The Sun.
London, England, 1846-09-07 00:00:00

TVORSHIP-STREET.

On Saturday morning, the cart of Mr. Gould, a
dust contractor and nightman, had deposited in a field
at Haggerstone, several loads of bones and human re-
mains, intermixed with pieces of coffin and coffin furni-
ture. .

Holland, one of the warrant officers, reported that he
found bones, with coffin wood and furniture strewn
about the place. One marine store dealer in the neigh-
bourhood had purchased from different' parties a quan-
tity of bra ss handles and coffin furniture, a specimen of
which he produced, and he also produced various other
things, particulaly a piece of oak coffin with the nails in
it quite fresh, end which had not about it the slightest
touch of decay. The coffin had evidently been cat or
broken up to be carried away. Upon inquiry, in com-
pany with his inspector, he found that Mr. Gould's
carters' had brought this matter in question from a
churchyard in Friday-street, Cheapside.
Weller, one of the beadles of Shoreditch, said that the
matter mentioned having been deposited in a field at
Haggerstone, iu that parish, m-r. Long had sent him to
inquire, and it was ascertained that Mr. Liddiard,
churchwarden of a parish in the City, being desirous
of haviu a vault in Friday-street cleared out, had em-
ployed Mr. Gould to do it, and to remove the contents to
an excavation where some new buildings were in course
of erection, and the carters had, instead, disposed of
their loads by throwing them on the spot and in the
manner complained of.
The inscription on one of the coffin-plates was stated
to be, "E. C. Connell, deceased iu February, 1818 ;"
another, " Master John Ingleby, died sth February,
1834 ;" and another, " Mrs. Ann Webb, 1838." Other
plates, without inscription, and pieces of coffin, were
however evidently very recent.
Weller added, that from his own experience he could
state that the coffin-wood produced by the officer Hol-
land was of very recent deposit. Mr. Long, the church-
warden of his parish, had given directions to have all
the remains in question collected and deposited in conse-
crated ground in Shoreditch, and was determined to
trace out and prosecute the parties who had caused such
a shame ul inroad in his parish.
Mr. BROUGHTON directed the parties whose names had
been ascertained to be summoned before him to answer
the charge.
TRAM BE.,'

POISONOUS BERRIES. —John Billiard was brought
before Mr. Ballantine tor final examination, charged with
the wilful murder of Thomas Parker, late proprietor of
the Veteran beer-shop, in the Whitechapel-road, and
Samuel Jones, a child, aged three years, whose deaths
were caused by eating a pie in which berries of the
deadly nightshade were introduced. It will be recol-
lected that the coroner's jury returned a verdict of Man-
slaughter against the prisoner, who sold the berries of
the deadly nightshade on Saturday, the 15th of August,
on Blackfriars-bridge and other places. Several per-
sons, including three post boys who purchased the ber-
ries, were seriously affected. Mrs. Parker, the landlady
of the Veteran beer-shop, who purchased a pint of the
berries on the same day, introduced them into a pie on
the Sunday following, of which she and her husband par-
took. The child Jones, who called at the house while
Mr. and Mrs. Parker were at dinner, also ate some of
the pie. Mr. Parker and the child died on the follow-
ing day.
-

On the prisoner being placed at the bar, a number of
persons were in attendance who had purchased the poi-
sonous berries of him on the 15th of August, and great
interest appeared to exist. Mrs. Parker, who was
attired in deep mourning, and who nearly lost her life,
again attended. She has not yet recovered her health.
The first witness called was Mr. John Hiscox, who
said he was a druggist and medical botanist, and carried
on business in the Bethnal Green-road. He had known
the prisoner for five or six years or more as a herb
gather, and considered hits one of the most astute herb
collectors in England. The prisoner was most accurate
in collecting medical herbs.
Mr. BALLANTINE—Is he likely to be ignorant of the
deadly nightshade? Mr. Hiscox—l should really think,
from his very long experience, that he could net be igno-
rant of the poisonous nature of the berries of the deadly
nightshade. I consider him the best gatherer of herbs
and plants we have.
Mr. BALLANTINE put some further questions to Mr.
lliscox, who said. if he wanted au opinion upon herbs,
he should ask the prisoner's opinion in preference to
that of botanists, because his opinion would be practical
and theirs would be theoretical. He knew the plant
well. He had seen the deadly nightshade growing in
shady places, and when a boy he used to avoid the
berries. They were generally understood to be poisonous.
Mr. BALLANTINE—Can you say the prisoner was
acquainted with the properties of plants? Mr. Hiscox
would not go so far as to say the prisoner was
acquainted with the medical properties of plants, or
their efficacy in curing particular diseases; but he was
of opinion the prisoner did know the berries of the
deadly nightshade were poisonous. The witness then
proceeded to state that different plants had their par-
ticular localities. He believed the prisoner was a clever
man in the selection of plants and herbs, and should
think he must know belladonna from any other plant.
Mr. BALLANTINE—If he knew the plant, could he be
ignorant of the qualities of it? Mr. Hiscox—l should
think not.
Mr. BALLANTINE—Did you ever order him to gather
the plant of the deadly nightshade.? Mr. Hiscox said
he had not. He had been in the habit of using the ex-
tract of the belladonna, which he obtained of the drug-
gists who prepared the medicine.
Mr. BALLANTINE explained to the prisoner how the
evidence affected him, and asked him if he would put
any questions? The prisoner said he was quite ignorant
of the berry altogether. He understood roots and
plants, and knew what was good and what was bad, but
he really knew nothing about berries. He never picked li
berries for any herb shop in his life. He ate as many as
twelve of the berries on the day he sold a pint of theni
to Mr. Parker. They ware as sweet as sugar and as
nice as honey.
Mr. BALLANTINE—WaS that after the young men in
Wnitechapel told you they were poisonous berries ?