The Sun.
London, England, 1861-09-04 00:00:00

THE COVENTRY POISONINCI CASE. 1 LA IV INTELLIGENCE.—(This Day.)

The adjourned inquest was resumed on Mon-
day, at the Gloucester Arms, before Mr. Poole,
the coroner.
A number of additional witnesses were called,
some of whom spoke to acts of great familiarity
between the husband of the deceased woman and
the girl Statham.
Dr. Wrightson said—l have concluded my exa-
mination of the stomach and viscera of the
deceased. The blood obtained from the heart of
the deceased contained arsenic. I also examined
the liver and the transverse colon. I found each
of them to contain arsenic; it had evidently per-
meated the entire substance. I could find no
trace of arsenic upon the coats of the stomach or
elsewhere; it was evident it had been entirely
absorbed during lite ; in all probability two or
three days had elapsed between the first taking
of the arsenic and the death of the deceased. IL
must have been taken at least 24 hours before.
I should say several doses of arsenic were admi-
nistered to the deceased. I have examined the
stomach, part of the liver, a kidney and spleen
of the child of the prisoner Beamish, which I
received from Dr. Goate in a bottle. I sub-
mitted the parts to separate analysis, and I found
small portions of arsenic in each—a much smaller
portion than in the case of the woman. In the
absence of any other cause, and the poison being
found in the stomach and diffused through the
viscera in the way it was, I can have no moral
doubt the child died from taking arsenic. The
stomach of the child was not so inflamed as in
the case of the woman. That would show that
death had taken place sooner after the adminis-
tration of the poison. The result of my exami-
nation proves not only the administration of
arsenic, but that arsenic has been given in two
different forms to the deceased woman, namely,
in the form of a sulphate and also in the form
of metal itself. This shows the impossibility of
the poison being any other than arsenic. There
was, however, very great difficulty in arriving
at this result, and it requires the exercise of the
greatest care to obtain it in cases where only a
minute quantity of the poison exists in a mass
of flesh and blood. The slightest overheating, or
one of fifty causes in the performance of the
analysis, may have prevented my obtaining it in
this instance.
The inquiry was further adjourned.

CONVICTION UNDBR THE BLEACHING
AND DYETVORKS ACT.

At the City Police-court, yesterday, Mr. Robt. Howarth,
fustian finisher, of Gaythorn, was summoned for a breach
of the regulations of the Bleaching and Dyeworks Act,
passed at the close of the last session.
Mr. R. B. B. Cobbett, who appeared in support of the
complaint, said the information had been laid by Mr. R.
W. Coles, the sub-inspector of factories for this district.
He believed there would be no dispute as to the fact of
the case—namely, that the defendant had employed a
boy, named John Davis, under 13 years of age, without
having a school certificate. Mr. Cobbett read those sec-
tions of the act which he held applied to the case in ques-
tion, and particularly dwelt upon the seventh or interpre-
tation clause, which provided that the words " bleaching or
dyeworks" should be held to mean any building or pre-
mises where females, young persons, or children were
employed, in one or more of which buildings or premises
any process was carried on connected with the occupation
of bleaching,' dyeing, or finishing any yarns, cotton, cloth,
Bilk, &c., by steam or other power. The morning of this
section, he said, was rendered still clearer by the 11th
section, which showed, undoubtedly, that it was the inten-
tion of the Legislature that finishing works should be
included in the operations of the act, because the words
" finishing works" were mentioned as a separate and dis-

tinct trade.
Mr. R. W. Coles, sub-inspector of factories, was called,
and stated that he visited the defendant's premises on two
occasions, and there found the lad Davis employed in the
finishing of fustian. The boy was under thirteen years
of age, and had not the requisite certificate. In reply to
Mr. Leresche, who appeared for the defence, the witness
said the defendant received the cloth from the manu-
facturers, and it was his business to make it ready
for the market. There was no bleaching or dyeing
whatever carried on upon the premises. The cloth was in
the grey when it was received, and it was still in the grey
when sent away.
Mr. Leresche, for the defence, submitted that these works
did not come within the meaning of the statute. His Wor-
ship would find that in the title and also in the preamble of
the bill the words " bleaching" and " dyeing" only were
used, and, in point of fact, the ward " finishing" did not
occur anywhere until the seventh section, when it was
found in collocation with bleaching and dyeing.
His argument was this, tbat the term " finishing"
was not used in the statute at all as descriptive of
a separate and distinct trade ; but was used only as
a description of anything which might be done in-
cidental to bleaching and dyeing, and in connection
therewith—that, in fact, it was only one of a series of
general words used to explain the sense of words gone
before, and not to extend neir meaning to something
unconnected with dyeing or bleaching. In illustration,
Mr. Leresche referred to the Factories Regulation Act,

1844, and to the Printworks Act, Bth and 9th Victoria, in
both of which acts a number of words were employed as
generally descriptive of the various operations carried on
in the manufactures specified, the term " finishing" being
used in this sense. He need not say how much light these
acts throw upon the construction of the act now about to be
interpreted for the first time.
Mr. Cobbett replied at some length, reiterating the points
he had alluded to in his opening address. He referred
especially to the 11th section specifying dyeing, bleaching,
and finishing works, and remarked that had it not been
intended that the act should apply to finishing
works there was no need to have mentioned them
at all. Mr. Ellison inquired if Mr. Leresche had
anything further to say as to the 11th section.—Mr.
Leresche observed that it was certainly singular that the
word should have been used there, but he thought, taking
into consideration the whole bearing of the statute, the
Magistrates would not attach too much weight to the one
casual expression. If his Worship would look at another
section he would find that finishing was spoken as of the
occupation of dyeing. There were operations such as pre-
paring, beetling, &c., which were called finishing, and were
carried on in the samo works as the dyeing and the bleach-
ing. Therefore, the 11th section might be explained in this
way, but he took his stand upon the 7th section.
Mr. Ellison said the 11th section certainly seemed to him

to be fatal to Mr. Leresche's argument. Even if it were not
so, taking the 7th section of the act, he could not help
thinking that the three words "bleaching, dyeing, finish-
ing" were intended to refer to separate and distinct pro-
cesses. If the word finishing had been intended to refer to
an incidental process of the dyeing trade, he should have
expected to have found other incidental processes men-
tioned at the same time, because they found that in the
Factory Acts and other acts the Legislature mentioned
almost all incidental processes. " Finishing" was certainly
one of them, but in this instance they had finishing alone,
and placed in such a position with regard to the other terms,
that it seemed to him to be quite clear that it was not in-
tended to refer to an incidental or separate process. There
must be a conviction in the lowest penalty.
Mr. Leresche said the decision was of great importance,
and he therefore asked that a case might be granted for the
superior courts.
Mr. Ellison complied with the request, and the required
recognisances were entered into at once.

THIS DAY'S MARKETS.

- tx

SHERIFFS' COURT.
(Before Mr. Kerr.)
NOVEL MODE FOR RAISING THE WIND-CURIOUS DISCLO-
SURES ABOUT PUBLIC, HOUSES-RAPHAEL V. BILLING.
TON.
This was an action to recover £5O for cigars sold and
delivered to defendant, plaintiff being a cigar importer and
manufacturer, of Leman-street, Whitechapel, and defendant
described as of the Napier Tavern, High Holborn.
Mr. Buchanan, for plaintiff, said the value of the goods
was £57 10s., but £7 lOs was abandoned.
Phillip Raphael, plaintiff's brother, said he delivered the
cigars to defendant for cash. Defendant wanted credit,
and, this being refused, declined to return the cigars utress
he had 2s. 6d. per lb. profit. This was agreed to, but de-
fendant backed out, and kept the cigars.
Cross-examined—l did not get two bills of exchange for
them. He said he had, and refused to give back the cigars
unless he had his bills and 2s. 6d. per lb. profit; but as I
have had no bills, it was nonsense.
Henry Raphael said he was the plaintiff, and sold the
cigars through the last witness for cash. Would not have
given defendant credit. Tendered defendant £8 odd for
the cigars, but defendant wanted some bills which I had
not.

Defendant's ledger was handed to the Court, and much
merriment was created by an entry, "Thomas Billington,
I prophesy you'll be a bankrupt." ,
Mr. Todd, for defendant, said he should prove that bills
were given.
Defendant said he had been bothered to buy the cigars,
and gave Phillip Raphael two bills, one for £7105., and
one for £5O. When plaintiff demanded his cigars, witness
insisted upon having 2s. 6d, per pound and his bills.
(Laughter.) A guarantee was offered that bills would not
be presented, but I wished to consult my accountant, who
is my legal adviser. (Laughter.)
Cross-examined—There has been a sale upon the pre-
mises, but the cigars are not included. They are now in
my possession. There was a distress for rent, but I was
only put in the house by an attorney who guaranteed it.
(Laughter.)
By the Judge—l did not consider it prudent to tell the
lawyer about these cigars. I am now a servant at the
Napier Tavern. The name of Wood is up. Wood is my
accountant, (Laughter.) I forget where the cigars now
are. (Laughter.) I have pledged them for £l5 at Mr.
Tings, 194, Tottenham-court-road.
Jane Bevis said she saw Phillip Raphael sign the bills,
and take them away with him.
His Honour at once found for the plaintiff, and ordered
the debt to be paid forthwith, adding, " You know where
the cigars are Mr. Buchanan."

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.—(This Day.)

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

BREAKING OPEN CONTRIBUTION BOXES AT •ntt
BAVARIAN CHAPEL.—Eleanor Flynn, a well-dressed
female, was charged with breaking open contribution boxes,
and stealing money at the Bavarian Chapel, Warwick.
street, the moneys being those of Dr. Edward Hearn, and
others.
Joseph Collins, of 24, Golden-square, said he was clerk
of the Bavarian Chapel, dedicated to the Assumption, in
arwick-street. He had seen the prisoner at the chapel.
On the previous evening she came to his house, from which
there was an entrance to the chapel. She
osnaaed been said
bails hden broken
foundteeda
to see Dr. Cruikshank, one of the chiacphlahinash, aanadtrpaansssfeedrroend.
-He heard her talking to a gentleman, and shortly after he
was called up and told to s% etch her.aHtehdeilslaop,oa.ndsosmaew.
her come out of the chapel, and on going in found one of
tohpeenc,oanntrd a contribution
boxesonasum e
scfrmeweendeyt,o
which w
largefrom tpwaoirbeofxteasilberro,akeenheoapreenen a onFridy
shelf
in
Some-
time after he went after the prisoner and gave her into
custody.
Blackwell, 115 C, said he took her in Warwick-street,
and at first she said she knew nothing of it; but after-
wards, on taking her into the chapel, she said, " I own to
it; I broke the boxes open." At the station some money
was found on her, and she said that was what she had
taken.

Collins, recalled, said there had been two new boxes put
up, and the moneys were those of the Rev. Mr. Bodley
and others.

A large pair of shears were produced by the officer.
Mr. Beadon, having cautioned the prisoner, asked
whether she wished to plead, and she said she had done it
through want.
Mr. Beadon said it was a remarkable fact that two other
boxes had been broken open so near the time. Had she
broken into the church it would have been a serious
offence.

Prisoner said she had left the streets, and could not
starve.

Mr. Beadon said there was no necessity for that, and
committed her for three months, with hard labour.

THAMES.

TOBACCO SMUGGLING.—WiIIiam Adams, described as a
tradesman, of High street, Poplar, was brought before Mr.
Selfe, charged with smuggling 21bs. 14oz, of foreign. manu-
factured tobacco.

A Custom-house officer saw the prisoner leaving the
steamship Britannia, from Cadiz, yesterday afternoon, and
found some tobacco under his clothes. next to his skin.

Mr. Selfe—To give it a flavour, I suppose. I notice that
smugglers fasten tobacco and cigars round their bodies.

The witness—l also searched him in the station-house,
and found cigars in a belt round his body. There is 31bs.
all but 20z., and the value and duty is about ZI lls.

Mr. Selfe—The prisoner appears to me to be a regular
contraband trader, and I fine him £4, and in default of pay-
ment three weeks' imprisonment. The prisoner will lose his
tobacco and cigars.

WHOLESALE DESTRUCTION OF PROPER±Y.—Margaret
M'Carthy, a very large Irish woman, was brought before
Mr. Selfe charged with being drunk, disorderly, assaulting
Honora Scannell, her countrywoman, and wilfully and
maliciously breaking two looking-glasses, 14 pictures, and
two jugs, value £4 10s.

It appeared that the parties were residents of that very
noisy, disorderly, and pugnacious locality, Glasshouse-
street, Rosemary-lane, which has been in a more turbulent
state than ever since the authorities have changed the name
of it to Royal Mint-street, from its contiguity to the Mint.
Mrs. M'Carthy went to Mrs. Scannell's house to ask her
what she had been saying about her and asked her if she
could say " Black was the white of her eye." Mrs. Scan-
nell answered with some of the choice epithets of Glass-
house-street and Royal Mint-street, which the prisoner
resented by giving Mrs. Scannell a black eye, and then
proceeding to destroy everything within reach, and attempt-
ing to break Mrs. Scannell's head.
Mr. Selfe—What did she break, Mrs. Scannell ?

Witness—Four burning mountains, yer honner's wort-
chip.
Mr. Selfe—What else?
Witness—The Death of Nelson.
Mr. Selfe—Go on—what other pictures?
Witness—" The Red and White Rose," " The Shannon
and Chesapeake," " Bantry Bay," " Wellington," " Lord
Clyde,"'" Jack Sheppart."
Mr. Selfe—What a falling off is there. That will do,
What do you say to this, Mrs. M'Carthy.
The prisoner—lt was Gibraltar broke the things.
Mr. Selfe—Who is Gibraltar ?

The prisoner—A Spanish man she lives with ?
Mrs. Scannell—Gibraltar does live with me, but he did
not touch a single thing in the place.
Mr. elfe—You were tipsy, Mrs. M'Carthy ?
The prisoner—Well, I had the dhrop taken.
Mr. Selfe—You main a pailful, Mrs. M'Carthy. You
must pay 40s. or gu to prison for three weeks.