The Sun.
London, England, 1826-09-29 00:00:00

A WIFE POISONED BY lIER HUSBAND..

(From the Cumberland Packet, Sept. 26.)
INQUEST ON SARAH Fox.—On Friday and Saturday
last an Inquest was held at Bank-house, in GosfortlN
before WILLIAM BRAGG, Esq., Coroner, on the body of
Sarah Fox, wife of Robert Fox, who died on the preeed,
ing Tuesday.
Mary pharaoh sworn, said, I am mother of the deceased,.
who, with her intiband, lived at our house. On Saturday
last deponent and her. husband went from 'home about fire'
o'clock in the afternoon, to attend a christening at a neigh-
•
bour's home, and left the deceased quite well, and in good.
spirits, considering her situation, being pregnant and near
her coArietitent. About half-past seven the same even
ing Robert Fei, husband of the deceased, came to
the
house where we were, and told me I must go home imme-
diately, Sarah was. very ifl. On the road I asked Robert
how Sarah held, he said she was very sick, and did not
think she would live till morning, and that Margaret (a
younger sister) was also very bad. On arriving home
r
asked Sarah how she felt herself ? She said she was vett
bad, and that Bob had warmed her some coffee
was left from morning; it had a bad taste; he
had'
put something into it. He said she took modes, but
he would make a better cup by potting but
he
into it; this cup was worse than the first, she
not drink it. Little Margaret tasted it, and was also
sick. The remaining part was put into the pig'a meat,
and the pig was the same way affected as my two daughters.
I thought the bad taste complained of arose from the water
having stood in the kettle the whole of the day. I theie-
fore washed the kettle well out, and made sonte more,
cups of tea, of which they both drank,' and thought it_
good. Robert, her husband, desired me to go to bed, aid'
good. would take care of her till the morning. I accordingly,
went to bed, and on Sunday morning when I 01" a, I
asked her how she had rested, and how she wag?
answer was, that she was very bad, and that her husband
had given het the remainder of the posset, and had Phu
some more stuff into it. During the whole of Sunday fi
e
continued to retch very much, and about four o'clockiii%
Monday morning she was delivered of a still-born
which had a lery unnatural appearance, being of 1)1
11,a,
The sickness still continued, and I asked her if she 7, so
eat any thing ? She said she could not, her throat was
bad, and was burning. She frequently complained oftir
head-ache, pain; in the stomach, and a burning heat to
le
her throat, attended ritht great thirst, and drank. Ile
quantities of water and beer.. The deceased gait!!
Her
presence of her husband, " that the stuff 'he. put.into.r.;
coffee made her bad." He said, " I put nothing Into it,
bkuiltlesdhemryepleiheid:dit yboutti
kdilidli,nalgid you brought the Into Eros'
Whitehaven, on Thursday." To this he made no answer
an.
The deceased then said, "You have poisoned.
int
child. I freely forgive you, manedish°otipli:gGto°.llkAlsilulgrhallY,
will forgive me my sins, and I expect you Iv;
much on earth as I hare done?'
Fox, the husband of the deceased, peOisvelY denied. hav-
ing been in any druggist's shop in 1111.te.h;1011sal id, /
am a
Mr. Saul, of Whitehaven 2
ther.
ing et my shop on Thursday the 14th of Septer ..,A
wanted some arse»ie, he said, for killing rats. ref_medi__
let him have it, but in consequence of a persoin sold I;
in the shop at the time saying he knew: billtil:reelerroree.t
druggist in Whitehaven, an'd perfectly reniember Fox call
what he asked for, and wrapped it if in
papers, and wrote the w.ird " poison ' open dor,: t
vent any accident. he
f body ;It
Mr. t, surgeon of Gosfarth, opened f white-
presence ofgh Messrs. Thompson and Dawson' (ereall
of
haven, and Mr. Lawson, of EgretnOut, who oon.
opinion that the deceased came to her death bY vidoro,
After the Coroner had read over the various e _
the.Tury retired, and On their return a verdict Wo
"that Sarah Fox cattle to an unnatural death by
nifty ©f
and likewise that Robert Fox, her husband, was
:procuring and administering the same." mitt``
c°
rn)
Fox Was instantly taken into custody, and cote
11 Carlisle gaol, to take his trial at the next Assizes.