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

THE PQISONING IN ESSEX.

CLAVERING, FRIDAY EVENING.—The inquiry con-
cerning the deaths of Joseph and James Chesham, aged
ten and twelve years, who died from the effects of
arsenic. supposed to be wilfully administered, was re-
sumed this morning at the Fox and Hounds Inn, in this
village, before Mr. C. C. Lewis.
The mother of the deceased children, it may be re-
membered, is at present in Chelmsford Gaol, awaiting
trial for an alleged attempt to poison an infant. The
investigation had been twice adjourned for the purpose
of receiving the proper testimony in respect to the ana-
lysation of the contents of their stomachs and other im-
portant facts.
The Rev. Mr. Brooks, the vicar of the parish, and a
number of the gentry of the district were amongst the
auditory in the inquest-room.
The jury being called over, the Coroner called Sarah
Chesham, the grandmother of the deceased children, who
repeated the testimony she had previously given. The
children died in January, 1845. The eldest was taken ill
on a Sunday, and expired the same night. The other
died on the Tuesday following, and they were buried in
one coffin on the succeeding Sunday.
Mr. Henry Brooks. surgeon, of Newport, deposed to
opening the bodies of the deceased, and traasmitting the
contents of the stomach to Professor Graham of Univer-
sity College Hospital, for analysation.
Mr. Alfred Swaine Taylor, of Cambridge-place,
Regent's-park, lecturer at Guy's Hospital, deposed that
on Thursday the 29th of August. he received from Pro-
fessor Graham the portions of human remains sent by
the last witness. On the following day he proceeded to
make an analysis of them. The result showed the pre-
sence in both the bodies of a large quantity of yellow
arsenic, which might be estimated at from 20 to 30
grains, sufficient to destroy the lives of from 3 to 6
adult persons. Tae arsenic so found had been intro•
duced during life, and he was of opinion, for many rea-
sons, it was taken in the form of yellow arsenic.
Mr. Stephen Hawks, surgeon, residing at Clavering.
was next called. The first thing he heard of the de-
ceased children being ill was on the Sunday evening
that Joseph died. The father came to his house and in-
formed him, when he gave him some medicine, princi-
pally composed of calomel. The following morning the
father again came to his house, and said that his son
James was taken seriously ill. He returned with him
to his residence, and saw the child. At that period-he
heard that Joseph nes dead, and he afterwards saw the
body, he was informed that James complained of sick-
ness. He forwarded him some aperient medicine, as his
case much resembled cholera; it was composed of calo-
mel and jalap. At twelve o'clock he again saw the
child, and found no improvement. The medicine was
again altered, a little opium, being mixed with the calo-
mel, and at seven o'clock, hearing he was worse, witness
again visited him. He appeared fast sinking, and com-
plained of a pain in his bowels, and a nauseous taste in
his mouth. The next day he heard that the child was
dead.

By the ConowEa7-He saw the mother two or three
times in the course of the day, and on the Monday even-
ing after the death of Joseph, he remarked to her that
it was a very unusual period of the year for cases of
cholera, and expressed a wish to open his body. She
gave him no answer. He attributed the death of James
more to cholera than anything else. He thought he
mentioned the cause of death in a casual way to the
registrar. He had not since had any conversation with
the mother respecting the children.
Thomas Deets, a labouring man, said he lived, under
the same roof as the father of the deceased. He last saw
Joseph on Friday evening, the 13th of January, 1845,
when he seemed very well. On the' following morning
he saw his mother, who informed him that " Joe was
very bad." He asked her from what cause, and she an-
swered that she thought it was from a blow. During
the Sunday night he was awoke by Mrs. Chesham
knocking at the door, and begging of him to get up, as
her child was dying. He did so, and on following her
up stairs into her apartment saw her husband standing
with a light in his hand. James was lying upon the
same bed; the floor was very dirty, as if from vomiting.
Joseph had already died.
By the CORONER—Mrs. Chesham did not appear much
grieved; she cried a little.
Elizabeth Deats, wife of the last witness, next said—
On the Saturday evening before Joseph's death, she was
requested to go and see the deceased, as they were sick.
She did so, and confirmed her husband's statement as
to appearances. Recollected a surgeon going to Mrs.
Chesham's, who told her he had wished to examine the
boy's body. She refused, saying she would not allow it
for any money.
John Chesham, a boy about fifteen years of age, and
brother of the deceased, was next called. He deposed
that in January, 18,45, he lived with his brother at home.
He was at work when Joseph was taken ill. It was on
Saturday, and on going home he found him in bed with
his brother James,
By the ConoNEß—Could not recollect what they had
for supper that night, or the night before. Was posi-
tive his mother did not make any mess for him that
evening. Never knew of his mother making any mess
he could not eat. At the time his brother died he was
taken ill. He felt pains in his head and stomach, but he
soon recovered from it.

Margaret Mivart, a widow, living in the village, stated
that about a fortnight before the death of the deceased,
the mother asked her to buy a pennyworth of arsenic
to destroy rats that infested her house. She said there
were a great many about, and gave her twopence to
buy it. She did not purchase it, and in a few weeks she
sent one of the deceased children to know if she had
got it. She sent him back with the money, saying she
could not get it.
William Law, a rat-catcher, said he knew the mother
of the deceased. A few weeks before or after their
death, he could not say which, as he was passing the
house, she asked him to let her have some poison to
kill rats that had got into her house, which he refused.
By the Jury—He had frequently:.been asked to sell it,
but he always refused. That he could swear positively.
Never gave any to the mother of the deceased.
Mr. Thomas Newport, a farmer, residing in the vici-
nity of the village, deposed that the eldest deceased
child worked at his farm for a year and a half, and he
discharged him in January 1844, for having found two
eggs in his possession. The mother seemed vexed at his
leaving, especially when he told her that he should not
employ him again. Did not see the mother until after
the death of the children.
By the CORONER—He had kept arsenic to kill rats
on his farm. Was certain that he never gave any away,
nor had he lent any to the mother of the children.
The investigation was then adjourned.

EFFECT OF SnOT UPON STEAM-VESSELS..--A party
• of noblemen and gentlemen, and officers of the naval and
military service, attended on Friday afternoon upon the
Woolwich Marshes, to witness the experiments upon a
target representing a section of a war steam-vessel's side,
lined with the patent "ICan►ptulicon" composition, in-
vented by Lieutenant Walter, of the Royal Marines, a
gentleman who for some time past has been assiduously
endeavouring to surmount the many difficulties which
present themselves in constructing steam-vessels for pur-
poses of war. The trials were very satisfactory. The
aperture made by the shot immediately collapsed, prov-
ing that a vessel lined with the composition would be
water-tight even if the enemy's shot were to penetrate
both sides. A further trial, however, seems necessary,
with two targets, instead of one, in order to prove prac-
tically all the advantages of the composition.
FREAK OF NATURE.—Among a litter of pigs
few days ago, from a sAv belonging to Mr. Joseph
White, Baslow, was one presenting a most extraordinary
appearance. It had only one eye, and that a large one,
in the middle of the forehead; it had a natural mouth;
four " wattles" on one side of ifs head, and one ear
much larger than the other. Over the eye was a round
trunk, about two inches long, and the thickness of a
man's finger. It Eyed some time, but was killed by the
sow lying on it.—. Derby Mercury,