had been to a Sunday school for two or three days.
The CORONER ordered him into the care of the police.

Eliza Sage, the servant, was next culled. She stated
I was servant to Mrs. Pearson. Up to the Sunday of
her death she was in good health. On that morning I
filled the kettle for breakfast. I filled it from a pad.
Toe kettle was in the copper. hole. On the previous
(Saturday) night, Mr. and Mrs. Pearson had tea, and on
that occasion I filled the kettle. I got the water from a
pit that is supplied by a running stream. I took the
water from a pail in a cup to fill the kettle. It was the
same water as was used on the following morning, There
was some left iu tin kettle on Saturday night atter tea,
and which remained ail night. I did not throw it out
when I filled it on Sunday morning. Ido not take t a
of a morning, nor did I take any on Saturday night.
CORONER—If poison had been found in the tea-kettle,
can you form any opinion as to how it got there ?
Witness—l cannot. Sir. She was a good mistress to
me, and lam very sorry if that is the case. The water
remained in the test-kettle on Sunday morning. The
doctor took it away. I filled a bottle with the water
from the kettle on the same morning, to warm my rills-
tress'', feet. I put the kettle in the copper-hole in the
back house on Saturday night. I placed it on the fire
on Sunday morning, before I went milking. I have not
had any conversat►on with John Everett since the death
of my mistress. My master had not mentioned to me
anything about poison being in the kettle. When I first
went into my mistress's service, we hr.(' some angry
words, but not lately. On the Thursday before her
death, my mistress took me up into her room, and showed
me some mice holes in a closet. She put some poison
in the hole ;it wai mixed up in something in a basin. I
swept out the closet, and some pieces of poison were
amongst the dust, which she threw on the fire, and there
was no vessel on the fire when she threw it on the fire.
The kettle was not near it. O❑ the Sunday night Mrs.
John Pearson, a sister of the deceased, called at the
house, and directed me to fetch another tea-kettle for
tea, as she was afraid to drink out of the one that had
previously been in use. She was afraid to have tea made
in it. The medical gentleman had the kettle which
boiled the water on Sunday morning.
A wrong one was given them at first, but the mistake
was rectified, and the right one entrusted them.
Af. er medical evidence,

Mr. Joseph Pearson, the husband of the deco:seri, was
called in, and, after the usual caution from the Coroner,
detailed a great many hearsay stories, which could not
be rece-ived in evidence. He, however, stated chat
niece of his, Hannah Everett, who lived at Norwich, was
at his house yesterday, and while looking Over a bureau
he was informed that she found a piece of paper marked
pison, which contained a white powder, and which she
threw into the fire.

The CORONER said she should be summoned to give
evidence of what Pearson had stated with reference to
the paper marked poison. There was no doubt that the
poison had been wilfully administered to the deceased,
and, therefore, they were bound to institute the most
searching inquiry.
At five o'clock tbo proceedings were accordingly ad-
journed.

LONGEVITY AT Fettswoarll.—There are at present
living at Wrigley Head, Failswortb, three brothers and
a sister, whose uuitud ages aniotuit to 311 years.

7 - -
MARKET NEWS.-(YESTERDAY.
CORN-EXCHANGE.
We have to report the arrival of a very moderate
supply of English Wheat during the present week, and
the stands were scantily filled with saw Wes of both red
and white. Owing to the thin attt ndance of buyers,
the demand for all descriptions was in a sluggish state,
at unaltered quotations. Exceedingly little business
was doing in Foreign Wheats, yet the holders refused to
accept lower pricer. Most of the late large arrivals of
Foreign Barley having been cleared off, the trade was
steady, at late rates. There was rather more doing in
Malt, and most of the factors reused to sell, except at
a triflo more money. Oats, Beans, Peas, Indian Corn,
and Flour were exceedingly dull, but not cheaper.

English •• ....
trish. ..
Foreign .

Wheat.
3,180 qrs.

4,430 I
Malt. 4.150 are.
SMITIXPIELZI.

ARRIVALS.
IBarley.
2,370 qrs.

3,670

°sty I Flour.
980 qrs. I 2,940
640 I --
6,421

For the time of yt ar the supply of Beasts on offer
here was good, and of full average quality. Although
the attendance of buyers was small, a fair amount of
business was transacted in Beef; yet in some Instances
the quotations were a trifle lower than on Monday last.
There were in the market 139 Beasts, 100 Sheep, and
21 Calve,, from abtoad. The numbers of Sheep were
moderately extensive, while the trade was firm at fully
the late advance in the prices, the primest old Downs
selling at 5,6 d per 81hs. Lambs, the supply of which
AA as large, moved off heavily, at a decline in value of 4d
per 81bs. The Veal trade was heavy, and the rates de-
clined quite 2d per 81bs. In Pigs very little was doing.
Mitch Cows were held at from 16/ to 181 5s each, in-
cluding their small Calf.