The Sun.
London, England, 1846-12-14 00:00:00

A FAMILY POISONED.

On Monday last, at the Spread Eagle, Lime-street
Groves, in this borough, Mr. Thorney held an inquest
on the body of Lawrence Waites, aged 11 years, son of
Joseph Waites, of this port, master mariner.
The father of the deceased deposed—The deceased
lived with me on board my vessel, the Conduct,
lying in the river Hull, near Mr. Gibson's, Groves-
yard. He was very ill yesterday, as were all
my family, including my wife and myself. We
were all hearty at breakfast and dinner, but
we had not eaten half a dozen mouthfuls before we began
to be sick. My wife had on Saturday night brought
home a quarter of a stone of flour, three pounds of meat,
and half a pound of Zausages. The flour was got at
Else's shop. We had some salt, but no pepper on
board. My wife and daughter Margaret made the pie.
It was what we call a sea pie. We had it cooked in a
tin which was used every day. We had no copper
aboard at all. We were all very sick—my wife, my
daughter Margaret, Robert, end Joseph, and the de-
ceased, and also the dog, to which some of the pie was
given. Lawrence had eaten more than any of us. We
dined at noon. Between two and three o'clock we called
to a man who was on board a sloop, and told him we
were all poisoned, and he and his wife and Mrs. Jack-
man came on board. They asked us if we would have
a doctor, and I told them we would. A doctor never
came, however, but Mrs. Jackson bought sixpennyworth
of nitre. The man afterwards inquired if we were an)
better, and I said we were very bad, and begged him tt‘
come on board, but his wife said there was no room. I

never heard them again, excepting that I once heard
them stirring the fire, although I called several times.
The deceased got worse, and about ten o'clock I heard
him call, " Oh, daddy;" and about tour I went down to
the cabin, and he was dead. I went up and called to th,
sloopman, but could not make him hear; but a policeman
heard me and got me assistance, and Mr. Munro came and
attended to us.

Margaret Waites, sister of the deceased, was
examined at considerable length. In the course of
her evidence she said—l was with my mother yesterday
morning when she made the pie. There was no one else
there but my mother, myself, and my brother Joseph.
The pie was made in the saucepan. .It had been used to
boil some water in. and then we boiled some clothes in it,
and put in some washing powder; and after the clothes had
been boiled in it the liquid 'was thrown out, I think h)
my mother. I don't know that the pan was washed out
from the time it was used to the time the sea•pit
was made. I saw my mother make the pie. She
made it in a bucket. She put nothing in it but tht
meat, dough, sausages, and salt.
Henry Munroe, surgeon, deposed •I was called to the
deceased about 20 minutes to lour o'clock this morning.
I went to the vessel of Joseph Wailes, where he was.
I found the father Joseph, who said they were all
poisoned. The wife was bad, and the four children
were sick. The deceased was dead. The mother
complained of tightness of the chest and a violent
burning of the throat. She . had been violently
sick and purged, and had great pains about the region
of the heart, with great thirst ; pulse small ; the
vomited matter had a green stringy appearance. I ex-
amined the sea pie and found some small round lumps
of a whitish powder, about the size of a pea. I also
found some small spots in the paste ; it may be flour
or some other substance. From the symptoms I 3.1 a
I have no doubt that the whole family had taken some
irritant poison, but I have not had time for an analysis
or post mortal: examination.
The inquest was then adjourned until three o'clock on
Wednesday afternoon, at the Town Hall.—Hull paper of
Thursday.