The Sun.
London, England, 1851-04-22 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON,

FATAL POISONING CASE.

NEV;C:STLE, SATURDAY EVENlNG.—Extraordirtary
interest has been excited in the town of Newcastle-
npon-Tyne, and throughout the whole of that popu-
lous district, by a case which appears to resemble, in
some of its features, at least, the tragedy in which
Tawell, the Quaker, was the principal actor. The
whole of the facts were brought out befofe a coroner's
inquest, held a few days.ago, and on Saturday, before
the borough magistrates ; bat as the evidence is of
great length, and much of it very irrelevant, it seems
desirable to present, in a more compendious form, the
leading facts in this serious and somewhat mysterious
case.

The deceased's name is Elizabeth Anderson, a
widow, about 34 years of age, who resided with a
Mrs. Wilde, in West Blandford-street, Newcastle.
She generally passed as Mrs. Jenkins, the wife of
Henry Jenkins, a wholesale and retail confectioner, in
Dean-street, a man of substance, who had cohabited
with her since her husband's death. On Wednesday
morning he was at her lodgings, but what then trans-
pired between them is not known. He left about 12
o'clock, and about two in the afternoon Mr. C. Wild
called on a neighbour, who, on going up-stairs, found
thatElizsbeth Anderson was lying in the bed quite dead,
with her clothes upon her. There was nothing in the bed-
room out of which the deceased could have drunk but
a glass of water, and in the sitting-room adjoining,
there was also a glass which appeared to have con-
tained porter. Mr. Boyd, a surgeon, living in Marl-
borough-crescent, adjoining, and Mr. Jenkins, were
immediately sent for, and both shortly afterwards
arrived. On Mr. Boyd making inquiries of Mrs.
Wilde, she stated that the decased had only taken
something to eat and a little porter, and had then,
according to her usual custom, gone to lie down, from
which time nothing more was seen of her till she was
found dead. Mr. Boyd tasted the water and the por-
ter, but detected no poison in either. After he had
got home Mr. Jenkins went to him and asked what
steps should be taken to get the deceased buried,when
he told him that a certificate as to the cause of death
was necessary ; bat that, under the circumstances he
declined to give it, at the same time recommending
him to go to the registrar, explain the circumstances,
and say that he (Mr. Boyd) thought she had died of
disease of the heart. Mrs. Wilde subsequently waited
on him, and afterwards Jenkins again, and at last he
gave him a certificate that she had died of disease of
the heart, having attended her about twelve months
previous for symptoms of that disease. In
the evening Mrs. Wilde called at the West-
gate police station with the certificate, and requested
Inspector Little to give her a line as to her character,
that she might present it to the registrar ; but that
officer, on hearing the particulars, informed her that
he should report the matter to the coroner, and take
his opinion upon it. Accordingly, on Friday, an in-
quest was held at the Marquis of Blandford Inn, be-
fore J. G. Stoker, Etq., and in the afternoon a post
mortem examination or the body was made by Mr.
Carr and Mr. Boyd, both of whom declared that the
deceased had been poisoned by having taken, or hav-
ing had administered to her, a large quantity of essen-
tial oil of almonds; and they considered that, from
the quantity taken, death must have ensued almost
immediately, and that it would have been barely pos-
sible for her to have walked from the sitting-room to
the bedroom after taking it. They also stated that
it was quite impossible that she could have destroyed
or secreted a vessel which contained the poison after
she had taken it ; that essential oil of almonds was
not used or sold medicinally, but was principally used
by confectioners and cordial makers to give a flavour
to the goods which they sell.
The CORONER, in adjourning the inquest to Wed-
nesday, the 231 instant, said the case was one of a
most extraordinary nature; and after the distinct
evidence of the surgeon there were many suspicious
circumstances connected with it. It was clear that
the deceased could not have taken the poison while in
the bed, or the bottle must have been found, and it

,
was a remarkable circumstance that no bottle or yes

sel had been discovered near the place. He would
like to take time to consider what they should do
with Mrs. Wilde, or what other steps they should
take to elicit the truth.

Every effort has since been made by the police to
throw light on the suspicious affair, and the stopper of
a glass bottle has been found in the ash-pit adjoining
Wilde's house, which, on being examined, proved to
be strongly impregnated with the essential oil of al-
mondg. Other facts and circumstances having come
to the knowledge of the police, they (acting under
the orders of their superiors) apprehended Jenkins,
whilst enjoying his evening glass, at the Shakspere
Inn, on Friday night, and Mrs. Wilde, on Satur-
day forenoon, and they were brought before the
magistrate, at their usual sitting on Saturday.
Mr. Inspector Little asked for a remand till
after the inquest, which was granted. The
evidence in possession of the police has not transpired;
but it appears that on the day after the death of the
deceased, the coroner called at Mrs. Wilde's house,
and finding that she had a certificate from a medical
man, declaring the cause of death to be disease of the
heart, informed her that it would not be necessary to
hold an inquest. Just as he left the house, Jenkins
came in, a►,d on being informed by Mrs. Wilde of
what the coroner bad add, one of them was overheard
by the mother of the deceased (who was in the
house) to say, " There is no fear ; it is all right."
Tne prisoner Jenkins was represented by Mr.
George Foster, a solicitor, and appeared much af-
fected by the painful circumstances in which he is
placed. They both protested their innocence, and
were committed to the gaol—the Bsnch refusing an
application to allow Mr. Foster to have an interview
with his client.

The unfortunate woman was lately in London with
Jenkins, and it appears has left a box at her lodgings
there. Information has been given to the metropoli-
tan police to seize the box, as it is expected some letters
will be found from Jenkins, as he returned almost
immediately, and she remained several weeks. Se-
veral rumours are afloat of a criminatory nature, but
it would be unfair to the accused to publish these
whilst the case is under investigation.

NEW ROUTE TO CALIFORNIA

VIA NICARAGUA.
(From the New York Herald.)

The new route to San Francisco, via Nicaragua, it is
now settled will be open and in complete operation by
the Ist da, of July next. Public attention has often
beer, tailed to this route by the press; but the company
to whom belongs the right of way through Nicaragua,
have never, until now, thought proper to communicate
any of their proceedings. They preferred to remove
all obstacles to the successful and speedy transit be-
tween the oceans, and when ready to begin transprting
pass,:ngers and freight, than to boast of what had been
done by them.

Mr. Vanderbilt a few weeks since returned from Nica-
ragua, whither he went to establish a line across that
isthmus. The company's arrangements are now com-
pleted, and on the Ist day of July next, such of our
citizaus as desire, either to go to or return from San Fran-
cisco, will be able to select this route, if they please with
the confidence that they will reach their place of desti-
nation in as speedy a manner as possible.
The line, we undtatstand, is made up for the present,
2,S follows:—Mr. Vanderbilt is to run a line of steamers,
of the first class (among which is the celebrated Pro-
metbew), between New York and San Juan de Nicara-
gua. From the latter place the passengers will go in
steam•boats constructed for the purpose up the river San
Juan to the lake, thence across the lake to Virgin Bay,
and thence by a good road built by the company to San
Juan dcl Sur, on the Pacific, a distance of 12 miles and
30 chains. Thus the entire land transit between New
York and California will be reduced to the short space
of 12 miles.

Oa the Pacific Ocean our enterprising citizen, Mr.
William H. Brown, has entered into a contract to run
between San Jaan del Sur and San Francisco the
steamers Pacific, Captain Bailey, and the Independence,
both of which are now on their way, and oue now build•
jog, and to be shortly completed to be called the San
Francisco.
__

These steamers are all new, and two of them have
already earned reputations for speed second only to that
of the Prometheus. Mr. Vanderbilt is also building a
new steamer for this line at the yard of Mr. J. Simon-
son, and we have reason to believe that ere long we
shall have a weekly line between New York and San
Franci.cn, via Nicaragaa.
The more routes we may have to the Pacific the better
it will be for the public. There is nothing like com-
petition in this as in all other business. Numerous com-
plaints have been made by travellers of the inconve-
niences to which they are subjected in going to and re-
turning from California, which competition will no doubt
remedy. We therefore rejoice at the prospect of soon
having another line in operation between New York and
our new State on the Pacific.

BY THE FRENCH
~
TREATMENT OF THE
AUTHORITIES.SVVI S S
eREFUGEES
tilled
Swiss charge d a sires at Paris
Switzerland, dated the 9th
The Courrier Suisse gives thee following extract
inst. :
« tah e Federaldispatch fr
Comouotheeil Sowf
Switzer-
land have presented themselves a
ado to travel on foot
complained that they have been m
" This morning, four refugees cotmtihnog
Legation, and
Mulnousv, to Tonnere by
hoggsge was sent on by the rou ,stated hoe. They that
Besangln, while their
accom-
panied by the gendarrn..rie for three-quarters
they were treated very harshly allth
from Mulhouse, and that some of them only received Bo); ? a le a league
others 50 evutimes rer league. I immediately .
capon the Minister of Foreign Aff4irs to remonstrate in
my turn ageiust such proceedings. The Minister an-
swered that he was extremely annoyed at them, and
that he would not fail to desire his colleague of the In-
terior to transmit this very day, by telegraph, the order
to transport the refugees in carriages, as had been
agreed between us. I shall call again to-morrow upon
the Minister, to obtain the assurance of the execution of
the said instructions, which I shall besides mention this
evening to the Minister of the Interior. As to the bag.
gage, I have promised the four refugees they shall re-
ceive it free of cost at llavre. I explained to them, be-
sides, that it had been agreed they were to travel in
vehicles, and that this agreement not having been ful-
filled wt owing to a misunderstanding. They have

been lee. to the conviction that this error was not to be
attrib It .ed to the federal authorities."

.POLICE INTELLIGENCE.
MANSION-HOUSE.
TViViam Burgess, omnibus conductor, No. 1,540,
was s u narnoned by Mr. Alderman and Sheriff Carden
before Alderman Lawrence, upon the charge of hav-
ing ref used to show his metal ticket.
The defendant at once pleaded " guilty," and
begged. pardon of the Sheriff for having suffered him-
self to be so excited on the occasion as to be unable
to act r espectfully.
Mr. Sheriff Carden—l was in an omnibus in Cheap-
side, gob tg towards the West-end, and in consequence
of a cony creation which I heard between two persons,
who it w: is evident were strangers to London, and the
conductor, I interfered, and asked the gentlemen
whether t hey did not say they wished to go to the
building i n Hyde-park—for if they did, the omnibus
in which they were would not take them to that des-
tination. The conductor immediately said to me, in
the most insolent manner, " What's that to you ?
What right have you to interfere ? You are not the
conductor, are you ?" I told him that be was not
justified in telling the passengers that his omnibus
was going ftErther than it really was going, and he
proceeded in a still more rude and impertinent man-
ner to abuse me for interfering, and said that I told
a falsehood. I asked him for his metal ticket, and
he turned it round and put it behind him, and told
me to look at it there. Immediately afterwards,
however, he got a hint from somebody that I' was
one of the sheriffs, and the suddenness of the change
in his manner was quite surprising, fur nothing could
exceed his respectful solicitude about me.—
(Laughter.) He hoped I was not made uncom-
tortable by the little affair that had taken place ; and
he did me the favour of a call next day, when he re-
newed his assurances of respect and anxious care
about me in such a manner that I believe I should
not have appeared against him this day if the public
had not some claim upon the benefit of complaint.—
(Laughter.) It is peculiarly incumbent upon those
who know the town to check the spirit of imposition
which will soon be in full work against the visitors to
London, as much as possible in every way. I could
have taken out three summons against the conductor
—one for refusing to show his ticket, another for in-
solent language, and a third for having attempted to
deceive his passengers ; but his excessive politeness
and regret for having gone a little too far completely
overpowered me.—(Laughter.)
Alderman LAWRENCE—WeII, defendant, do you
wish to say anything ? Conductor—Nothing, Sir,
except that I bad no idea of being in the least uncivil
to the gentleman.—(A laugh.) I am extremely
sorry for the accident, but I was greatly excited.
The fact is, gentlemen think nothing of walking five
minutes further than our omnibus goes, and we are
obliged to get all the money we can in these times, or
we have no chance of keeping our places at all. That's
the secret.
Alderman LAWRENCE—You are fined ss. and costs.
It is well for you that the complainant did not sum-
mon you for the two heavier offences.
The conductor paid the penalty, thanked the She-
riff for having taken so merciful a view of the matter,
and, making a most gentlemanlike bow, departed.
MARLBOROUGH-STREET.
Sir James Sutherland litKenzie, of 4, Lower-
grove, Brompton, was yesterday charged before Mr.
Bingham with being drunk and assaulting police-
conatable Lees, 199 C.
The constable stated that on Sunday morning,
about three o'clock, he was on duty in King-street,
St. James's, when he saw the defendant, wbo was
very drunk, standing in the middle of the road, and
shouting at the top of his voice that " Cardington's"
Club was bankrupt. Witness went up to him and
civilly told him he could not allow such a noise on a
Sunday morning when the inhabitants were asleep.
The defendant immediately turned round and struck
him with his left hand a blow on the chin, and with
his right hand laid hold of his stock and tried to
throw him. Witness called for assistance, and a
constable came to his aid, but the defendant was so
exceedingly violent that they were obliged to send
for a stretcher, and strap the defendant thereon, be-
fore they could convey him to the station.
The defendant denied the charge in toto.
Mr. BINGIIAM said, that was the third time the de•
fendant had appeared at this court. On the last oc-
casion the constable who took him in charge was
much hurt, and now the constable was also hurt. He
(Mr. Bingham) was afraid he had been too lenient
the last time, and should now commit the defendant
to the House of Correction for 21 days.
WE STM INSE R.
Sir James Sutherland Iligienzie, who was charged
at this court about three weeks ago with being drunk
and damaging a cab, was again brought before the
magistrate for drunkenness and disorder in Lower-
grove, Brompton.
Sergeant Tewaby, 17 B, said, that at about fire
o'clock on Sunday evening he was in the Brompton-
road, when hearing a great shouting be immediately
hastened to the spot whence it proceeded, and found
a number of persons assembled. On his way thither
he heard something fall heavily on the ground, which
turned out to be a gun-case thrown down with so
much violence as to break it open and cause its con-
tents to fall out. He found defendant running to
and fro opposite the house in which he resided, in
Lower-grove, like a wild person, and he could not
get him to explain what was the matter. Defendant
was drunk, and after ordering witness to go after a
Great Western cab, rushed into his house, leaving
his gun-case in the road, and telling witness not to
touch it. He returned again into the street in two
or three minutes and conducted himself in so dis-
orderly a manner that, as more people were as-
sembling, witness was obliged to take him to the
station-house.

Mr. BRODERIP asked defendant what he had to say
to the charge? Sir James, who held his hat before
his face so as to conceal his features, was about to
reply, when
A gentleman, who stated that he was his solicitor,
informed the magistrate that Sir James had likewise
to appear that morning at Marlborough-street Police-
court to answer another charge, upon which he was
at large on bail, and solicited the magistrate to sus-
pend his decision in the present case in order to afford
an opportunity of offering some explanation at Marl-
borough-street. So far as regarded the present
charge, it might be as well to state that Mrs. Jack-
son, at whose house it occurred, had no desire what-
everto y charge, and therefore the only corn-
plaint of the police for any disorder or
was prfe s s
that
breach of the peace which might have taken place in
the street. Defendant, perhaps, might not have been
quite so sober as at the present moment.
Sir James interrupted the solicitor by declaring in
an under tone that he was not drunk.
Mr. BRODERIP inquired the nature of the charge
at Marlborough street.
The solicitor replied that it was for some disturb-
ance in King-street, where defendant had chambers.
Mr. BRODERIP inquired whether he had been
brought up to this court before.
A policeman replied in the affirmative, and having
explained the nature of the charge then against him,
Mr. BRODERIP asked whether he was fined upon
that occasion ?
A policeman replied that he was not, but discharged
upon paying the amount of damage.
Mr. BRODERIP observed, that what the result of
the Marlborough-street case might be he of course
could not say, but he must deal with the defendant
for the offence committed in his district; but as he
did not appear to have done any actual mischief, he
thought the penalty of 10s. would meet the justice of
the case.
The fine was immediately paid, and defendant left
in a cab for Marlborough-street.
Frederick Judd, a youth of 17, who stands charged
with a most desperate and murderous assault upon his
aged father, was again brought before the magistrate.
Upon the accused being placed in the dock,
Sergeant Loom handed in the following certificate:
Westminster Hospital, April 21.
" I hereby certify that Richard Judd lies at present in
a state of extreme danger.
" LEONARD BOON, House Surgeon."
Mr. BRODERIP observed, that under these circum-
stances it was his duty to remand the prisoner for
another week.
Remanded accordingly.
The unfortunate father has remained in a state of
unconsciousness since his first admission to the hos-
pital on Saturday week, consequently no opportunity
has been afforded of taking any statement, which in
the result of a fatal termination might be hereafter
used against the accused.
Mr. Broderip has made repeated inquiries upon
the subject of the poor man's condition, with a view
of proceeding to the hospital, and oven remained
some time beyond his ordinary hour of departure yes-
terday, but as the wounded man still remained in-
sensible a visit would have been completely fruitless.
LAMBETH.
Yesterday an application was made to Mr. Elliott
on behalf of a Scotch gentleman, whose brother has
been missing since the 31st of January last, for an
order or authority to get possession of a quantity of
luggage belonging to the missing man, at the Inland
Revenue-office in Broad-street, and the York Hotel
in the Waterloo road. From the statement of the
applicant it appeared that the missing gentleman,
who had been stopping at the York Hotel, had ex-
hibited symptoms of slight insanity on the day before
mentioned, and drove off in a cab, taking some of his
luggage with him. It also appeared that he got into
a second cab, leaving his luggage in the first, and
since that time he bad not been heard of. though
every effort had been made to trace him. The cab-
man in whose vehicle the property had been left had
very properly taken it to the Inland Revenue-office ;
and the object of the application was that of obtain-
ing from his Worship an order to have that pro-
perty delivered up to the brother of the missing
gentleman.