The Sun.
London, England, 1857-07-02 00:00:00

PETOVIA-ON-THE-SE A .

more fortunate proprietors in the former l
com-
panies.
; I have a word or two to add yet, upon the com-
position of the lste ornmite, ut co-operation,
which was moved for by Mr. J. Yates. Every mem-
ber of it was, I believe, a personal friend of one or
other of the directors, with the exception of myself
and Mr. Godson. If the committee did not work
together so harmoniously, in making things plea-
sant, as might have been wished, it is to be re•
gretted ; and all I can say on that point is, that
having seen something of reports of committees of
investigation, I was most anxious, and perhaps
needlessly so that no stain of professed cookery
should attach to a report proceeding from a com-
Imittee of which I had the honour of being chair
man ; and it was in defence of the character of the
committee against such a not impossible swpic'on,
and of the rights of proprietors, who alone ought
to determine the effect of toe report, upon the chi.-
ratter of those whose conduct was the subject of
that I refused to sign it, unle,s the paragraph so
needlessly proclaiming the integrity and honour-
able motives of the board were withdrawn from it.
Apologising for the length to which these obser-
vations have extended themselves, I am, &o.
JOHN ABEL, late Chairman of Committee.
96, Webtbourne-terrace, 24th June, 1357.

(Front the Railway Times.)

Who can or will throw oil on the troubled waters?
Mr. Abel records, in our columns of.to-day, a pro-
test against the proceedings of the investigation
committee which authenticates the charges and sup-
ports the conduct of Mr. Godson. It seems to have
been felt, however, even at the commencement of
the inquiry, that these two gentlemen would not
e d in their endeavours to probe the system of
past management, nor be able to speak out with
that force and distinctness which a free and iude-
peudent inquiry should elicit.
It will now be oh-erved, without our pointedly
calling public attention to the fact, that more than
one curiosity attends the leasing of the company's
boats to the Tilbury and Southend. True, the
price paid is to be exactly that which was extorted
from the Eastern Counties; but it is not likely to
ba forgotten, that, at the time the Eastern Coun-
ties hired these vesQels, Mr. Waddington rowed in
the same boat with Sir S. M. Peto. Nor can it be
overlooked, while remembering that the chairman
of the Steam Navigation is lessee of the Tilbury,
that such contracts, even when at fair prices, ate
not looked upon favourably by the law. It may be
that the chairman of the Victoria Docks is better
fitted to inquire into the conduct of his own tenant
than either Mr. Abel or Mr. Godson, who are no-
thing more than shareholders. But it can scarcely
be asserted that Mr. Lawrance, who enjoys the re-
putation, if not the credit, of being the money-
broker of Sir M. Peto, or that Mr. Young, who
contracts for certain freights to Denmark, as well
as being with Mr. Lawrance intricately intimate
with the concerns of the Royal Danish, are the
most disinterested colleagues which Mr. Morrison
could obtain. At all events, a whitewashing from
persons so delicately interested in sustaining the
financial dignity of their chief is not quite so effi-
cacious as it might have been bad the only two in-
dependent members of the committee added their
signatures to the report. Though stubborn, these
gentlemen, let it be added, are not vindictive ;
they hope, although the North of Europe has been
to them a ruinous undertaking, that it has been at
least useful in making up the imperative dividend
for the more fortunate proprietors in the three com-
panies of which their chairman is lessee. But, per-
haps, even in this charitable conclusion they may
be disappointed. The secret cannot always remain
undiscovered.

THE GLASGOW POISONING CASE.

SECOND DAY.

The trial of Madeleine Smith was resumed at
Edinburgh yesterday (Wednesday) morning.
Win. Stevenson was further cross-examined.—
Ile deposed that there might be from 250 to 3110
letters found in repositories of deemed. There
was a large number of them in the handwriting of
Miss Perry ; probably one-third as many as those
of Miss Smith.
This witness's evidence showed there had been
considerable irregularity on the part of the prose-
cution in the means taken for the attestation of the
documents.
Dr. Hugh Thomson had attended deceased on
various occasions, and in particular about the end
of February, when he had severe vomiting, which
witness then ascribed to a bilious attack. After
the death an examination of the body was made by
witness and Dr. Steven. Their report stated that
death might have arisen from irritant poison, or
from internal congestion, caused by cold or fatigue.
Dr. Steven gave the particulars of deceased's
la.t illness, and corroborated some of the former
evidence.
Dr. Penny, examined by the Lord-Advocate—l
am Professor of Chemistry in the Andersonian Uni-
versity, Glasgow. On 27th March last I was com-

NORTE OF .EUROPE STEAM ArA VIG A -
TION.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE RAILWAY TIMES.

Sir,—l am induced on account of the importance municated with by Dr. Thomson. He came to the
of the principles involved in the question of the University and delivered a bottle. It was securely
investigation of the affairs of public companies by closed and sealed. I broke the seal and made an ex-
committees of shareholders, to address to you a few amination of the contents. They were a stomach
observations upon the results obtained by this corn- and a reddish coloured fluid. T was requested to
'Tattoo during its protracted sittings and inquiries make the examiner on for the purpose of ascertain-
into the past management of the above-named com ing if those matters contained poison. I commenced
find pany, for which I hope you will be able to analysis the on the f allowing day, the 28th. One
room in the Railway Tim •s ; more especially do I of the clerks of the Fiscal called with Dr. Thomson
request this of you from the circumstance of there and it was done at his request. Till I made the
having occurred, in the report of the proceedings at analysis the jar and its contents remained in the
the adjourned meeting on Thursday last, several state in which I received it. (Shown report of first
inaccuracies, of interest to the shareholders, and of analysis and read it.) The amount of arsenic in the
importance as bearing upon the question of coin- bowels was equal to 82 7-10th grains, or nearly one
rnittees of investigation and of committees co-ope- fifth of an ounce. Having carefully considered the
rating with boards of directors. results of this investigation, the report concluded—
Allow me, then, first to correct the statement "I am clearly of opinion that they are conclusive
which I saw in one of the papers, that the company as showing, first, that the matters subjected to ex-
had incurred a loss by trading, to 30th June last, of amination and analysis contained arsenic, and se-
-60,1201. Toe actual amount of loss, as appears in cond, that the quantity of arsenic found was consi-
the report of the committee, was upwards of 4,0001. ; derably more than sufficient to destroy life." (The
neverth- less, it is quite true that a dividend of 8 report went at great length into the verious pro-
per cent was declared and distributed to the pro- cesses used to detect arsenic.) Hew much arsenic
pr etors at that date. This sum of 60,1201. there • would destroy life? It is not easy to give a precise
tore shows the loss of the company for the whole answer to that question ; ca.ee are on record in
and not for the half-year of 1856. which life was destroyed by two and four grains ;
Again, with reference to the selling of their shares four or six grains are generally regarded as suffi-
by directors, whilst all this mischief was realising. cient to destroy life, and the amount I determined
lam represented at the meeting as defending ilie as existing in the stomach was 82 grains. On the
board from this charge and from the suspicion that 31-t of March I attended. thn exhumation of M.
they knew very well what was going on, a- illus- L'Angelier's body. I saw the coffin opened, and the
trated by such a course of proceeding. lam sorry portions of the body removed. These portions were
to say that I did not, because I could not, defend carefully preserved and submitted to a chemical
the beard from the imputation--although I was analysis by myself. They were placed in jars which
very happy on being appealed to, both by Sir M. I never lost sight of. I made au analysis of the
Peto and Mr. Baeshawe, to exclude both those get, content, and found arsenic, and the result of my
tlemen from the °charge. The fact is, that whilst in analysis is that it must have been taken by, or ad-
-1856, some of the directors were getting out of the ministered to the deceased while living. The
company altogether, at the expense of the remain- actual quantity was not ascertained. The pre-
ing shareholders, other five of them reduced their sence of arsenic in the brain does not enable
holding in the aggregate from 800 to 275 shares ; me to seer when the arsenic was taken. I
and this fact, which I thought of peculiar siguifi can see no physiological reason why the
cance as beating upon the question of ignorance or arsenic should not make its appearance at the
. body.
the proprietors in our report.
instinct, I insisted was ono to be made known to same time in the other textures of the
By the Lord Justice-Clerk—Purging would ac-
And. now -ww.....,...urenee to what fell from Mr. count for a similar portion' of arsenic being found
Godson at the meeting. Although I was not at all in the large intestine.
surprised at the impatience manifested at the ex- By the Lord Advocate—When my analysis was
cessive tediousness of his statements, and would completed, on the 11th April, 1 returned the por-
also express my opinion that the first step of that tions of the body to Edinburgh. They were de-
gentleman in parting with his shares, previous to livered to Dr. Christison. These were powder from
his appointment to serve on the committee, was a contents of stomach, fluid from contents of stomach,
false one, and one which effectually excluded from portions of small and large intestines, liver, heart,
consideration his claim to readmission to the corn- lung, &c. They were in my custody till delivered
mitts, on his repurchase of shares with that object, to Dr, Christison. They were portions of L'An-
I would, nevertheless, do him the justice to say, gelier's body. I was asked to make investigation
that there was much, very much, in his observe.- as to arsenic at the shops of Mr. Currie and Mr.
tions entitled to the grave consideration of the pro- Murdoch, to ascertain if the substance sold by
priotors, and which it was far easier for partisan- them as arsenic really contained that proportion.
ship to cry down than to answer. On the 18th I purchased from Mr. Murdoch's shop
Mr. Godson imputed great blame to the chair- 11 oz. of arsenic in the state in which it is usually
man of the company for putting forth statements sold. On the same day I purchased from Mr. Cur-
without proper foundation, and which with refer- tie's 1 oz. of arsenic. I find they contain the fol-
ence to the mysterious letter from Mr. Coleman, of lowing proportions of arsenic acid—that is, pure
the 18th Oct., were positively false. And so do I ; white arsenic :—Mr. Murdoch's. 95.1 per cent. ;
for I am utterly unable to reconcile the statement Currie's, 94.4 per cent. The other substances were
of Sir M. veto that, " not one of their ships arrived inorganic matter, and in Mr. Murdoch's carbona-
without the figures of the freights and the estimate ceous matter, and in Currie's particles of indigo
of the expenses being laid before him," with the and carbonaceous matter, with ash or inorganic
declaration of a dividend of 13,342/. upon the losses matter. The arsenic bought at Currie's contained
detailed in the report of the committee. To any man an extremely small portion of colouring matter of
of plain intentions, the cheering of personal friends, indigo. Tee greater part of that colouring mat-
to be succeeded by the farce of a vote of teanks for ter, by peculiar and dexterous manipulation,
his explanations, cannot weigh for a moment could be removed, and the arsenic would
against so palpable a mystification as this. afterwards appear white to the uuassisted eye. If a
Mr. Godson further stated that the books were sufficient portion of that arsenic was achnieistered
not in a proper state for examination by the com- to cause death, and prior to death great vomiting
mittee. The report of the committee says the same had taker, place, I would not have expected to find
thing ; but Mr. Coleman, the company's account any portion of the indigo. The indigo would show
ant, indignantly denied Mr. Godson's assertion. I a blue colour in solution.
must say 1 entirely agree with Mr. Godson on this By the Lord Justice-Clerk—
The quantity of in-
point also, and should likevery much to be informed, digo was so small that it would not colour wine of
with reference to the accounts of this company, any sort.
audite Iby a public accountant--of what use is such By the Lord Advocate—ln regard to the arsenic
an officer as a protection to the public, when it purchased from Dr. Murdoch, that was mixed with
appears from his own admission, that Mr. Coleman carbonaceous particles. If that had been adrainis-
sanctioned the payment of a dividend upon insuffi- tered, and if the arsenic had settled down from the
cient iufornaatiou relating to a portion only of the contents of the stomach, as in this case, I should
company's business, and which was in f act the only have expected to find carbonaceous particles. Sup_
profi. able portion ? I would further ask, was it or t:ose there bad been prior administration of arsenic
not one of the functions of a public acomutant, a month before, similar to what was purchased from
in passing accounts, to take care of the question have expected to find
Murdoch'e, I would not
of a depreciation two ? for this was a vital one as traces of that carbonaceous matter.
.Various anti-
affecting the value of shares in public market. ties were delivered to me by Mr. Wilson, aid to
Another question arises in the accounts for trans- have been foundM. in .L'Ai emelier's lodgings.
port service in 1855. It appears that these accounts They were 15 articles, .
viz., 12 bottles, two
paper
were charged short the sum of 9,1331. 16s. 10d. forchocolate. I
packages, and a cake of exammed
arsenic, and to ascertain their
extraordinary repairs. How was this ? And lie, them, specially for
sides, it should be observed that in the accounts, general nature.. No. 1(a bottle) contained a brown
both of 1855 and 1856, the whole receipts of the liquid, containing magnesia, epsom. salts, soda, and
company for trading and for Government trees- rhubarb ; No. 2, sugar and ammonia i_No. 3, cam-
ports, are presented in one BUM, so as, and as if, phorated oil ; No.
4,
laudanum , No. 5, bottle
effectually to screen from the shareholders the containing colourlessliquid, .
a very weak solution
bottle containing whitish actual results of each, and consequen ly the legi- of aeon: tie 3 No. 6, - . . ,
a.,ogar, and cinnamon chiefly ; No. 7,
pow-
timate prospects of the company. Was this purely der, chalk,
accidental ? These are very important considera- olive oil • No: 8, a, brown liquid and brown sedi-
Using, and concern the welfare of public companies ment coritsining chalie, cinnamon,k of powders,
and ast rin-
intimately ; and before closing this part of the sub- gent .matter ; No. 9, foui" Te° a,,gfes
quinine
,eNrs,o cop();
jeet, I will relate an incident which occurred in sitting exclusively of sulptaa:;:' se ,
cleated ch.elk ; No.
Committee, which throws light upon the subject of Eau de Caloge• ; No. 11, campho. - package—a
accounts presented to shareholders in joint-stock 12, cake of chocolate ; No. 13, page. 'led gly
companies, and it is particularly illustrative of the dried plant ; No. 22, empty phial, labels,. ---70eue;
system pursued by our own company. rine ; No. 23, small bottle containing a rem..
When I withdrew from the committee, our re- cement. Witness then identified the various bottles
port was nearly ready for issue. At that moment which contained the stomach. None of these solu-
the accounts to June 30, 1856, as furnished by Mr. tions, excepting that containing solution of aconite
Coleman, presented a profit of 1,7001. ; but having are poisonous. It was extremely weak, and th:e
casually recollected a remark which fell from that quantity I found was not sufficient to destroy life.
gentleman at a former sitting of the committee, I There were nearly two ounces in the phial, and it
called for an explanation, and thus, I believe, was was more than half full ; if the whole quantity
saved to the proprietors an error amounting, in the taken out had been swallowed, it would not have
account about to issue, of not less than 5,7001. I been sufficient to destroy lite. I cannot speak to
am, therefore, tempted again to ask—of what use the effects of aconite. I never heard of prussic-
to the security of a company is the office of a acid being used extirnally as a cosmetic ; I should
public accountant • or, was this oversight, and think it highly dangerous to use it in that way. I
all other "unfortunate errors," to be laid at am not aware of any beneficial action it exerts. I
the dear of Captain Andrews, as the more con- should say it would be verydangerous to use arsenic
venient mode of disposing of them ? Thera were for a similar purpose. If rubbed on the skin it
some other facts of interest to the shareholders, might produce constitutional symptomsof poisoning
which I could have wished had been found in the by arsenic ; it would produce an eruption on the
report. I cannot do more than glance at them, skin. I have heard sf its being used as a depilatory,
The losers of the company last year, in connexion to remove hairs from the skin, mixed, however,
with the Royal Danish Railway alone, amounted with other matters, lime generally, solid. It is not
to no less than 18,30tet . arsenious acid that is so used ; it is usually the
Of the 497 'l,' •' " ' 3 - shy yellow euliebite
-, 8-ips belonging to the company, on., , ' •
7 were employed at a T',.,", ; l';l'
.-7-4.; of these 27 Cross-_
exemined by the Dean of Faculty—ln the
ships' five new 1 ";"is: built, is) accumulate entire stomach a.,
erl its contents there was arsenic
the amount V"8 s"rThat was exclusive of
, of our losses; and during tisk; three equal to 82 7-10thsgrain ',.
geet amined. The
yeterS 1853, 1854, and 1855, the total profit of the the white powder h I
w tc i I ex
commercial Li' teer being dried
trading of the ceespany upori a paid:Up white powder thati I attested at- •
,_ arsenious
capital of 300- OONT amounted' '- ' -] 4'4 we• li 152 10 h • 11 A
profit Of about s, '• , only to an i.ve.:, ee - .1g e(• - t . grams,lan. that was ersenic
-°
lacid. "id
.1,6871. per annum, or about 9s, 6d. I se_ not doWmine the quantity of •
per cent., we •t edst the laet two calls were madeand in the l I' brain ortiogee ; I can give no
were paid by i,
'dishareholders. these otZang
sion and in
....,,. e under the impres- potion of the quantitythat might be in
...
.
' word, that —in the small intestines it must have
...name upon Sir M. Peto 's
trio coon) derable, because when its contents were
~
company was hiuhly osperous.
acid Crystallised out of that liquid
Our chairman is l'• of the Royal Danish, the repose, arsenious
the vessel.
Tilbury, and le • and deposited abundantly on the sides of
of the Victorie Dock, to the proprie-
uch arsenic as it
tors of which 1 b • - t fix d d'vi
ees a e di vi- That indicated the liquid had as m
send of 6 believe he guaran temperature. I can't
Per cent. Now althoug ~
h the North of could hold in solution at the .„, .
Europe Com •give any idea of the quantity
in the small intestine.
Company has been' to us a ruinous under-
Might it be several
taking,lt was decidedly appreciable.
yet let us k that it has been at least use-ful inmaking ope:
...
up the imperative KliNltlwad for the , grains ? It would be a mere matter of guess, and