The Sun.
London, England, 1846-08-24 00:00:00

THE LATE DEATHS FROM POI- f THE MURDERS AT BARNARD
SONOUS BERRIES. ; CASTLE COMMITTAL OF THE MUR-
On Friday John Hillard, an old Cambridgeshire man, a DERERS.
herb gatherer, was brought before Mr. Ballantine at the Noiernateararox, THUESDAY.—The investigation con-
Thames Police-court on remand, charged with causing the cerning the alleged murder of Joseph Yates add Catherine
deaths of Thomas Parker, late proprietor of the Veteran Bailie, on the 9th of August, 1845, near Barnard Cagle, was
beershop, in the Whitechapel-read, and Samuel Jones. a resumed on Tuesday, at Greta-bridge, before a full beech of
child aged three years, who expired in the London Hospital magistrates.
after partaking of a pie in which berries of the otrnpa Lelia- It will be recollected that, in a previous notice of the
donna, or deadly nightshade, sold by the prisoner for nettle- affair, the deceased parties were described to heve been seen
berries, were introduced. in Bridge-street, Barnard Castle, late on the night of the above
The inquiry created very great interest, several other per- date, with several persons. On the following day (Sunday)
sons besides those whip died in the hospital having been they were missing, and not the least clue could be ontaincd
of
affected by eating berries of a similar description, which them. On the night of the 12th of August the body of
they purchased of the prisoner. Yates was found in the river Tees, four miles below
Maria Parker, who was attired In deep mourning, and ap- Barnard Castle. It presented marks of violence, but
peared to be in a very weak condition, was the first witness the coroner not deeming a surgeon's examination neces
called. She stated that her late husband was the landlord sary, a verdict of found drowned was returned. Ten
of the Veteran beershop in the Whitechapel-road. On Satur- days afterwards that of the female was discovered in the
day afternoon last the prisoner came into her house with river at Hutworth near Darlington, and the coroner's jury
two baskets on his arms, one contained herbs, the other found similar verdict. The bodies were interred, and
berries. He called for a half-pint of beer, and then asked the matter would probably have here rested, had not
her to purchase some of the berries. She observed that • the magistrates interposed, and requested the superintendent
they looked very nice, and asked what they were. The to institute an investigation into the circumstances connected
prisoner said they were nettleberries and surpassed with the deaths of the deceased. It should be observed
black currants, and were very nice for tarts, or for that on the night they were missed a severe quarrel took
making wines, puddings, and other things. She told him place between a man named Breckon (who is now undergoing
she was a countrywoman, and had never heard of nettle- a twelvemonth's imprisonment in Durham gaol) and the de-
berries before. He said he had travelled a long way to ob- i ceased female. It was also known that another person, of the
tarn the berries, and that he had sometimes obtaned similar name of Barker, had often threatened Yates, in consequence
berries on the Surrey hills. She obtained the consent of iof a quarrel about a coat, said to have been stolen by Barker
her husband to purchase a pint of the berries, which were from a Captain Bainbridge. A third party (Raine) appears
about the size of a small sloe. She gave the prisoner 3d. for to have been actuated by the knowledge of Yates being in
them. On the following day (Sunday), which was the an= I possession of a few shillings.
niversary of her wedding, she made a tart with the berries, The first clue to the supposed criminals was given by a
after cutting the stalks off, and also cut up two apples, which woman of the name of Humphreys, who had for some time
she mixed with them. She and her husband partook of the previously appeared in an unhappy state of mind, arising
tart at dinner-time ; her husband ate very heartily of it. from the possession of a secret which she had taken an oath
Before the remains of the dinner were removed, a customer to keep. Ultimately she told the whole history of the mur-
came in to pay some money, and was accompanied by a child, ders to an acquaintance, by whom it was communicated to
named Samuel Jones. The little boy looked very anxiously the police, and after much trouble two of the parties, named
at the tart, and she gave him some, little thinking at that time Barker and Raine, e ere successively captured.
that the berries were poisonous. A few minutes after her The third party implicated, Breckon, being confined, as
husband had finished his dinner, he said he was very drollsv, before stated, in Durham gaol, representations were made
and went into the bar parlour. His lethargy soon increased, to the Secretary of State soliciting his removal, to be ex-
his countenance changed colour, and the pupils of his eyes be- amined with the other prisoners. An answer was received,
came dilated. He said he had a verystrange coppery taste in however, intimating that it could not be granted until the
his mouth, and that he would go up stairs and lie down upon expiration of his present sentence.
the bed. As he went up stairs he staggered, and upon enter- Under such circumstances, the magistrates proceeded with
ing his bedroom fell upon the floor, and became insensible. their inquiry, and on Tuesday the two prisoners, G. Barker
She became alarmed, and immediately proceeded to the shop and T. R. Raine, were brought up for final examination,
of Mr. Coleman, a chemist, in the Whitechapel-road, and the Venerable Archdeacon Headlam being the chairman of
obtained an emetic for him and a seidlitz powder for herself. the bench.
She attempted to administer the emetic to her husband, but A great mass of evidence has been adduced at the several
could get very little down his throat, as his teeth were firmly examinations, of which the following is the principal :
set. He subsequently became delirious, and was very rough. Ann Humphreys said—l recollect the night of the 9th of
His contortions were dreadful. He attempted to strike her August, 1845. I- went to bed near twelve o'clock. I got up
in his delirium, and when he recovered a little said he was again immediately. Ido not know the reason I got up, but
sorry, and asked her to kiss him. Those were the last words somethieg made me do so. I looked out of my f"ther's door
she heard him speak. He was conveyed to the London Hos- into Bridgegate. I saw Joseph Yates and Catherine Raine
pital at seven o'clock the same evening, and died at ten . talking. They called me towards them. I went, as re-
o'clock on the following morning. The child to whom she quested, and we stood about a minute talking, when John
had given some of the tart died on the same day. The Breckon, Thomas Raine. and George Barker came up to
widow, who was deeply affected, then began to detail her us. Raine said to me, " Let us have a walk towards the
own sufferings. She did not eat so heartily of the tart as her bridge." He then said, "Yates had some money, and we
husband, but she was very seriously affected. She experi- want it; how shall we do to get it?" I said, " Poor fellow,
enced a nauseous taste, like copperas, in her mouth, a tin- let him alone." He said, "We will have it." Barker
gling in the fingers, and stupor. Soon afterwards she lost and Raine then asked Yates for his money. Yates said
the use of her limbs, and was taken to the hospital, where he was willing to spend it amongst them, but he
she remained till Wednesday, and was still very ill. would not give it to them. Barker and Raine then
In answer to questions by Mr. BALLANTINE, the witness took Yates's money. They counted it, and there was
said the prisoner ecertainly called the berries nettleberries. eleven or twelve shillings. They then both struck and
He did not say that he had eaten any of them. The berries kicked him. He cried and shouted" murder" several times.
were about the size of black currants. After she had Catherine screamed as hard as she could the whole time.
vomited, she selected one of the berries which came from her They told us if we screamed they would serve us the came.
stomach, and observed it contained small seeds of a greenish After this they threw him (Yates) over the crane wall into
cast. the Tees. The Tees was very rough, the night was very
David Sugg, police-sergeant, No. 17 11, produced the re- dark, Lied it rained heavily. They then asked us if we would
mains of the tart in a small dish. The poisonous fruit tell? Catherine exclaimed she would tell the first policeman
closely resembled the small black cherry, but were not so she saw. They asked me the same, and I was afraid, and I
large. Sugg also produced a stalk of the atropa bea'adonna, said I would not ; and t hey made me declare, "So hele me
or deadly nightshade, with leaves and berries on it. The God, I would not disclose what I had witnessed." They
first, but for five small leaves at the stem, might easily be again asked Catherine it she persisted in telling, because they
mistaken for the common bilberry. The witness said the must be on their guard. Catherine was resolute, and de-
prisoner was well known as a herb collector, and in the dared she would tell. One of the prisoners, I cannot say
autumn sold blackberries. He had a basket of that fruit in which, then said, "If that's the case, we won't give you the
his possession when he was apprehended. Sugg then put in chance." They then all seized her, and threw her over the
the following certificate bridge in a moment ; she fell into the middle of the Tees. I
"I hereby certify, that Thomas Parker and Samuel Jones saw Breckon have hold of Catherine's feet as she was going
died in this hospital on Monday last, August 17th, from the over the battlement of the bridge. Barker has since that
effects of a poison commonly called deadly nightshade.— time requested me to meet him. I said t would, but never
Jolly C. DAY, apothecary, London Hospital, August 20th, did; I was afraid he intended to do something to me—l ex-
-1846." pected he would serve me as they did Catherine. He told
Thomas Bilby,'n post-boy, stated that he saw his fellow- me to mind and keep the affair a secret. I said I would do
servant buy some berries similar to the produced by so. I have been much digressed since, and very unhappy
Sugg, on filackfriars-bridge on Saturday last. He also in my mind. I declare solemnly all I have said is true.
bought some himself, and after eating a few of them was Ocher witnesses were examined, who spoke to hearing the
violently affected and taken to the hospital. He was still cries described by Humphreys at the time and place men-
very weak tioned, and to seeing the prisoners in the immediate neigh-
BALLANTINE—Did you buy them of the prisoner? bourhood.
Witness—Yes Sir; he is the man. (It may here be ob- It was stated by a witness named Harrison that about a
served, that the prisoner is a most peculiar-looking man, and week before Yates was missing the prisoner Barker, who
that it would be impossible for any person to mistake him then slept with him, asked Harrison to go with him, and
after seeing him once.) assist to give Yates a beating, which he declined to do; and
Peter Martin, another post-boy, deposed that he also pur- also on the night of the murder he remembered that it was
chased similar berries of the prisoner on Blackfriars-bridge, past two o'clock before Barker came into the house to bed,
and was suffering from their deadly effects. He was also that he conversed with him, and afterwards Barker started
taken to the hospitiJ, and nearly lost his life. After he ate so much in his sleep, as to induce Harrison to leave the
the berries his throat was parched, his limbs were paralysed, lodgings.
and he went raving mad, but was recovered. The magistrates consulted together a considerable time, and
Sugg here stated that other cases had been admitted into the Rev. Chairman at length announced that the prisoners
two other hospitals. stood committed for trial on the charge of wilful murder at
The prisoner said, all the berries he sold were good the next assizes.
ones. After the witnesses were duly bound over, the prisoners
Mr. BALLANTINE—Then, perhaps, you will eat the remains were removed to York Castle.
of the pie—there it is ?
The prisoner shook his head.
Mr. Besanearrata—lt appears you have done great ails,
chief.
Inspector Donegan, of the H division, said that the pri-
soner had denied being in Whitechapel at ail on Saturday,
although the fact was so well attested, and pointed to a re-
spectable mechanic with a branch of the deadly nightshade
in his hand, and said the man's daughter purchased some
berries of the prisoner in Whitechapel on Saturday, and atter
eating them, was taken ill, and sent to the hospital.
Mr. Prophet, a surgeon, residing in Whitechapel, who
attended upon Mr. and Mrs.i Parker on Sunday afternoon,
stated, in answer to questions by the magistrate, that he
could see at once from the symptoms that the man and his
wife had swallowed berries of the atropa belladonna, or
deadly nightshade. An extract of the plant was used ex-
ternally to dilate the pupil of the eye. The extract of bella-
donna was very rarely prescribed internally. The deadly
nightshade was collected in the shady parts of woods and
hedges, similar to the foxglove.
Inspector Donegan took it upon himself to put a question
to Mr. Prophet. He asked, if light would not destroy the
properties of the atropa belladonna? Mr. Prophet—l es, it
would.
Donegan—l know it grows in shady places.
Mr. BALLANTINE said, the prisoner called himself a herb
gatherer, and asked Mr. Prophet if the herbalists purchased
the deadly nightshade of the collectors?
Mr. Prophet—l believe they do for simples. The character
of it can't be mistaken by those who collect herbs.
Mr. BALLANTINE--1 should think not.
The prisoner, in defence, said he bought the berries he sold
on Saturday last of a man near the Elephant and Castle, who
was dressed in a velveteen coat, and he was not aware of
their dangerous properties at the time.
Mr. BALLANTI.NE said that statement did not tally with
what the prisoner told Mrs. parker. He asked the inspector.
if the inquest on the bodies had terminated? Donegan—No,
Sir; it is adjourned till Wednesday.
Mr. BALLANTINE said the prisoner was charged with a very
serious offence, and he should allow the case to stand over
for a week. The evidence went to show that the prisoner
had sold poisonous berries to a great many persons, who
were taken ill afterwards, and two of them had died. He
should have thought that a man of ordinary acuteness, who
was in the habit of collecting herbs, and particularly a coun-
tryman, ought to know the dangerous properties of the ber-
ries of the deadly nightshade. He directed the police to
ascertain whether the prisoner was in the practice of supply-
ing herbs to the herbalists and others, and whether he had
been in the habit of selling the deadly nightshade as night-
shade. If he had done so, the case might assume a new as-
pect. He then remanded the prisoner, on the charge of man-
slaughter.

MELANCHOLY DEATH.

On Friday afternoon Mr. G. I. Mills, the Deputy Coroner
for West Middlesex, and a highly respectable jury, re-
assembled, pursuant to adjournment, at the Green Man Ta
vern, Downshire Hampstead, to.further prosecute an in-
quiry on view of the body of Miss Marianne Johnson, who
was alleged to have committed suicide by poison. The de-
ceased lady. who was in her fifty-sixth year, resided at No.
8, Well-walk, in the above vicinity, and was a niece of the
late Lord Collingwood, whose demise took place some few
yearsisince. She possessed a very large fortune, and, although
somewhat eccentric in her habits, was a distinguished mem-
ber of the beau monde. She was subject to syncope, or
fainting fits, which generally resulted in a morbid depression
of the spirits, and she would sometimes use expressions that
might induce an impression she was of unsound mind.
About four years since she attempted to destroy herself by
plunging into a piece of water at the rear of her establish-
ment, but was rescued by a gentleman then oh, a visit.
Shortly after a commission de lunatico inquirendo was held as
to the state of her mind, which failed, however, to prove her
insane. The case was conducted by Sergeant Wilde.
The chief object of the adjournment was to have a post
mortem examination, and the inquest-room yesterday was,
in consequence of the intense interest excited throughout the
neighbourhood, filled to overflowing, there being several dis-
tinguished members of the faculty present, besides some of
the deceased's friends and relatives, amongst whom were
Major Newnham, Captain Blair, &c.
Elizabeth Sanders (the deceased's femme de chambre)
stated that she had been In her mistress's employ for the last
two years. On the morning of the 15th instant the deceased
left home in her carriage about half-past ten, to proceed to
Mr. Patterson, the dentist. She bad previously complained
of toothache. She also called at a shop in Holborn, and at
the Apothecaries' Hall, where she made some purchases, con-
sisting chiefly of bottles of scent and articles for the toilette;
and having paid several visits, she returned home in the
evening about half-past seven, when she complained and said
she had headache as well as toothache. Witness knew it was
suspected that deceased had poisoned herself, from certain
bottles that had been found in her room.
John Dowse, the coachman, deposed to his having driven
the deceased about on the day mentioned by the first wit-
ness, and that his mistress stopped at the Apothecaries' Hall
for about 20 minutes.
Miss Price, of No. 9, Well-walk, Hampstead, said she knew
the deceased very well from visiting her, but she (witnesS)
did not believe the deceased had taken anything with a view
to self-destruction. She also considered deceased perfectly
sound in her mind.
The first witness re-called—Went into deceased's room
about eleven o'clock on the night of the 15th inst., and
remained with her until she went to bed. The next morning
at ten o'clock she was found dead in her bed. Messrs.
Williams and Evans, the surgeons, of New Grove House,
Hampstead, were immediately called in, the latter of whom
had attended her ten days previously. Neither of them could
detect anything that might account for death. Mr. Williams
had made a post mortem examination. Putrefaction of the
right portion of the abdomen had commenced, and the
cuticle was separated. The primary cause of death was
found in the thorax. The heart itself was much smaller than
usual for persons of her age. In the pericardium them were
about four ounces of serum tinged with blood, whilst the
valves of the heart were perfectly healthy, both the aorta
and the pulmonary artery. The lining membrane was much
softened, which was evidently after death; the lungs were
healthy, but very oedematous; the bronchial tubes also; on
the right side of the pleura there was some indication of dis-
ease having existed, the pleura itself containing about a pint
of fluid ; the stomach was exceedingly distended, whereas the
mucous membrane was perfectly healthy, the contents con-
sisting of about three ounces of semi-fluid in a mass; the in-
testines were also distended, the liver of an extraordinary
size, and much congested with blood; the spleen and the
other viscera quite healthy.
The CORONER—Have the contents of the stomach been
tested? Witness—No, Sir.
The CORONER—Testing the contents of the stomach is
very important, and it certainly ought to have been done in
this case. Were there any marks whatever in the mucous
membrane, indicating poisot? Witness—Not the slightest,
Sir; and the immediate cause of death was a cessation of
the action of the heart. The brain was healthy, although
there was a slight adhesion of the dura matur, yet all the
other organs in its vicinity were also healthy. There was
not the slightest external indication of the disease which
resulted in deceased's death. After much more con-
firmatory evidence, the Coroner summed up, and the jury at
length recorded a verdict of " Natural death."

IMPORTATION OF FOREIGN AmmaLs.—The Windsor,
Captain Truscott, from the East Indies, arrived in the East
India Docks on Friday, having on board an extraordinary
tortoise, weighing several hundred pounds, and supposed to
be 200 years old; also a very fine male leopard, with re-
markably large and rich spots, and a young sloth bear; the
whole of which were purchased on board by the proprietor of
the Surrey Zoological Gardens. The same day a very fine
chimpanzee, the only one in London, was added to the
collection.
MR. ROWLAND HILL.—The town council of Cupar
have memorialised Lord John Russell, praying that Mr. Hill
may receive some appointment in the Post-office. which may
enable him to see the whole of his scheme of Post-office re-
form effectively carried out.---Caledonian Mercury.
REVIEW OF THE CHELSEA PENSIONERS.—On Tues-
day last several thousands of spectators were assembled in
Hyde-park to witness the review of the Ist battalion of Lon-
don pensioner's, who, after having been embodied for a
week's exercise, were inspected at eleven o'clock on that day
' by Colonel Pitt, inspecting field-officer of the London dis-
trict, in presence of the Adjutant-General and a large assem-
blage of military officers. The battalion mustered apparently
about four hundred men, principally between the ages of forty
and fifty, very few exceeding the latter period, and as re-
garded physical strength they seemed in no respect interior
to the troops who usually parade in that arena for military
exercise. The battalion was commanded on this occasion
by Lieutenant-Colonel Tulloch, the military superintendent
of pensioners. After marching past in slow and quick time,
and performing the manual and platoon exercises, the men
went through the usual routine of a field- day with a preci-
sion, which, considering their long absence from military duty,
was quite remarkable, and seemed particularly to attract the
attention of the younger soldiers in the field. The battalion
repeatedly formed, wheeled, and countermarched in columns,
formed squares to resist cavalry, deployed into line, ad-
vanced by subdivisions, &c , keeping up a rapid and well-
directed lire on every occasion after these movements. The
uniform, consisting of a blue frock coat with scarlet cuff and
collar, and black belt with a light forage cap, appeared par-
ticularly well adapted for the force, and when in line had a
striking effect. Everything was in the highest order, and
these veterans, many of whom bore on their breasts the de-
corations gained in hard-fought fields, appeared proud at
finding themselves once more in arms, and able to show that
the lapse of years had neither damped their military ardour
nor obliterated their military recollections. This is the first
occasion on which any force of the kind has been reviewed
in London ; but two other battalions are in course of forma-
tion which will make a considerable addition to the de-
fensive force of the metropolis. The whole number autho-
rised by Parliament to be raised is 20,000 men, of whom it is
understood that about 12,000 are now completely armed
and equipped
; to extensively are the pensioners spread
over the kingdom, that there is ro town of any m-gnitude
without at least an effective company, formed from those
permanently resident there. The pay during the days of
exercise being about 2s. a-day, in addition to pension, makes
admission into the force an object of competition to those
old soldiers, and the only punishment is expulsion, which
it may safely
in the regular army, if the men were paid at a corresponding
rate. be affirmed would prove quite sufficient also
UNFOUNDED REPORT OF VAN AMDURGH'S DEATH.
—By letters received by Mr. Wallett, the clown at Astley's,
from Boston, United States, it appears that there is not the
slightest foundation for the report that Van Amburgb, the
famous brute-tamer, had been destroyed by a tigress at
Woonsuckett, Rhode Island, while endeavouring, at the re•
quest of a young lady, to take away some meat which the
beast was about to devour. The story is a pure fabrication,
invented to bring a new paper into notoriety. Van Aniburgh
was reported to be in good health, and making a most suc-
cessful tour.
THE FLEET-STREET NUISANCE.--The workmen are
getting oft rapidly in laying down the new granite paving /
of Fleet-street, so as to cause as short an obstruction as pos-
sible to the free passage to omnibuses and other vehicles
through this thoroughfare. The portion from Temple-bar to
a little beyond Chancery-lane ie now finished.

EXPLOSION AT WALTHAM ABBEY.—On Thursday
night, about five o'clock, much alarm prevailed at Waltham
Abbey, in consequence of an explosion which took place at
the percussion-cap manufactory of Mr. Joyce, happily un-
attended with the loss of life. About the above hour, a
number of girls and young women were under the roof, at-
tending to the manufacture of the percussion caps, when a
loud report was heard. The effect of the explosion caused
the destruction of the premises; but, fortunately, the only
person injured was the son of Mr. Joyce, about twelve years
of age, whose right leg was fractured. The cause of the ex•
plosion is supposed to have arisen from the combustion of the
e d.
neighbourhood -N early
the
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was beard at a distance of
aornfeamtteohceii
eiNnVdid,tohwaNnVs
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several miles.
FREE-TRADE DEMONSTRATIONS—SALISBURY, THURS.-
ADAssYe,rntblulyG
R. Lam.—sAlasgt realn,edninpgu,bliinc
cdeilnebnreartiloviaisogf itvheen
paatsithhige
of the Corn-law Bill. Covers were laid for 150. The chair
was taken by Robert Squarey, Esq. R. R. R. Moore, Esq.
(of the League Council), Alexander Faron, of London,
Harris, E'sq., of Bristol. and several other visitors attended.
A number of ladies were in the gallery. The festivities were
renewed this day, and at an early hour the bells of the vari-
ous'
arceatl
‘no.
ecdt
rkhyipssrhootumci
eme
.es
se of the
atewsh eapl
s_r
very
rfleybeecrstmsoioer
imposing—thensd ,
havingn nu-set 1 non-electors,
previouslyoa
bells
sae ,dl benefitlesd
eburches sent forth their joyful sounds, and flags were
here and there hoisted from the windows of the inhabitants.
societies, &c., assembled at the Free-trade Reading-rooms,
bATwailtlni
eenroseeni
starting there were more than 4,000 persons congregated.
rgesahotgofte
hrt oee
ringing, bands of music playing in the midst of a forest of
town, proceeded to the tea meeting at East Harnham, where
a spacious pavilion was erected near the river. Some
hundreds of persons, notwithstanding the very unfavourable
state of the weather, attended.

MR. GREEN'S NOCTURNAL TRIP.—Mr. 11. Green,
after making a night ascent in the Coronation Balloon, from
Vauxhall-gardens, on the second day of the licensed victual-
lers' fancy fair, effected a safe descent in a field on the estate
of ➢lr. Soame, Salisbury Hall, Waltharastow. His clothes
were completely saturated.