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London, England, 1844-08-21 00:00:00

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forward them to me wherever I may be. His address
is, Mr. Hobson, bookseller, Commercial-road East,
London.' This with my name will find me, and I shall
either call every day at the shop for my letters, or he
will send them to me. If there be anything of import-
ance requiring my consideration, you may mention it,
and I shall make as little delay over it as possible.
" In haste, yours truly, " J. C. DELANEY."
The next letter was on the 6th, and that stated that the
prisoner's wife was unwell, and attended by two medical
wen, who apprehended that the same thing would occur
that had occurred before, namely, a miscarriage. There
were then two letters addressed to Mrs. Bell, they were
dated the Bth and 9th of June, which he would read to
the jury, first making the observation that the letter of
the Bth must have been posted either after five o'clock on
Saturday evening, or on Monday morning, Mrs. Belaney,
it being recollected, dying on the Saturday morning be-
fore eight o'clock. The letter was as follows:
" London, June 8, 1844.

" Dear Mr. Bell,—l have little else to write to the
north about at present than to give you (who, I know,
are all interested in it) a very unhappy account of Rachel's
state. I have had her removed from the hotel to private
lodgings, where, with two medical attendants, she re-
mains dangerously ill. Symptoms of :premature labour
Came on a few days ago ; but, what is still worse, one of
the medical men pronounces the heart to be diseased. Of
this I have had some dread myself. This will alter my
plans greatly ; but, if she be spared, that will be every-
thing. Hoping you are well, I must in haste conclude,
yours sincerely, " J. C. BELANEY.
" No letters have yet arrived.
" Mr. G. G. Bell, North Sunderland, Belford, Nor-
thumberland."
It would be for the jury by and by to say what the mo-
tives were that could induce the prisoner to write that
letter. On the 9th of June another letter is sent by the
prisoner, which was posted before five o'clock in the
afternoon of that day, and before the prisoner was aware
of the result of the post mortem examination :
"London, June 9, 1844.
"Dear Mr. Bell,—The worst that could be dreaded
has come to pass. Rachel is no more. You shall know
all. Put the men off work at the new house. As such
could not be done at the quarry and lime works without
great inconvenience to the partnership, I shall not desire
the same there. lam hardly able to sit up ; but hope
to be able to write to-morrow more particulars. As her
death has occurred chiefly amongst strangers, and so
Suddenly, an inquest and post mortem examination will
be held. This has been mentioned to me. Of course I
do not object to it.—Yours sincerely,
" J. C. BELANEY."

There was another letter to Mr. Bell, which did not
contain any date, but merely June, 1844
" My Dear Mr. Bell,—By the time this reaches you,
You will have learned from Hall's letter and my com-
munication yesterday, the awful cause of my loss ; and
you, well I know, can and will feel for me. 0, God !
wuat a visitation came upon me, like a thunderbolt
shot down upon me in the midst of my happiness !
Atlas ! where are all my summer arrangements gone
With my dear Rachel ? But I cannot write. You shall
bear fro mme immediately. To meet the next pay-
ments, go to Thew for the price of the wheat. I
will arrange for your supplies. Let no one interrupt you
in your usual course. I have legal advice to direct and
go through the case for me. I) wrote a few lines for
Captain Clarke to direct him to write you, giving in-
struction for you to go on with the business as usual,
and where to apply to for money to meet the pay. I did
not think of writing you at that time ; but now have
done so. Besides several other friends who are
coming up, and who have known me for some time, I
should like to see Mr. Hunt of Belford. Do go and tell
him what has happened, and that I should like him to
Come up immediately to say what he knows of me. Mr.
Hancock and several others have arrived. Tell him, for
God's sake, to come off immediately. I will pay all ex-
penses. I must have a few respectable friends to come
forward to establish my character and say what they
know of me. Oh, God ! I know not what lam doing
ar saying. Tell him I shall pay every expense. When
he comes he must call at Hobson's, bookseller, Commer-
rial-road East, London, or at 17, King-street, Stepney,
London, at Mr. Clarke's. Yours, ever, in haste,
" J. C. I3ELANEY."

" Pray put the men upon the partnership on their
work again when required, if they are not already on."
The next letter was one to Mr. Hall, and was in these
terms :..._.
" London, June, 1844.

"Dear Hall,—Oh! I am distracted. I cannot write nor
do anything. I have lost my dear Rachel; and, what
!flakes the loss so much the worse, it was caused by my
own neglect, from leaving some medicine, which I myself
had been taking a portion of for my stomach, in a tum-
bler on the top of the drawers at the opposite end of the
room where she was. She had gone for the tumbler, and
Poured some water into it without observing anything in
it, the medicine being only a small portion of liquid in
the bottom of the glass, and clear as the glass or water;
then she had drank it. Oh! my God, I know not what
to do. My dear Rachel is gone, gone for ever from
!le. You, and all of you, know how happy we were
together. I had just gone, leaving her in bed, out of the
room for a minute or so, into the other room, in search
otb another bottle to put the medicine in, for I had broken
e °Tie it was in, and got a tumbler in the meantime to
secure the contents in ; and she had got out of bed to
Use the ____ and take some salts, which were on the
table by her bedside, and wishing to take some water
after the salts, and supposing the glass an empty and clean
one, she had gone to the other end of the room, un-
knowingly poured water into it, and, oh God ! have
herupon mercy
P us all, she drank a portion of it. I heard
cry for me in the other room. I flew to her; but, oh
God! it was all over in a few minutes, and I am now in
a state of mind bordering on utter misery and madness.
In the suddan shock I knew not what to do or say. I
called for immediate assistance. It was brought, but it
Was of no use. The awful occurrence having taken place
In a situation where I am entirely unknown, all are
strangers around, and the people being much inclined to
doubt my statement that she was my wife, and every-
thing eL;e I said, I am in a terrible situation. The
law has a right to suspect me, and as yet I have
not a creature found to prove my marriage, or what I
am, or who I am. I have nothing to prove anything as
70t. The solicitor whom I have employed will either
have to come down to establish my character, and prove
how we lived, and that we were married, or else he will
require a few of my friends who have known me and
her
also, to come, up and testify what they know of me.
know you will all do what is required for me. What
I now regret the most next to the accident, in my
onfusion and half-stunned state is, I did not say what
had Caused her death. I knew not what I was doing or
saying, and, of course, horror-struck and shocked at my
infatuaty in having left such medicine there, though it
Was only for a minute, and the poor dear Rachel was in
had and, knowing well that the world would blame me
perhaps too severely for my carelessness in leaving
81101 a dangerous medicine where it was in danger of
doing such evil, I did not, until after I became a little
more collected, say what had happened. This, though
very natural at such an awful juncture, is con-
sidered as against me. Oh, God ! I know not what to
do or say. It came upon me like a thunderbolt. If I were
able I would write to you all—l mean most of my friends ;
but at present I cannot. Go to Mr. Bell and William
„'„ikon, and Alexander Wilson, and who you think fit,
„„,
"". state the melancholy contents of this to them, be-
-ausei I cannot acquaint them all. As poor Mrs. Stobbs
a now the only memorial of dear Rachel I know go to
her and give her my respects, and tell her that I have
I(3at my beloved Rachel ; and, although there was not
much friendship existing between them for some time
ast, I hope better will now exist between tr:, and that
shall always regard her for dear Rachel's sake. I
must now stop ; for lam bewildered, as if in an uncon-
scious dream.—Yours ever, " J. C. BELANEY."
" I wish William Wilson could give you Mr. Tewart's
address in London. He is one who knows me, and would
say
something for me. Go to Mrs. Stobbs immediately ;
311.2 as a relative, it is my duty t 3 acquaint her. Tell
ra• Patrick and all others you think well of. Oh, lam
at.Lule• I hope the Lord will support me under such
iTuble. If I can write to Mr. Simpson, who is the mi-
nister of the parish, I will ; but at present I cannot."
The last letter ha would trouble the jury with was an-
other to 3dr. Bell ;

"London, June, 1844.
"Dear Mr. Bell,—l intended writing to you an ac-
e°Unt of what had happened to my dear Rachel, through
111Y:_infatuity or inadvertency, and to myself ; but at
Present am unable to do so. I have written Hall
Sort of account of it, which I wish you to go
larnmediately to peruse, and consult with him what to
in Oh ! what is this come upon me like a thunder-
kt)it ? I did not mention the cause of her death to you
before, through a desire to bury the shame and avoid
the bull public reproach for my fatal neglect. Yet I know
You can account for it under such circumstances ;
ut, oh God ! I can never forgive myself. I would like
lo to call upon Mr. Simpson, and give him the parti-
Zl,u
nkra of what I have given of the awful occurrance.
Pose not a moment in getting from Mr. Dorael testimony
InY marriage from Bamborough, and post it to Mr.
larke, 17, Ring-street, Stepney, London."
Ile believed that he had new stated in detail all the cir-
Futostances of this painful case. He would forbear mak-
ling any comments on the facts which would be detailed
,„4evidence, because it would be for the jury to form a
alb, deliberate, and impartial judgment upon them. It'
oo'ue jury from those facts were satisfied nothing was made
against the prisoner, they would, of course, acquit
earn of this grave charge ; but if the facts proved irre-
trtably led them to a different conclusion, the public jus-
t. eieof the country demanded from them, however pain-
it might be, that they should find the prisoner guilty.
ith these observations he committed with confidence
Jury result of this important case into the hands of the
:lie following witnesses were then called:—
~Mrs. Matilda Heppingatall examined by Mr. Bowing-
-?•Y husband lives in Green-street, Mile-end Old Town.
Ou the 4th of June last, prisoner came to our house, at
0 utile. Mrs. Belaney was with him. They agreed to take
n efront and back parlours of our house for one week.
CY came at half-past four the day after. Mr. Belaney
onk by himself. Mrs. Belaney did not dine. They
tea, and had company with them—Capt. Clarke and
4, • Hobson. Mr. and Mrs. Belany went, as I under-
‘:',9°_(l, to the theatre, and returned a little after twelve.
41"lor • rselaney appeared very well. On the following
d ruing (Wednesday) my servant fetched a black
parinot
draught for Mr. Belaney. Shortly after Mrs. Belaney
did Sink- She was so several times during the day. She
get up. I saw her at night on the couch in the
Y, morning, afternoon,
da parlour get
She appeared poorly. Prisoner went out that
theand evening. He was out all
afternoon. Capt. Clarke and Mrs. M'Geachy called
atoithrsedra.Y)'
((1, theh evening, and saw her. On the following morning
they took breakfast, and went out early
They remained out until five in the
haxrilpon. I did not see her that day. They
fps_ fresh ham with their tea. Captain Clarke
_rut the evening with them. Clarke and prisoner went
vitt together, and purchased pickled salmon for supper.

They rose about the usual time on Friday, breakfasted,
and went out before ten. I saw Mrs. Belaney, but did
not speak to her. I had heard no complaints since Wed-
nesday ; on that night she said she was better. They
returned between one and two on Friday, and remained
about half an hour ; they left again, and returned at
half-past nine. I saw her sitting in the front parlour at
the table, Mr. &daily was lying on the couch. She ap-
peared in good health. They retired to rest shortly
after. Just before seven o'clock, on Saturday morning,
I heard them conversing together in their bed-room. I
distinguished the voices of both. At a quarter to eight
I was called to the room by Mr. Belaney. He called
out, " Mistre;s, mistress, come up here, my wife
is very ill." I went up, he was at the bed-
room door, which was cpen. My servant was
there. The foot of the bed is to the right hand as
you go in, and a chest of drawers stood to the left.
Behind them are folding doors, opening to the sitting-
room. There is a vvashhand-stand in a recess to the right
of the chimney, and a small table and chair near the head
of the bed. I observed Mrs. Beli.ny lying on the bed,
with the clothes all thrown against the stall. She had
no cap on, and was in her sleeping dress. I said she is
bad indeed. She was quite motionles', and seemed not
to breathe from the upper part of the chest. She was
insensible, her eyes shut, her teeth closed, and she was
foaming at the mouth a great deal. I raised her, and put
her head on my shoulder. Prisoner was close beside
me. I said, " I have seen my dear girls in fits before,
but I never saw fits like this." I asked if she had
been subject to fits ? He said she had had fits
before, but not like this ; she would not come out
of it. I said, " What do you mean—do you
mean to say she will not come to ? Do something—
send for a doctor." He said, "lam a doctor myself. I
should have let her blood before, but she had no pulse."
He had a lancet in his hand. Before that I sent my
servant for hot water, and I said, "I do not care if you
are a doctor, send for another. Send for Captain Clarke
and Mrs. M•Geachy." He said, " Send for them ;" and
the girl went for them. He said, " She will not come to,
it is an affection of the heart. Her mother died of it
nine months ago." I put my hand upon her heart, but
could not feel it beat. I put my hand upon her stomach,
it appeared swollen. She was making convulsive mo-
tions, as if she was trying to get rid of pleghm, opening
and shutting her mouth with a convulsive motion.
Captain Clarke and Mrs. M‘Geachy live seven-
teen doors off. Mrs. M'Geachy came shortly after.
I was still holding deceased. Prisoner said she
was pregnant. 'rho girl and Mr. Belaney put
her feet in hot water. I ordered some vinegar and water.
Mr. Belaney took the pail of water from her feet, put it
on the bed, and put both her hands in it. He also put
some of the vinegar on her head. I asked why Captain
Clarke did not come ; at last he came, and he got a
clothes brush, and began to rub her legs. I ordered a
mustard poultice to be prepared, which was applied to her
chest by direction of Captain Clarke. In about twenty
minutes after I entered the room site died. She gasped
twice after Captain Clarke came in. Prisoner was in
the room the whole time. When Mrs. M‘Geachy came
in I begged her to fetch the doctor, and she fetched Mr.
Garratt, who did not arrive until after deaths had taken
place. I asked prisoner what she had taken; be said
only a little salts. I saw a tooth glass and a small
tumbler on the table close to the head of the bed ; it
appeared to be one-third full of liquid, clear, but
whiter than water. On the other side of the

bed v was a paper of salts and a spoon. There
was nothing in the drawers ; no bottle or tum-
bler. There was no broken glass about the
room. I perceived no particular kind of smell in
the room. Mr. Belaneygave Mrs. M'Geachy a phial full
of lavender water after Mrs. Belaney's death. Mrs.
M'Geachy sprinkled the room. I was in the front par-
lour soon after she died. I noticed a letter on the table

ready for the post, and another one partly written.
There was no phial in the room. The phial in which
the black draught was contained was brought down 011
Thursday. The bed-room is rather a small room. A
person in one of the rooms can hear what is said in the

other.
Cross-Ciamined by Mr. ERLE—I had desired Mr.
Hobson, the bookseller, to procure lodgers for me. He
introduced Mr. and Mrs. Belaney as his friends. He
lives seven minutes walk from me. I first saw them on
Tuesday passing by the door. I saw them in the room.
I heard Mrs. Belaney sick many times in the course of
Wednesday. I cannot say if Mr. Belaney on that even-
ing carried her from the bed to the sofa when
the bed was made ; but I think he must have done so.
Mr. Belaney called to have the bed made. He appeared
very attentive to her. I saw very little of them until I
was called in on Saturday morning. When I saw the
state she was in I was greatly alarmed, and was under
alarm the whole time. When my attention was first
called to this, I remember that I urged Mr. Belaney
to send for a doctor. I was called upon to give an ac-
count of it on the Monday following before the Coroner,
with Mrs. M'Geachy and Captain Clarke. We were
also examined before the Magistrate. I observed two
tumblers on the Saturday morning, one empty, the other
containing fluid. I sent them down stairs, and do not
know what became of the liquid. The teaspoon was on
the table, and not in either tumbler.
Sarah Williams, examined by Mr. CHAMBERS—I was
servant to last witness, and waited on Mr. and Mrs. Be-
laney. On the Thursday before she died, when Captain
Clarke and Mrs. M'Geachy supped there, I waited. Mrs.
Belaney ate some salmon. She played on the piano, and
appeared in good health and spirits. I waited on them
on Friday. They had no supper on Friday, and went to
bed about ten o'clock. On Saturday morning, about
five minutes to seven, Mr. Belaney rang, and ordered a
jug of hot water, a tumbler, and spoon. He was in the
parlour and dressed. lie was in the parlour when I
came to dust it. He told me to go out, for he wanted to
write. I saw him get the materials for writing. I left
the room. At about twenty minutes to eight I heard
him call " Mistress, mistress, my wife is very ill." I and
my mistress went up directly, and went into the bed•
room. Mr. Belaney was there. Mrs. Belaney was on
the bed, her cap off, the bed clothes off, her hair hang-
ing all about, her eyes and mouth were closed, and she
was foaming at the mouth. I and my mistress raised
her up, and had some hot water for her feet. Mr. Be-
laney said he would use the lancet, but he was afraid
her pulse was gone. This was before the hot water was
fetched. The pail was afterwards put on the bed, and
he put her hands in the pail. He also applied
some vinegar to her face. I was then sent
for Captain Clarke and Mrs. M'Geachy, who came.
There was a tumbler on the table in the room. It was
about half full of liquid, rather white and rather thick.
The water-bottle was on the wash stand. It could not
be reached from the bed. I did not take down the small
tumbler. After Mrs. Belaney was dead, she was laid
out, and directly afterwards, I dusted the floor of the
room. I did not see any pieces of glass. I also dusted
the parlour, and under the piano I found the stopper of
a bottle. It was broken. The top of the stopper was
what I found. It was too large for a vial. I put it on
on the piano, and have not seen it since. I placed it
there between twelve and one on Saturday, and it was
gone on Sunday. I saw, on Saturday, some glass on the
step door. It seemed like glass from a vial. There was
no broken window in the room. I smelt no peculiar
smell when I first went into the bed-room on Saturday.
I set the window a little open when I went in in the morn-
ing. I took the bottle in which the black draught had
been brought down stairs. Mr. Belaney told me to take
it in the kitchen. Mr. Belaney went out between twelve
and one on Saturday. It was after he went that I found
the stopper. He never slept in the house after. He
returned once or twice on Sunday.
Cross-examined by Mr. CLARKSON—I have always
been quite sure that I found the stopper on Saturday.
Mrs. Belaney's corpse remained in the house until the
Wednesday. There was no bed for Mr. Belaney
to sleep in. He appeared very kind to her.
When she was ill on the Wednesday lie took
her tea frequently. She vomited, and he ap-
peared attentive to her. He consulted her as to what she
would like to have. I went into her room two or three
times on Wednesday while Mr. Belaney was out, and
she declined to take anything until he returned. Mr.
Belaney called out to me to be quick in making her bed.
Captain Clarke supped with them on Thursday. Clarke
and Belaney went out together on Thursday after sup-
per, and Mrs. M'Geachen, his daughter, was left with
Mr. Belaney. Clarke and Belaney returned at twelve.
On Saturday I should not have gone up if Mr. Belaney
had not called. He was much alarmed ; he was crying
very much, and had his hands before his eyes. Mr.
Belaney asked if I had fetched Captain Clarke, and I said
no ; I did not know I was to fetch him.
Mr. Mark C. Garratt examined by the SOLICITOR-
GENERAL—I am a surgeon. On the morning of Saturday,
the Bth of June, I was in called to attend Mrs. Belaney.
at half past eight o'clock. Mrs. Belaney was dead when
I arrived. Shortly after my arrival I examined de-
ceased, and said her death was very sudden, and I could
only account for it by supposing that she had died of
disease of the heart. Prisoner said he thought so ; her
mother had died of it some time before. I asked
him if she had taken anything ? He said
only some salts. I said to him and Captain Clarke
that some inquiry would be necessary. He said if I
thought it requisite he desired I would take the proper
steps. The inquest was held on Monday, and adjourned
for a post mortem examination. I made the exa-
mination at four o'clock on Monday, with Mr.
Curling. We found the whole of the organs generally
healthy. In the stomach we found about a pint of fluid
strongly impregnated with the odour of prussic acid.
It was placed in a bottle and sent to the London Hos-
pital for examination. Prisoner and Captain Clarke
called on me at nine o'clock that evening. Captain
Clarke asked if we had ascertained the cause of
Mrs. Belaney's death. I said we had not finished our
consultation. Prisoner came again at ten, with Captain
Clarke and Mr. Hobson. He said that on Saturday
morning he was about to take some prussic acid,
which he was in the habit of taking for an
affection of the stomach. Ho had some difficulty
in removing the stopper, and had used the handle of a
tooth-brush for the purpose, which had broken the
bottle ; that some of the acid was spilled, and the rest he
had placed in a tumbler. He said I went into the next room
to obtain another bottle, but instead of doing so I began to
to write. I heard a scream, went into the bed-room,
found my wife, who said, " Oh, dear, I have taken some
of the hot drink, get me some cold water," and she be-
came convulsed. That was the substance of his
statement. I asked what he had done
with the bottle ; he said he had got rid of
it in some vacant place. I asked him why he had not
mentioned it before. He said he was so confused,
alarmed, and ashamed, that he did not know what to
do, and he was sorry he had not communi-
cate it earlier. Prussic acid was the cause of
death in this ease. If prussic acid has been
spilled in the room there would be an odour of bitter
almonds in the room. I did not observe any peculiar
smell of the kind in the room. I do not think the win-
dows were much opened. The smell of the acid would
become weakened by the window being opened and a
person might not perceive it. I am acquainted
with prussic acid medicinally, but not as a