The Sun.
London, England, 1844-06-26 00:00:00

SCOTCH SEQUESTRATION.

JOHN APCALLUM, auctioneer, Glasgow, July 1 and 22,
at two, at the Black Bull Inn, Glasgow.
JOHN STEUART, farmer, Kincardine, Perthshire, June
29, and July 22. at two, at the Unicorn Inn, Kincardine.
JOHN FRASER, builder, Colinton, Edinburgh, July 1
and 22, at twelve, at the Old Signet Hall, Edinburgh.
ANDREW NISBET, cabinet•rnaker, Edinburgh, July 1
and 22, at three; at the Old Signet Hall. Edinburgh.

ALLEGE.D POISONING AT STEP-
NEY.
Monday the inquisition touching the death of Mrs. Rachel
Belaney, whose husband, Mr. James Cockburn Belaney, is
at present in custody, charged on suspicion, of having caused
her death, by administering to her a quantity of prussic acid
on Saturday, the Bth instant, was resumed before Mr. Baker,
at the Fountain Tavern, Stracey-street, Stepney.
With the facts of the case so recently and fully before the
public, it is only necessary to say, that Mr. Belaney and his
wife arrived in town on Tuesday, the 4th instant, and took
lodgings at Green-street, Stepney. Their only acquaintance
being a Captain Clark, a retired master mariner, his
draighter (Mrs. inPEachern), and Mr. Hobson, a bookseller
:re the Commercial-road. According to the evidence of these
parties, as well as of a Mrs. Heppingstall, in whose house
they lodged, the prisoner and his wife, who, it appears,
was a very handsome woman, lived on the fondest terms.
On Saturday, the Bth instant, the prisoner called Mrs. Hep-
pingstall to his wife's assistance, and in about ten minutes
afterwards she died in that person's arms, the prisoner at
the same time observing that her mother died of a somewhat
similar attack nine months previously. A post mortem exa-
mination was subsequently held upon the body, and after
that the prisoner admitted to Captain Clark, Mr. Hobson,
and afterwards to a surgeon named Garrett, that he was in
the habit of taking prussic acid to correct his stomach, and
owing to au accident he left some exposed in a tumbler in
his wife's bedroom, into which he presumed she poured
some water and drank it off in a mistake, having previously
taken some salts. The prisoner explained his nut making
this statement before, by saying that he was ashamed to
admit such neglect respecting so deadly a poison on the part
of a medical man.
The first witness examined on Monday was Mr. Thomas
Duilogitue, the surgeon from whom the prisoner had pur-
chased the prussic acid, as well as some acetate of morphine,
a most deadly poison, together with salts, senna, and carbo-
nate of seda. in eia evidence before tee magistrate at the
Thames Police-court, oa Thursday, the witness stated that,
on the Mouthy after the death of the deceased lady, Me.
r,e: alley and Captain Clark called upon him, about 11;1n past
eight in the morning, when the prisoner said be had had amis-
fortune with the erect, as the neck of the bottle had come off,
and lie we -bee witness to attend the inquest. Being more
eiosely examined upon this Hint on Monday, the witness en-
terett mere rally ie to detail, and stated that Belaney, in the
pressnee of Captain Clash, told Lim that the phial being
tightly sopped, in tryion to open it, he broke off the neck,
.111 Bing Uesi OLIS of Sav4l4 tee acid, he pat the contents
into x tumbler in Mrs. Beleney's room. Having left the
room for a weile he heard a scream, and coining back he
tumid that his wife, who had taken some medicine, had, as
he peesumed, by mistake poured water into the glass which
contained the prussic acid, and drunk off the contents. He,
at the same time, requested witness to attend the inquest
which was to be held that day.
This evidence excited considerable surprise in the inquest-
room. It e ill be recollected that Captain Clark deposed that
the prisoner never mentioned anything to him about the
prussic acid until the evening of -Monday, and yet Mr. Do-
noghue was quite as positive that the whole facts were de-
tailed by Mr. Belauey, in Captain Clark's hearing, as early as
half-past eight &clock on Monday morning.
The CORONER, who seemed to think that there must be
some great mistake as to dates, questioned Mr. Donoghue
closely as to whether that conversation did not take place on
the luesday morning subsequently to the death, but the
witness persisted in saying that it was on the Monday, and
he was confirmed in his memory of the date. by the fact of
his having been summoned to attend on that day at the Ce-
ntral Criminal Court in a stabbing case.
Mr. Donoghue's servant-boy was then sent for. He re-
membered Captain Clark and another person calling at his
master's house; but could not possibly tell on what day of
the week it happened.
Captain Clark was then again called, and asserted most
positively that it was on the Tuesday morning that Mr. Be-
laney made the statement to Mr. Donoghue.
Mr. BAKER said that was a fact which it would be very
important to have ascertained correctly.
Mr. Donoghue said, that on hearing the statement he
thought it odd Mr. Belaney had not called on him on Sunday.
Captain Clark said he thought Doctor Garrett could throw
a light on the doubt, and that gentleman being called,
said he understood the interview had taken place upon the
Tuesday'.
Mrs. Mary Stobbs, a widow lady, and aunt of Mre.Belaney,
was then called. She trembled a good deal, and appeared
greatly affected when first sworn. She said she resided at
North Sunderland, in Durham, and rented a farm from her
late sister, Mrs. Rachel Skelly, mother of the deceased, at
1001. a year. Site went twice to see her sister before her
death. Her sister was then living at the prisoner's house ;
but she did not see him there on those occasions. On the
Saturday she saw Mr. Belaney, who told her Mrs. Skelly was
asleep, having had a little laudanum, and expressed a hope
that she would be better when she awoke. Witness under-
stood Mrs. Skelly died that day; but her niece did not ask
her in. Mrs. Skelly generally enjoyed good health, and was
not subject to fits.
Mr. Clarkson here interposed, and asked whether it was
intended to try a double inquest. He had no objection to the
production of every possible evidence; but, if the case went
to another place, good reason would be shown why the wit-
ness should not ive been with her sister.
The CORONER said he had no bias whatever in the case,
his only object being to do justice and elicit the truth.
Mrs. Stobbs then proceeded to state, that she understood
the property which she rented from her sister passed on that
lady's death to Mrs. Belaney, and from her to her husband.
Witness received notice to quit from Mr. Belaney, whose
wife, on ).l-s. Shelly's death, she looked upon as her land-
lsdy. Witness told Mr. Belaney she did not expect a notice
to vent. ; lan he replied it was Mrs. Skelly's express wish.
Witness, however, had reason to think otherwise. She did
not know on what terms the prisoner and his wife lived, as
she had not seen them above twice together. Mrs. Skelly
lord five houses, sad had no child but Rachel. Witness,
before Rachel's marriage, placed some money to her account
in the Nteecaetle Bank. The prisoner, besides the work on
Faiceere, wren ;i little poem called the " Steeple Chase."
here again iuterfered, and requested, if
tide lne, ens considered material, that it should be
taped down , if not, be could not conceive why it should be
gone into.
Mr. BAKER said, that. he perhaps had a clearer view of the
case than the Learned Gentleman, having been furnished
with more materials than the Learned Gentleman, who, it
might be, had not seen this book.
Mr. Clarkson—Oh ves, I have. I have neglected nothing
necessary to my client's case.
The "Steeple Chase," a small phamphlet in rhyme, was then
handed about among the jurors. Our reporter had no op-
portunity of seeing it ; but he understood it to be a local
pasquinade, abounding in personal invective It ou, pub-
lished in 1838, and Mr. Baker said he was glad to see a-better
spirit exhibited in the clever work on Falconry, published
in 1841.
Mre. Stobbs, being cross- examined by Mr. Clarkson, said,
she was not sent for as a witness, but came up of her own
accord to see after her niece. A person of the name of John-
son asked her if she had any wish to come up to town ? She
borrowed the money for the journey; but she intended to
pay it back to the parties who lent it; and whose names were
down in a list. She could not say whether it had been raised
by subscription.
In answer to a juror the witness said her niece was always
kind to her when Mr. Belaney was not present.
Mr. George Hobson, of No. 8, Crombey's-row, Commercial-
road, bookseller, knew the prisoner six years ago, and had
received from bins half a dozen copies of the " Steeple
Chase." The prisoner then resided at Cannon-street-road.
The witness then proceeded to state the renewal of his ac-
quaintance with Mr. Belaney and his introduction to that
gentleman's wife after their arrival in town on Tuesday, the
4th instant, and his evidence was similar to that given by
Captain Clark.
Mr. BAKER said, that as other witnesses were expected up
from the country, he would postpone the inquiry until Thurs-
' day next.
Sergeant M'Cardell said there were two ladies in attend-
ance who had lived in the neighbourhood of Mr. and Mrs.
Belau), down in the north, and who could speak to the pri-
soner's ill-treatment of his wife up to December last.
The witnesses, however, were not called, and the inquest
was adjourned until two o'clock on Thursday.

DISTRESSED NEEDLEWOMEN'S SOCIETY.—We are
much gratified, and we feel assured our readers will be pleased
to know that the above Society, which was established under
the presidency of Mr. Alderman Farebrotber, at the Man-
sion-house last January, has received an important addition
to its patronesses in the accession of the Marchioness of Clan-
ricarde, the Countess olGainsborough, Viscountess Sydney,
Viscountess Canning, the Lady Francis Egerton, the Lady
Ashley, the Viscountess Jocelyn, and the Right Hon. the
Lady Aylmer, who have honoured the institution by their
support, through the philanthropic exertions of the Right
Hon. Lord Ashley, M.P., patron.
[ADVERTISEMENT.j—HOLLOWAY'S OINTMENT AND
PlLLS.—Debtors' Prison Infirmary, Whitecross-street,
London.--Extraordinary Cure of Scrofula by the use of
one largo pot of Ointment and a Box of Pills.—Captain
Jarvis, an inmate of the above prison, had for two
years pass several dreadful scrofuious ulcers on his legs
and other parts of his body, which resisted every other
kind or treatment. His case was so desperate as to con-
fine him for several months to the infirmary, until he
was miraculously cured by the use of these medicines.—
Sold at Prcfessor Holloway's Establishment, 244, Strand
(what .d. is may be .had gratl,), and lky alfl;:,st all re-
spec:L.l)le -Vendors of Medicine civilised
world.