The Sun.
London, England, 1848-02-29 00:00:00

SOUTHWARK.

Mrs. Elizabeth Letton appeared upon her recogni-
sances to answer an alleged charge of attempting to
poison her husband, residing at Chislehurst, in Kent.
Mr. Pelham and Mr. Roberts attended on the part
of Mr. Percival, a relative of the family, who com-
menced the charge in the first instance ; and Mr.
Parry, the barrister, on behalf of the accused lady.
It will be remembered that on the previous exami-
nation evidence was adduced that this occurred when
she and her husban'd lodged at a house in Montague-
terrace, Trinity-square ; the prisoner was seen on
frequent occasions to give him powders when he was
in a state of illness, which had the effect of causing
him to retch violently and to vomit blood.
The landlady of the house, as well as her
servant, a girl, had been supplied with the powders
by a Mr. Preddie, an apothecary in the neigh-
bourhood, and had been sent for them by the ac-
cused, who desired them to ask for Mr. Letton's
powders, and they were imediately served with them.
The landlady at length, perceiving the dangerous
effects, as she supposed, of the powders on the pa-
tient, expostulated with his wife, but she still perse-
vered iu administering them ' • and at length Air.
Percival, a relative of the family, was informed of the
circumstance, and he, under the impression that un-
fair means were taken to destroy the life of Mr.
Letton, procured some of the powders he was in the
habit of taking ; and having had them analysed, as-
certained that they consisted of tartar emetic, and
that the quantities administered were injurious to
life, and he, therefore, adopted the present pro-
ceedings.

Mr. Henry Leathby was called, and he stated that
he was lecturer at the London Hospital, and that by
the desire of Mr. Percival he submitted the powder
sent to him to the test of analysation, and found such
contained four grains of tartar emetic; that tartar
emetic was a powder injurious to life when adminis
tered in such quantities as represented, and that he
considered one grain was a sufficient dose, and that
the repetition of them rendered them still more inju-
rious to the person to whom they were given.
Mr. Parry addressed the Magistrate at considerable
length, imputing to Mr. Percival a spirit of malignity
against the accused, in preparing such a dreadful
charge against her as that of attempting to poison her
own husband. That he (Mr. Parry) had several
witnesses in attendance to prove that, instead of a
desire on her part to deprive him of existence, she did
everything in her power to prolong it, and that she
administered the tartar emetic powders to him, and
acted under the advice and instruction of a medical
gentleman, who was now present to prove that fact ;
and that it would be shown by him that the doses
given to Mr. Letton were not attended at all with
dangerous consequences for the symptoms he la-
boured under, and which were produced by excesses.
That Mr. Letton himself was also in attendance, in
order to show that he did not countenance the present
proceeding; and to show that his wife never medi-
tated his death by poison, but, on the contrary, that
she always manifested a sincere regard for his health,
and in every instance exhibited herself as a most kind
and affectionate wife. If he (Mr. Parry) therefore
adduced such evidence 'on the part of the accused
lady, he trusted that it would put an end to the case
at once, and that she would be liberated from cus-
tody. The Learned Counsel then called
Mr. Benjamin Evans, who stated that he was a
member of the College f Surgeons, and attended Mr.
Letton's family for the last four or five years; that
it was by his advice and prescription large doses of
tartar emetic was administered to him, for the pur-
pose of allaying the symptoms of delirium tremens.
That under the peculiar circumstances of the case he
did not consider four grains of tartar emetic too largo
a dose to act as a counter stimulant, and that the
accused was informed by him of the quantity re-
quisite for her husband when he was labouring under
that form of disease approaching to madness. That
he (witness) always considered the accused was most
affectionate, kind, and attentive to her husband, and
that he never for a moment suspected she had a de-
sign upon his life, but that she had administered the
powders under the strong impression that they would
operate in checking the alarming symptoms produced
by excessive indulgence.
By Mr. Pelham—Should not have given four
grains in one dose to a stranger ; but that being
aware of the nature of Mr. Letton's disease, he knew
that such a dose would act as a counter stimulant, and
compose the nervous system. Did not think vomiting
blood in small quantities injurious, as the simplest
emetics often produced such effects. That the vomit-
ing caused by the tartar :emetic produced beneficial
effects in Mr. Letton's case. That he would not rely
upon the girl's testimony, when she asserted that she
had seen Mr. Letton throw up large quantities of
blood, and that Mr. Letton himself could disprove
such an assertion.

Mr. Priddie, from whom some of the powders were
obtained, in answer to Mr. Roberts, said that when
the messenger called at his house for them, he in-
formed him that they were prescribed for Mr. Letton
by a medical gentleman, and that he (Mr. Priddie)
only acted on the occasion as other persons following
his business would have done.

Mrs. Mary Howard was next called, and she gave
evidence to the effect that she had known Mr. and
Mrs. Letton for a period of twelve years, and that
they lived cn the most affectionate terms.
Here Mr. Parry remarked that he had several
other witnesses to call to speak to the same facts, but
Mr. COTTiNGHAM intimated that there was no ne-
cessity for any further evidence on that point. The
Magistrate then said that the investigation had pro-
ceeded to an unusual length, but that he considered;it
necessary, when so grave an accusation was preferred
against a wife as that of administering a poisonous
ingredient to her husband, with a view to deprive him
of life. He could not, notwithstanding the observa-
tions of the Learned Counsel, as to the animus by which
Mr. Percival was influenced in the business, blame him
as a relative of the family in bringing the case forward,
when he was informed of the effects of the powders
on Mr. Letton. It was evident that he could have
had no motive for such a proceeding, except that of
preventing any ill consequences that might arise to
his brother-in-law, from the administration of such
a powerful and dangerous a medicine, the more par-
ticularly after having had the opinion of the gentle-
man who analysed the powders of their effects when
taken in doses of four grains. Under such circum•
stances,.. therefore, he (the Magistrate) thought that
moonoorwa.sPioteroralnivsal was justified in the way he acted on the
ipthlyrasd, notatdf tartar
htheraerttawthaes
aneoeudseodublat,dyfrohmad wadhifiatinhiaed.
thete adminis-
tered da
authority
dosesr
tr emetic to her husband under
therefore she wassov with
ab the sanction of Mr. Evans ;
Poison d from the charge of
attempting to
anyelffurhtohwerevhere, 2imlirg.hPt,ericfivhael
wished to take the case
thought proper, take the opinion of a jury, and indict
the accused at the sessions, but he would remember
that it was not by his (the ktagistrate's) advice that
he adopted such a course.
The accused was then discharged.

ABERYSTIVITII HARBOUR.—TIIE TATE Swan/.
The late storm has left serious tracas upon the new pier,
and the embankments enclosing the harbour. A
com-
mittee of the trustees of the harbour, consisting of
Thomas Jones Ropewalk, Esq., J. P., John Davis, Esq.,
J. P., Thomas 0. Morgan, Esq., J. P., Messrs . John
Davies, Mercer, Robert Edwards, and John Evans, ship
builder, assisted by the harbour master, have thoroughly
examined and personally inspected the damaged locali-
ties, and made their report thereon at a meeting of the
trustees held at the Town-hall, Aberystwith, on Mon-
day last, T. 0. Morgan, Esq., in the chair; by which it
was estimated that it would require between 400/. and
I.soactov/in
g .to
breeepnairthe
examined damages.by The report and estimate
therein recommended
theordered
and Proceeded with with were d meeting, the repairs
aleiredphtsosibblee
ditch.comspmaence_d,
Welabnan,