The Sun.
London, England, 1859-05-13 00:00:00

THE SUSPECTED POISONING AT
RIURMOND.

CORONER'S INQUEST—(THIS DAY.)
This morning the adjourned inquest upon the body of
Isabella Bankes, whose death it was alleged had, been
caused by poison, was resumed before Mr. Cartter, at the
Court-house, Richmond.
The greatest interest was excited by the investigation,
the inquest• room being crowded to suffocation.
Dr. Smethurst, who is in custody on suspicion of having
caused the death of the unfortunate lady, was brought from
Horsemonger-lane gaol, by an order from the Secretary of
State, in accordance with a request made by the coroner.
He arrived at the Mortlake station, and was conveyed
thence to Richmond, in a cab, by Inspector M'lntyre of the
V division of police.
The Coroner having read over to Dr. Smethurst the
depositions taken on a former' occasion when he was not
present, then called
Mrs. Wheatley, the landlady of the house, 10, Alma
Villas, who, in addition to her former evidence, said—l re-
collect receiving medicines for the deceased from a boy who
said he brought it from Dr. Julius's. The medicines con-
sisted of liquids and pills; the bottles were six ounce phials
sealed up in paper. The pills were in packets of white
paper, sealed up. The food procured by Dr. Smethurst was
sometimes sent—sometimes he brought it in himself. I
always prepared it. The deceased generally had her meals
in her bed room. I have seen her on some occa-
sions take her tea down stairs. She seemed very ill.
I always tried to attend to her domestic com-
forts. I had been in the room about three times to sweep
it, but it was not properly done in consequence of the pre-
sence of Dr. Smethurst. I have seen vomit in a basin, it
was thrown into an utensil outside the bedroom door by Dr.
Smethurst, to be taken downstairs and thrown away. I
always threw it away. Previous to the Monday I formerly
mentioned I frequently saw her vomiting. I did not notice
the exact time the vomiting came on. The Monday I men-
tioned was that preceding the first inquiry. After that day
the deceased was attended to by Miss Banks and the
nurse. I don't know the name of the nurse, but
she was engaged after that day—last Monday week. Dr.
Smethurst was not in the house when the nurse came.
After that day I did not see any medicines administered to
her. The deceased sister was then also attending her.
She came to Alma Villa on the Sunday and remained until
the lady died. She left on Monday evening after the death
of her sister. Dr. Smethurst was there on Monday 'night,
he was taken away in custody. I can't recollect the hour.
It was after the death. I had asked the deceased whether she
felt any bodily pain, she only replied, she felt very unwell. I
never saw her take her food. She took tea down stairs on
the Sunday following Friday the 15th of April—the day
she arrived at my house. I was from home on that occa-
sion. T always gave the medicines to Dr. Smethurst in the
same condition that I received them from Dr. Julius's ,boy.
The deceased's sister came on the Sunday but she went
out to sleep. I saw her next morning at about half-past
nine. She slept on Monday night in my house. She left
on Tuesday after death of her sister. The evacutions were
all thrown away.
By Dr. Smethurst—l am not sure the bottles I received
from Dr. Julius were always sealed.
Dr. Smethurst—What food do you refer to when you
say I brought it in.
Witness—Arrowroot and such things.
Dr. Smethurst—Was not the bed made every day?
Witness—Yes.
Dr. Smethurst—And you always emptied the slops and
did all was necessary ?
Witness—Yes.
Dr. Smethurst—You never had any suspicion of any-
thing wrong ?
Witness—No, never.
Dr. Smethurst—The landing was used for your own
family bed-room ?
Witness—Yes.
Dr. Smethurst—Did you not know our bedroom door
was constantly of en night and day ?
Witness—lt was generally open during the night and
day except when Dr. Smethurst was there, and then it was
shut. He said he had the windows open.
Dr. Smethurst—You never law w me to empty the night
commode.

Witness—No, never.
Dr. Smethurst—Anyone going up or down stairs could
see the things ?
Witness—Yes.
Dr. Smethurst—We gave you entire satisfaction ?
Witness—Yes; you always acted as a gentleman to me,
and, as far as I saw, you were always very kind to the
deceased.
By a Juror—My daughter is 17 years of age. She might
have gone up and down stairs before the night-commode
was removed.
William Merchant, a lad aged about 17, said—l am in
the service of Dr. Julius. I have been in his service about
two years. I sleep at home. My duty at Dr. Julius's was
to take out the medicine. I recollect taking medicine to
No. 10, Alma Villas, Richmond Hill. They were gene-
rally bottles, a box of pills was with the bottles one
morning. The bottles were covered with paper, and directed
"Mrs. Smethurst." The bottles were tied not sealed. The
pills were sealed. I gave the medicines to Mrs. Wheatley.
I never under any circumstance left wrong medicine. I
never had to change any I left. I had other medicines to
deliver, one was at No. 6, Old Palace-terrace. That
medicine was tied like the rest. That was delivered
previously to my going to Alma-place. I delivered
the medicines at Old Palace-terrace to Miss Robert-
son. I gave it to her on every occasion. The
medicines were always delivered in the condition I
received them from my employer. I received the
medicines from Mr. Caudle,
_the assistant to Dr. Julius.
Dr. Smethurst—Do you deliver medicines at night ?
Witness—No.
Dr. Smethurst—Who does ?
Witness—Another boy.
Dr. Smethurst—What is his name?
Witness—George ickery.
Dr. Smethurst—ls Mr. CandU lint! Only assistent to
Dr. Julius ?

Witness—Yes. • '• •1°,14!'
Dr. Smethurs he the only pepron iYho raftlfes p isthe
medicines ? = ' • -
Witness—Yes. '
By Sergeant Ballantine—l go at seven and leave at ton,
the other boy comes about six in the evening, and then we
do the rounds together until ten at night, and then I leave.
Dr. Smethurst—You delivered all the medicines at Alma
Vallas yourself ?
Witness—Yes.
The Coroner said he thought, under the circumstances
of the case, as Dr. Taylor was not able to be in attendance
that day, he should propose to the jury that the medical
testimony should not be given until Dr. Taylor was ready'.
Sergeant Ballantine said Dr. Taylor had two circum-
stances to inquire into the state of the body from a post
mor tern examination and certain symptoms exhibited by
the deceased during her lifetime. No medical man could
give his testimony until the whole of the witnesses had been
examined on this point, and he therefore thought it best
that the whole of the medical evidence should be postponed
until the next inquiry, when it was fully expected Pr
Taylor would be ready.

'

This course was adopted, and the examination of the
witnesses was proceeded with.

Ann Robertson, the landlady of the house 10, Old
Palace-place, merely repeated the evidence given on a
former examination before the magistrate. It was to the
effect that the deceased during her residence at that place
was taken ill, and was attacked with vomiting and
diarrhoea, and that Dr. Smethurst always appeared to
treat the deceased with the greatest affection.
Two or three witnesses having been examined whose
evidence has already been published, the inquiry was ad-
journed.

FRIGHTFUL ACCIDENT AT THE WEST-
MINSTER PALACE HOTEL.

Soon after six o'clock this morning the men engaged on
the work having scarcely commenced operations, a most
lamentable accident took place at the building now in pro-
gress of erection at the corner of Tothill-street, West-
minster, called "The Westminster Palace Hotel." At the
north-west corner of the structure about 30 men, chiefly
labourers, were engaged, when in an instant the scaffold-

ing on which they were standing gave way with an awful
crash, and 12 out of the number were precipitated to the
ground, a distance of 80 feet. Great quantities of bricks
and fragments of broken timber accompanied the poor
fellows' descent, and partially covered the bodies. As soon
as the workmen around could recover from the shock re-
ceived they commenced to extricate the bodies of their un-
fortunate comrades, and we are sorry to say that four were
quite dead when drawn out. The remaining eight also
appeared lifeless, and thus the rumour soon spread that the
whole had ceased to exist. The poor fellows were at once
conveyed to the Westminster Hospital, where it was dis-
covered that life was quite extinct in four cases, and that
the remaining eight men had received injuries of a fright-
ful character. The following are the list of names :
DEAD.—Edward Sullivan, John M'Hugh, Cornelius
Buckley, John Carroll, and Peter Forbes.
FRIGHTFULLY INJURED. Michael Grogan, James
Keating, Michael Carey, Denis M'Carty, Ed ward New-
man, Michael Irvine, and James Mack.
Although, from the fact of the immense excitement
existing, our reporter had great difficulty in gaining intel-
ligence, yet this list, at the time we write (12 o'clock), will
be found strictly correct. We believe that all the unfor-
tunate men who have lost their lives are married, and it
was truly heartrending to witness the anguish of one
young wife with a baby at her breast. Of course, many
opinions were expressed amongst large parties of the men
who grouped together at the corners of the streets as to the
cause of the accident ; but one seemed to be most prevalent,
and that was, that the scaffold was overloaded. Fears were
also expressed yesterday as to its safety. We cannot con-
clude without speaking in the waimest terms of the man-
ner in which Mr. P. K. Adam, the house-surgeon of the
hospital, performed his duties, assisted by Mr. Hillman
and a competent staff. So great was the rush of the men,
to obtain admission to thelosPital that a body of polio
tq be La atteaclaam