The Sun.
London, England, 1845-01-02 00:00:00

CORONERS' INQUESTS.

DEATH OF A GENTLEMAN OF FORTUNE FROM
PRUSSIC AClD.—Tuesday afternoon, at three o'clock.
Mr. Wakley, M.P., held an inquest at the Holly Bush
Tavern, Hampstead, on the body of Frederick Clissold,
Esq., aged 52. who died at that house on Saturday last,
under very painful and singular circumstances.
The deceased belonged to one of the oldest and most
opulent families in the county of Suffolk. Three
brothers of the deceased, and several other relatives were
present at the inquest, amongst whom were observed the
Rev. Augustus Clissold, M.A., rector of Stoke Newing-
ton ; the Rev. W. Clissold, rector of Wrenton, Suffolk ;
and the Rev. Arthur Clissold.
The evidence in substance was as follows :
waiter at the Holly Bush Tavern, de-
pd was the person who saw Mr. Clissold after
heo sGwe eas r
dead.
oa Id
was then in bed. On Friday after-
noon he came to the Holly Bush and ordered dinner,
with which he drank half-a-pint of port. He took tea
at seven o'clock, and immediately afterwards retired to
rest, giving me specific directions not to call him. He
remained in his bed-room until two o'clock on Saturday
afternoon, when I went and knocked at his door several
times, but receiving no answer, I entered the room and
found him in bed. Life was extinct, and had apparently
been so for some time. When deceased went to bed on
the Friday evening he was quite sober.
The Rev. Augustus Clissold said—l am rector of
Stoke Newington. The deceased was my brother, and
during the last few months he has been residing at 21,
Henrietta-street, Cavendish-square. Ho has for a long
time laboured under extreme
mental depression, and has
btoeoekn under the
of ecardeigoiftalDisr, and
.Copeland. At one time he
course to tobacco and opium as
suabrseeinqueednytly he
for h
had
scortne:
plaint. A short time since he said to me, 6, I have found
out a medicine better than any I have ever yet used, and
I now think I shall be well."
Mr. WARLEY—It was another poison, I sum ?
The Reverend Mr. Clissold—Yes, Sir. It-,i-eacsse prussic
acid, of which afterwards he took large quantities. He
was a man of very studious habits, and has for some
years been engaged on a metaphysical work, which he
expected to complete in about fifteen or sixteen years.
I do not think my brother took an over-dose of poison
with a view to destroy life. No man would sooner have
revolted at the idea. My belief in this respect amounts
to a moral certainty. _ _

Mr. Herbert Evans, surgeon, of Hampstead, deposed
to being called in to see deceased, who had been dead

some hours. He did not smell of poison, but there were
two bottles on his table, one containing laudanum, and
the other prussic acid. Both were labelled " poison."
Had no doubt but the immediate cause of death was an
over-dose of prussic acid.
Verdict, " That the deceased died from taking an
over-dose of prussic acid."

SUICIDE IN CRIPPLEGATE.—Tuesday evening, at six
o'clock, Mr. Payne, the City coroner, and a respectable
jury, assembled in the board-room of St. Bartholomew's
Hospital, to inquire into the circumstances attending the
death of Noah Flood, aged 40, lately carrying on the
business of newsvender in Whitecross-street, Cripple-
gate, who committed suicide, after first attempting to
destroy his only child.
Mrs. Alice Smith, of No. 206, Upper Whitecross-
street, after describing the discovery of Mr. Flood in a
dying state, said, I knew he was very much depressed in
his mind on account of recently losing his wife, whom he
buried but a few days previousl.y. He often said to me
that he was in such trouble he did not know what to do.
He was much attached to his wife, but never spoke to
me of destroying himself. The child is about eight
years of age.
By the jury—The child was out of bed and retching,
but I cannot say whether she had taken anything dele-
terious or not. The deceased was very much attached to
the child.

Mrs. Catherine Scott, of No. 51, Whitecross-street,
said—l have known deceased and his late wife about
five years, and attended her during her illness. I saw
the deceased at half-past ten o'clock on Friday night,
when he appeared very much depressed. I had been ill
that day, and not able to dress the child, which I had
done for him since the death of his wife. On telling him
of my illness, he said, " If anything occurs to you what
will become of my child ?" After some further conver-
sation, he made use of the following :—" If I should
die, Mrs. Scott, I have one request to make—that is,
that you will bury me by the side of my wife, and follow
ma as you did her." Shortly after I left him.
By the jury—He shook hands with me, and hoped I
should be better. One thing that greatly depressed him
was the refusal of a Mrs. Thomas to watch over his
child, after she had promised the mother, in her dying
moments, so to do. He was a most kind father. The
child had been put to bed before I saw him.
Robert Groom and Daniel Douglas, two City police-
constables, spoke to going into the room and finding a
bottle and glass which had contained laudanum, and a
piece of paper to the following effect :
" My wish is to be buried with my poor wife ; and
Mrs. Scott, of 51, Whitecross-street, and Mrs. Kings-
mill, living at a cornchandler's, near St. Giles's Church,
should bury me, and have all my goods.
" NOAH FLOOD."

Mr. J. P. Hurlock, resident medical officer at St. Bar-
tholomew's Hospital—On Saturday last, about one
o'clock, all moans were resorted to to try and rouse him,
but without effect, and he died in two hours after his ad-
mission. The cause of death was opium.
Catherine Elizabeth Flood, an intelligent child, raid—
I am eight years of age, and was in the habit of sleep-
ing with my father, in the same bed. On Friday tight
I was awake when ray father came up to bed. When he
came into the room, he poured some stuff out of a white
bottle into a wine-glass. I heard him drink it, but I did
not see him, and then he got into bed. After he had
been there about five minutes he got up again, and I,
suppbsing he was going for his papers, said, " Father,
do not go yet ; you are such a comfort to me." When
I saw him take the stuff, I screamed, but no one came.
I sat up in bed all night, and did not sleep. I put my
hand to his mouth, and found he did not breathe. lie
was habituated to breathing hard.
By the jury—He put me to bed between nine and ten
o'clock, when he gave me a table spoonful out of the
same bottle.—(Great sensation.) I felt a burning pain
in my throat and chest when I drank it. When he gave
it me he said, " Here is some medicine I have brought
from Mr. Doughty's, and I am going to take some my-
self." I drank all he gate me, and was sick in a minute
or two after. He asked me if I would have any more,
and I said, "No ; I can't take any more." lam posi-
tive I was awake all night, as I heard all the clucks
strike.

Mr. William Ponder, of Rcdeross-street, surgeon,
found the deceased in a state of coma, evidently from the
effects of some narcotic poison. The child had been
violently sick. Verdict, " Temporary insanity."

COMMITTAL OF A DRUGGIST FOR MANSLAUGHTER,
—On Tuesday, Mr. Wakley, M.P., held an adjourned in
quest at the King's Army, llawstorne-street, Clerken-
well, *on the body of William Watts, aged 24, a cab
driver, lately residing at 4, Brewer-street.
Elizabeth Watts, widow of deceased, stated that her
husband complained of a cold on the 7th instant, and
that he went to Mr. Watkins, druggist, Myddelton-
street, to purchase two ounces of Epsom salts. After he
had purchased the Epsom salts he observed in the shop
circular that there were tasteless salts, and asked the
shopman to take back the Epsom salts and give him one
ounce of the tasteless salts instead. The shopmau com-
plied, as he imagined, and he (her husband) upon re-
turning home melted them in warm water and drank
them. His face instantly became as red as fire, and he
exclaimed that he was on fire inside, and that he was
poisoned. Mr. Broad, surgeon, Goswell-road, was in-
stantly sent for, who, having applied the necessary re-
medies, pronounced that he had taken some deleterious
staff. Her husband, who had previously enjoyed robust
health, never afterwards left his bed, where he remainee
in the most excruciating agony until his death, on thd
16th instant.

Mr. Broad, surgeon, examined—About five o'clock on
the evening of the 7th inst. he attended deceased, who
was in great agony and extremely sick. He complained
as suffering from the effects of the oil of vitriol. Wit-
ness tested the drains that remained in the cup, and
found deceased had taken tartaric acid. He applied
every remedy, with the exception of the stomach pump,
that his experience could suggest, but without avail, as
the vomiting, pains, &c., continued unabated. Not
wishing to depend upon himself, he called in Dr. Major,
who prer!ounced it to be a hopeless case. He attended
to deceased until the Wednesday preceding his death,
which took place on the following Monday. Mr.
Watkins, who wished him to attend deceased, acknow-
ledged the fatal mistake.
By a juror— He did not use the stomach pump, because
deceased's throat was so inflamed be could not introduce
it. When he vomited deceased said that he felt us if he
threw up the oil of vitriol. Dr. Major approved of wit-
ness's treatment of deceased.

Mr. Gill, surgeon, White Lion-street, Islington,
performed a post mortem examination. The body,
with the exception of the lips, which were excoriated,
showed no external injury. The stomach and the
whole intestinal canal were much inflamed, as were
also the mucous membrane, an.; they were exter-
nally of a purple red colour. After describing other
appearances of the body, the witness said that the
result of the examination, and of the evidence he heard
that day, led him to the conclusion that the deceased
died from the effects of some poisonous matter or cor-
rosive acid, such as " tartaric acid ;" but when he stated
that the " tartaric acid" was the cause, he said so as he
understood that that was the acid which had been
administered.

The CORONER, having duly cautioned the Messrs.
Watkins, asked them whether they admitted having sold
the tartaric acid in mistake to deceased ?

Several jurors—Yes, they have admitted this on the
first day.
Mr. Watkins, sen.—l admit that it was sold in my
shop.
Mr. Watkins, jun.—l cannot deny having made the
mistake.

CORONER (addressing Messrs. Watkins)—You had
better retire, and consider what reparation you can make
the widow for the loss you have inflicted upon her.
Messrs. Watkins retired, and after a short absence
returned, when they said that their means would not
allow them to do more than pay the medical expenses
consequent upon the melancholy catastrophe.
Mrs. Watts recalled—All she received from Mr. Wat-
kins amounted to 25., which he gave her mother when
she informed him of their poverty. She had obtained
further assistance from the parish. _ _

The CORONER recapitulated the evidence at great
length, and
The jury, after a short deliberation, returned a verdict
of Manslaughter against Charles Watkins, jun.
The CORONER wrote his committal, and he was con-
veyed to gaol.
The jury afterwards raised a subscription on behalf
of the widow.

DEATH IN THE QUEEN'S PRlSON.—Yesterday after-
noon Mr. William Payne held an inquest in the Queen's
Prison, upon the body of Edward Bluck, aged 69 years,
a prisoner.

'Mary Black, the deceased's widow, said that her hus-
band was admitted into that prison on the 20th of
February, 1826. He was formerly a farmer, and during
the time he had been under confinement he received
every attention from the prison authorities, and wanted
for nothing.
_ _ _ _

Mr. Edward Solomons said that he could have arranged
with his creditors, in order that the deceased might have
been released, but he objected to his doing soy and said
that if he left the prison he did not know what he should
do for a living.
Verdict—" Natural death."

THE MURDER AND SUICIDE
AT ASHFORD.

Immediately after the verdict of felo de .se was re-
turned by the jury, Mr. Wakley handed to the con-
stable his warrant for the interment of the deceased,
that referring to the man specifying that he should
be buried between the hours of' nine mid twelve
o'clock at night, and without any funeral ceremony.
The unhappy woman was buried on Sunday after-
noon, and her remains were followed to the grave by
a vast concourse of persons, who appeared. to take a
deep interest in the melancholy affair. :The mur-
derer was not buried until Monday night, About ten
o'clock, in the presence of Messrs. Signet and Mer-
rick, the churchwardens of Ashford, the constable,
and a few other persons, the only relative of the de-
ceased that was present being his mother. The place
that was selected for the grave was a. corner of
the churchyard which has before been the recep-
tacle of the remains of two persons -who some
thirty years since destroyed themselves, and against
whom verdicts of de ae were returned, and dur •
ing the whole period that has since elapseil there has
not been a single suicide in the parish. One of the
men referred to was a master butcher, named Lewis,
who carried on a respectable business at; Ashford, but
was suspected of sheep-stealing, and Ns rits taken into
custody on the charge, but while at the public-house
awaiting the time to be examined before: a magistrate,
he asked permission to leave the room for a short
time, and the moment he got into t: 3e
passage he
drew a knife from his pocket and cut his throat in such
a dreadful manner that he died almost. immediately.
The other case was that of an exciser pan in Wales,