The Sun.
London, England, 1844-06-28 00:00:00

MYSTERIOUS MURDERS BY

POISON.
The little village of Long Sutton, near Wisbeach, lie3!„°:
several days been kept in a state of painful excitement, 0115
to the discovery of the murder of two :aged and respecta_
inhabitants, named Crosby, who occupied a cottage cunt hit
ous to the Rose Inn. The circumstances connected with,
shocking affair have undergone the fullest and most al
(1,.
inquiry, but unfortunately without any direct clue ben,* :air
tamed by which the mystery might be cleared up• It „-ze
peals that Mr. Crosby and his wife, rather of advance". the
had for some years occupied a small but neat cottage in or,
above village, and were in receipt of 1001., a life anitn"'e,
which, as they were frugal persons, and without incant,br7
was more than sufficient for their maintenance. -On Awn:,
iy
the 17th instant, Mr. Crosby went' out into the village -ith
walk, and on his return home took breakfast in companY
his aged partner. Both were almost instantly attacked ,! „
a scalding )•ensation in the throat, which was succeedederew
violent retching and acute internal pains. Both 'l4l
dead within two hours from the time they had sviali°
the poison. al
Mr. Jennings, the coroner, and the jury asseniew:iial
Wednesday ; and, after hearing the evidence of the giv-",ed,
gentlemen as to the cause of death, the inquest was aeic4h-t. is
and resumed on Monday morning, lasting till a late beuthis
the evening. The substance of the evidence was t° ted,
effect: —When the ()Id gentleman went out, as already,t!,4o
Mrs. Crosby began to prepare breakfast, when a Stnit
woman entered the cottage, having asked permission "
down.
L., the
the of the witnesses stated that he was passing °I; of
house of the deceased about ten o'clock on the morning et
Monday week. At that time Mr. Crosby was standing to
his garden-gate, and the witness, who stopped to 5P,70,90.
him, heard a woman talking to Mrs. Crosby within the h°
Another witness recollected having seen a strange.
enter enter the deceased's cottage; and a third witness, Rhoto $
to assist when the deceased was taken ill, depose,- he
statement made by Mr. Crosby a short time bettor
died. He described to the witness that "a strange
tad
woman had come to the house that morning, and aswitit
to be allowed to sit down and rest; they complied • tea
her request, and whilst there the stranger had. assitlie
Mrs. Crosby in making the tea for breakfast ; that when ouid
were taken ill the strange woman went out, saying-ibe wbe
fetch some spirits, but had not returned." Another o!1,0
witnesses deposed that he met a woman walking hurriedlY,;,
a direction which led from the house. The medical got' t
men nrpved, from the analysis of the contents of the tea;thP°e
and fhe tea-kettle, as well as from the appearance ei
bodies, that death in each case was produced by arse tea
which had been introduced into the water of which the
was made, and in a very- considerable quantity.
The jury, after a long consultation, returned a ve,,d. bcti
" That the deceased person., had come by their deaths
means of arsenic, administered by some person or perms
the jurors unknown."
•cd
The local constables have scoured' the country in pasta
di the woman, who is supposed to be thesole perpetrator of
crime, but hitherto without effect; nor bas any clue Beene'
twined to show the motive.
'Mr. Crosby had about 40/. and a good deal of propertli°
the house, but nothing whatever has been missed.