The Sun.
London, England, 1860-08-22 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

NORTHERN CIRCUIT.—LIVERPooL, AUG. 21.
CROWN COURT.—(Before Mr. Baron Martin.)
THE ANTIMONY POISONINGS AT LIVERPOOL.
At 9 o'clock this morning the Ilia' Was resumed.
Before inspector Horn, who was under examina-
tion when the court adjouraed Yesterday, was re-
called,
Dr. Cameron, in reply to questions by his lord-
ship, stated that the first effect of antimony was
nausea, which was followed by sickness. Eliminated
antimony was injurious from its interferenee with
the performance of their functions by the various
organs.
Inspector Horn recalled—Witness,
a few days
a: er the examination before the magistrates, went
with Maguire into Mr. Miller's (druggist) shop, in
Tithebarn-street, Liverpool, and When
told to point
out the shelf whence the "white wder" (for
which Winslow had sent him) had
ben supplied,
Maguire pointed to a particular shelf and said,
,
" It was about there.",
In cross-examination by Mr. Sepniour, Horn said
he had been told that Winslow was an Orangeman.
When the prisoner called at the police-office to say
that Mrs. James was much better, he seemed to be
pleased. The dog upon which Drlr. Kehoe (of the
detective police) had informed the magistrates the
prisoner had made some experiments was exhumed!
before witness visited Miller's shop. Did not know
why Maguire was not examined before the justices.
Did not know a person named Chapman. A person
named Woodcock did call at the police office, but
he did not mention Chapman. It was the prisoner
who told witness that Mrs. James herself had the
key of the drawer where her effects were found.
Witness cut out the prisoner's trousers and waist-
coat pockets, and handed them to Dr. Edwards for
analysis and examination.
The next witness was Henry Bagnall, a night
assistant to Winslow. He corroborated other wit-
nesses as to the regularity with which Winslow
prepared the food for the deceased at night,
and remembered the 9th and 10th of June, but
could not swear that any food was taken up to
Mrs. James on the night of the 9th. In cross-ex-
amination Bagnall said that when Winslow pre-
pared the food for deceased he did it in the ordinary
way, and openly, Mrs. James's tea being taken
from the large teapot which also supplied the cus-
tomers to the shop. Prisoner never went into de-
ceas al's room unless she knocked or he wanted
change. He always attended Mrs. James cheer-
fully and with alacrity.
Margaret Higgins was next called, but was not
examined in chief. In cross-examination by Mr.
Seymour, witness said that she and her sister were
both servants in Mrs. James's house. Had known
Martin Townsend prepare food for deceased shortly
before her death. Deceased partook of some fish
which witness had seen Martin Townsend fry, and
almost immediately afterwards she Vomited. The
fish was fried in the place where Alartin ordinarily
prepared his food. When witness was holding
Mrs. James's head, during this sickness, Martin
came into the room, and took the remainder of the
fish away. Witness had prepared food for Mrs.
James, and the deceased had vomited after it.
About half-past 8 in the morning of the 10th of
June witness went into Mrs. James's room, and
noticed a cup with some sago remain: :
/L,.
ing in on
1 the chair close to the bed, but no cup of tea and egg
on the table. Witness took up the sago, and after-
wards took it downstairs, where she herself ate the
sago which was in it. Mrs. Cafferata had taken
deceased sago during the previous afternoon. On
the table was another cup, which remained until
the police :came ; but witness did not observe
whether there was anything in it. Witness did
not know who prepared the sago of which the de-
ceased had p irtaken. Witness went downstairs
on the occasion just mentioned, saw the prisoner
and Martin Townsend there, and heard him use the
expression, " I have waited a long time for this
opportunity, and it has come at last. I am master
now." Martin, after the case had been before
the magistrates, threatened witness and her sister
that he would ruin their characters if they did
did not " back out" of what they had said.
The Townsend family and Mrs. James were not on
very good terms. The prisoner always seemed very
kind and attentive to deceased. Martin Townsend
complained that Mrs. James would not allow him
money for drink, but he would have all
after her
death. Mrs. James was vexed with Martin on ac-
count of his irregularities. Witness had heard Mrs.
Cafferata ask Mrs. James to take a cottage near

Manchester, and say that the interest of deceased's
money would be sufficient for her support.
In re-examination by Mr. Aspivall, witness said
there was only very little sago, perhaps two tea-
spoonful, in the cup described.
Eliza Higgins (sister and fellow-servant of the
preceding witness) corroborated the evidence of
Margaret as to the expressions used by Martin
Townsend, and had heard Ann Rowe, a female on
friendly terms with Martin (and once a servant in
the house) say, in allusion to -Winslow, that " if her
evidence was taken by the coroner it would hang
the Orange dog."
Margaret Ann Rowe was called, but merely de-
scribed the vomitings and purgings to which the
deceased was subject.
Henry Cafferata examined—Witness, ad orna-
mental Japanner and painter, living in Manchester,
was troubled with indigestion, and used carbonate
of soda, and occasionally ginger and laudanum to
alleviate the affection. During one of witness's visits
to Liverpool, before Mrs. James's death, Winslow
accused him of "going about poisoning the family;"
said he " carried white powders in his pocket ;"
that " he did not come to Liverpool for nothing ;"
that "he was a second Palmer, and that his wife
was as bad as himself." A day or two afterwards
prisoner said that he would show witness that he
was master.
In cross-examination by Mr. Seymour, witness
said he had been troubled with indigestion for 14
years. He had recommended laudanum to Mrs.
James because he knew it was good to stop purging.
During the conversation described with the pri-
soner, both the latter and witness were in liquor.
About a week before Mrs. James's death Wins-
low complained of an attack of purging, and
said that somebody had been " Palmerising" him.
Witness volunteered to accompany him to some
surgeon or chemist, and they did go for some dis-
tance, when Winslow stopped and said he was better.
Witness had frequently been to Miller, druggist's
shop for laudanum and carbonate of soda. Had con-
versed with the assistant about antimony, but would
not swear that they had conversed as to the diffi-
culty of tracing antimony to the prisoner's posses-
sion in this case. Might have said that it would be
better for the prisoner to speak the truth, but never
used the word " reward."
Elizabeth Hughes, nurse at the Liverpool South-
ern Hospital, was the next witness. She described
the reception and movements of Mrs. James at the
hospital. From the 10th June to thfo24th (when
she died), she suffered greatly from vomiting and
purging. Witness had preserved the discharges of
deceased daily. 'W hile at the hospital deceased was
visited by Martin Townsend, Mrs. Cafferata, and
the prisoner, all of whom witness closely watched
according to Dr. Cameron's instructions. When the
prisoner came on the 13th he gave deceased a cup
of coffee, which witness had just prepared ; and he
also gave her a little brandy from a bottle on the
table. Dr. Cameron was passing through at this
time, and requested witness to leave the room, as
Winslow wanted to speak to Mrs. James. She did
so, but kept an eye on the prisoner, and saw him
give the coffee. Deceased drank it all. Mrs. Caffe-
rata came on the 12th and 15;h, but gave deceased
nothing. On the 19th, when Winslow came, he gave
deceased some arrowroot, which witness had pre-
pared before.

- In cross•examination the witness said the brandy
and coffee belonged to the hospital. Deceased seemed
pleased to take anything from Winslow.
In answer to his lordship witness said that both
Mrs. James and the prisoner requested her to leave
the room when the latter came.

Ann Foley (a charwoman employed occasionally
at Mrs. James's) remembered receiving money from
Mrs. James herself to buy " pantimony," but she
did not get it, and Winslow, who was present when
deceased said " I knew she would not get it, for it
is poison," was angry. Mrs. James said that wit-
ness was not to mind him.

Edward Price Rees, assistant to Mr. Miller, che-
mist and druggist, knew the prisoner from his fre-
quently coming to their shop, and had a strong im-
pression (though he would not swear) that the pri-
soner was one of three pe7sors who had called at
his shop and asked for antimony. The mqn said he
wanted to poison a dog, but witness refused to sup-
ply the antimony, though he said if the dog were
brought to the shop he would poison it. One of
the three persons who called was a woman, but he
could not identify Mrs. Foley as that person.
In cross-examination witness said that Cafferata
had called frequently at the shop, and had told wit-
ness that he would be better paid in the long ran

he told the truth relative to the Winslow case.

Elizabeth Brannon deposed that about two'years
ago, when she was a se:vaut at Mrs. James's, and
about to leave for Dublin, Winslow asked her to
buy him half-a-crown's worth of antimony, and said
if she would forward it to him safely he would give
her £5. He said he wanted the antimony to poi-
son rats. She refused to procure the antimony.
In cross-examination witness's statement was not
shaken.

Thomas Maguire was the nest witness. He said
he had lived at Mrs. James's for 18 months before
January last, and had frequently been there since.
On the 4th June, 1859, remembered prisoner send-
ing for something to Mr. Miller's shop. It was a
white powder. The prisoner said it was for a dog,
and that it wou'd either ki'l or cure. The prisoner
mixed it with water, and then killed the dog. The
dog vomited very much. About half an hour after.
wards the prisoner sent again for the same thing.
He got the powder—the assistant took it from the
sixth or seventh bottle on the shelf—and brought
it to Winslow, but he did not know what Winslow
did with it. Had been to the shop with Inspector
Horn, and pointed out the bottle. When witness
lived at M!s. James's he had frequently seen the
prisoner, when preparing bread and butter for the
deceased, sprinkle some white powder, which he took
from his pocket, on the bread, then spread the butter
over it, and afterwards pat the powder in his pocket.
On one or two occasions when witness asked the
prisoner what this powder was, he said it was " fine
salt." The lest time when witness saw the pri-
soner do this was since he left, about three or four
months ago.

Jn cross-examination the witness admitted that
he had a very bad memory ; that he had received
the sum of ss. from the prosecution, and that with
this he treated Martin Townsend and himself to
liquor ; and that they had conversed about the
case, but that Martin had not said anything about
antimony. Witness was aware that Mrs. James
was said to have died from poisoning, but did not
say anything about what he knew until after the
committal of the prisoner, because he did not want
to have anything to do with the case. This was
the reason also that, though he told Horn about
the white powder, he did not at first say anything
about the bread and butter. He knew that the
dog was killed on the 4th June, because there was
an inscription to that effect on the flag beneath
which it was buried.

Thos. Copeland, Mr. Miller's assistant, never re-
membered seeing Maguire at the shop, and would
not have sold antimony to any one on his own re-
sponsibility.
Witnesses were then called to prove that pre-
scriptions which had been made up for deceased
contained no antimony.
John Fraser, formerly a lodger at Mrs. James's,
recognised a notice for the withdrawal of money
from the savings bank as in the prisoner's hand-
writing, as also the signature, " Ann James,"
though the latter was written in a different style.
John H. Hugo, c'erk at the savings bank, Bold-
street, Liverpool, proved that the depeased had an
account them.

George Miller, cashier to the Liverpool Gas Com-
pany, said the deceased held £lOO of stock in that
concern, and deposed also to the prisoner calling at
the office to request that the shares might be trans-
ferred to him, as he said Mrs. James was very ill,
and this was her wish. Witness told him this could
be done by will or transfer, and referred Winslow
to the solicitor to the company, Mr. Lloyd.
Wm. T. Lloyd, nephew and clerk to Mr. J. B.
Lloyd, solicitor, of Liverpool, was then examined,
and described the circumstances attending the de-
ceased's making her will. Winslow was appointed
sole executor, and in reference to leaving him the
goodwill the deceased said, when making her will,
" As Winslow made the business, it is only right I
should leave it to him."
Dr. J. B. Edwards, analytical chemist, was then
examined—From examination of the excretions of

the deceased, from the ith to the 24th of June, wit-
ness obtained upon copper foil deposits of antimony
in various quantities. He found antimony also in
the portions of the viscera, intestines, blood, &c.,
which he had examined ; and satisfied himself of
the accuracy of his analysis by the most rigid scien-
tific tests. There was no antimony in the uncooked
sago which he examined, nor in the medicines. He
took the lungs and spleen to London on the 26th
June, and examined them in conjunction with Dr.
Taylor and Dr. Miller. Witness examined the body
of the dog which had been exhumed from the yard
of Mrs. James's house, but found no antimony. In
cross-examination the witness said that had anti-
mony been taken and no vomiting ensued he should
have expected to have found antimony in the dog.
Clarence Pemberton, house surgeon at the

Dr. A. S. Taylor examined—On the lath July
he received from Inspector Horn, at Guy's Hospital,
three jars, containing part of the stomach, the
diseased ccecum, portion of the liver, one kidney,
the heart, and a portion of the intestines, and sub-
sequently received from Dr. Edwards the whole of
the spleen and a large portion of the lungs. With
the exception of the spleen and the lungs,
he divided the viscera and delivered one-half to ])r.
Miller. The spleen, liver, and lungs contained anti-
mony. The deposits on copper produced by Dr.
Edwards were also found to be antimonial deposits.
He believed that the antimony must have been ad-
ministered during life, and that antimony given to
a person labouring under Mrs. James's disease would
tend to accelerate death. He had formed the opi-
nion that in this case the antimony had been ad-
ministered in small doses. Antimony, according
to his experience, was not found in an absorbed
state in the system beyond 15 or 20 days. During
this interval it might be found in the secretions.
In cross•examination witness said he could not
tell in what degree antimony had accelerated the
deceased's death. Life must have terminated sooner
or later according to the strength of the person. So
long as poison remained in the body and affected it,
and disease was present also. witness did not believe
that the disease would subvert the poison.
Dr. William Allan Miller, professor in King's
College, London, expressed his entire concurrence
in the evidence of Dr. Taylor.
This closed the case for the prosecution, and the
Court was adjourned until next (Wednesday)
morning, when Mr. Digby Seymour will address
the jury on behalf of the prisoner.