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

POISONING IN NORFOLK.

ATTLEBURGII, 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 the pro-
visions which they partook of, was resumed this moral-
ing, at ten o'clock, at the Greyhound Inn, Tibbenhsm, a
village eight miles distant.
Tne deceased, who were sisters by marriage, were the
wives of very much respected yeomen living in the vici-
nity of Tibbenham. The evidence at the previous in-
quiry showed that on Sunday morning, the 28th ult.,
Mrs. Pearson was taking her breakfast with her husband,
when she was seized with her fatal sickness. She took
two cups of tea, and two or three mouthsful of 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 seiral with sickness. It violently increased, and at
twelve o'clock on the same day Mrs. Pearson died, and
at four o'clock Mrs. Everett followed her. The investi-
gation was then adjourned, for a post mortem exanainatiou
of the bodies to be made. The deceased ladies being
much esteemed in the neighbourhood, their mysterious
demise naturally produced a most painful sensation.
The jury being duly assembled this morning,
,Tames Warren, an intelligent lud, aged 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, arid 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. He always bad beer, and
sometimes I have seen him take tea.
CORONER—Do you know the reason why Eliza Sage
did not take breakfast that morning? Witness—No, I
do not; Sir. She otters not took breakfast, and some-
times supper.

CORONER—W ho was in the habit of coming to your
house? Witness—Mrs. Everett and her danghter. The
ether members of the family used also to visit rat
mistress.
In answer to the jury, the lad stated that he thought
every person in the parish believed the deceased %Tr@
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 John
Everett had called at the house—whether it was a month
or a day.
By the CORONER—I never 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 Lim into the care of the police.
Eliza Sage, the servant, was next called. 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 pail..
The kettle was in the copper-hole. On the previous
(Saturday) night, Mr. and Mrs. Pearson had tea, and on
that oceusion I filled the kettle. I got the water from
pit that is supplied by a running stream. I took the
water from a pail in a cue to fill the kettle. It was the
same water as was used on the following morning, There
was some left in tht kettle on Saturday night after ten,
and which remained ail night. I did not throw it out
when I filled it on Sunday morning. Ido not take ten
of a morning, nor did I take any on Saturday night.
Coaofeee—lf 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 tea-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 [nig'
tress's 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 conversation with John Everett since the death
of my mistress. My master had not mentioned to On
anything about poison being in the kettle. When I first
went into my mistress's service, we had 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 was mixed up in something in a basin. I
swept out the closet, and some pieces of poison wets
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. On the Sunday night Mr!'
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 bad
previously been in use. She was afraid to have tea roof
in it. The medical gentleman had the kettle whie"
boiled the water on Sunday morning.
A wrong one was given them at first, but the mietak9
was rectified, and the right one entrusted them.
After medical evidence,
Mr. Joseph Pearson, the husband of the deceased, er:°
called in, and, after the usual caution from the Coroner;
detailed a great many hearsay stories, which could not
be received in evidence. He, however, stated that!
niece of his, Hannah Everett, who lived at Norwich, yes.
at his house yesterday, and while looking over a beregel
he was informed that she found a piece of paper mark,
poison, which contained a white powder, and which Slie
threw into the fire.
The CORONER said she should be summoned to Pie
evidence of what Pearson had stated with reference .W
the paper marked poison. There was no doubt that V';
poison had been wilfully administered to the decease;
arid, therefore, they were bound to institute the 03Pil
searching inquiry. d,
At five o'clock the proceedings were accordingly
journed.