Star.
London, England, 1828-03-31 00:00:00

MARCII 29.

Joh,: Bishop was indicted, charged with the murder
of Elizabeth Farmer, by administering to her white
arsenic, on the 16th of November last.
Mr. Justice, with whom was Mr. Busses, stated the
case to the Jury, detailing the facts subsequently given
in evidence.

Ann Morgan—ln November last I lived with Mr.
Francis Derey, a farmer, residing at Moreton-Jeiferies,
in this county. The deceased Elizabeth Farmer was
also in his service at the same time, as well as the pri-
soner, John Bishop. He looked after the horses, and
bad lived with Mr. Derey about three years. I remem-
ber Thursday night, the 15th of November ; the de-
ceased slept as usual at her master's that night. She
rose early the next morning, and was quite well when
she got up. I had seen the prisoner and the deceased
together the night before, between nine and ten o'clock ;
they were sitting on a bench in the back kitchen. I pre-
pared the breakfast on the Friday morning, by putting
on some broth for the servants; the deceased usually
breakfasted on tea. I heard her complain (4 being ill
that morning about seven o'clock ; the set v.snts were then
at breakfast; she said she had been taking some broth
with cheese in it. and was very sick, and said if she
could get the cheese off her stomach, she should be
better. She then went into the cold-yard to milk the
cows; I followed her in about half an hour, and she
was sick again there; she-said she was not any better.
Sbedid not complain of any pain. I went away for a
short time, and on my return found her lying down on
the straw. I asked her if I should fetch Mrs. Derey ;
she said no, but I went and told mistress of the way she
was in. My mistress returned with me, and we found
her still very ill, lying down in the straw. Mistress
asked her what was the matter? she said she was very
ill, and mistress asked her to go into the house, and mis•
tress and I led her down to the house. She was sick all.
the way, retching very violently ; we took her up stairs,
and she lay down on the bed, but would not let me
undress her. She remained there till she died. I did
not stay with her all the time, but saw her several times
before she died, and she seemed to get worse. She died
about five o'clock in the afternoon. Her mother bad
undressed her by that time, and she was in bed.

Richard Mapps said, I am 13 years old. I SIM
servant of Mr. Derry's, and lived there when Elisabeth
Farmer died. 1 don't know that the prisoner kept corn.
piny with the deceased, but they were always together.
On the day she died she put out the broth for my break-
fast. She ate some broth also. After she had taken
some of the broth she look a piece of cheese, toasted it,
and put it into the broth, mad ate it. She then went to
the pump and swilleddist %hi basin. She left the other
basins as they were. I had arler before seen her break.
fast with. the other 'awns.
Elizabeth Farmer said—Lam the mother of the de-
ceased, who was 28 gears of age when she died. The
witness then Procaltiled to describe the way she found
her daughter on t 1 darshe was taken in. Her daughter

mewed stagnated in the stomach, and throwing her
'arms about. She was speechless. She had had a child
about seven years ago. It was not the prisoner's child.
She had never been married.
Elizabeth Price—l live about half a mile from Mr.
Derey's, and knew the deceased and the prisoner; he
used to keep company with her. I saw them together
at the Cro►s Keys, at a dance. I have joked the pri-
soner about his leaving her ; he said he was not going
to be seen with her by daylight. 1 saw him again about
Midsummer fair, and lie said something against her,
and I said, "John, how can you speak against her,
when she serves you at other times?"
Mr. Thomas Pitt—l am a surgeon, residing at Brom-
yard. I was, on the 16th of November, sent for to Mr.
Derey's. I arrived there about five o'clock. Elizabeth
Farmer was then dead ; I examined the body; she
was pregnant. I attended the Coroner's inquest on
the 19th, and opened the body ; the stomach was in
a state of intense inflammation; the inner coat of the
stomach was destroyed by arsenic. I took the stomach
home with me. The following day I applied some
caustic, as a test, to the fluid contained in the stomach ;
the result was a yellow prec4itate. Another test that
I used was lunar caustic and ammonia. 1 also tried the
fluid with a solution of sulphate of copper, which pro.
duced a green precipitate, from which I inferred that
the poison taken was white arsenic. I was further con-
firmed in that opinion by placing a portion of the arsenic
found in the intestines on hot coal, which immediately
produced the smell of garlick. I also reduced the
arsenic so found inothe stomach into its metallic state.
by combining it with sub carbonate of potash and
charcoal, subliming it in a glass tube. lam satisfied
the death of the deceased was produced by taking white
arsenic. I think she must have taken nearly a quarter
of an ounce.

Cross-examined—l did not examine the heart and
lungs. I considered the fact of my discovering such a
portion of arsenic in the stomach sufficient.
By Mr. Baron VAttortAx—Youi did not consider it
necessary to examine the head, to see if the deceased
died of apoplexy P—No, my Lord.
Mr. Thomas Lockti—l am a druggist in Hereford.
The prisoner, in November last, applied to me for some
white arsenic; it was either on the 4th or the 11th. He

asked for two ounces. I asked him who it was for ?
He said Mr. Farmer sent him for it to make up medi-
cine for Mr. Farmer's daughter, who lived with the pri-
soner in service at Moreton. I refused to let him have
it, unle.s he brought me a note from Mr. Farmer, as I
never let any one have it except those I knew. He said
I need not be afraid; his name was Bishop, and his
friends lived in the neighbourhood. _ _

Mr. James Harwood, a druggist at Bromyard, said,
I knew the prisoner. A few days before the death of
Elizabeth Farmer, he came to my shop and asked for
some rosin. 1 let him have a pound. He then said be
wanted something to kill rats in the outbuildings. I
knew that he lived at Moreton with Mr. D. rey. I let
hint have three penny worth of white arsenic ; that was
about an ounce. I did not weigh it. I put it ■p in
paper. and wrote .• poison" on it. I told him to be
careful with it. I sal/ him again a day or two before
the death of Elizabeth Farmer. He said he was come
for Mr. Pitt, for a fellow servant at Moreton was ill.
He came about five o'clock. Moreton is about siz
or eight miles from Bromyard. He said a mare was
taken unwell. She was in foal. Some old man was
tent for to attend her, and he did not wish to
have the arsenic in his possession which he had par-
chased of me, and returned it. The parcel appeared in
the same state, only much more ditty. I could not
swear it had been opened. but the ends appeared as if
they had been opened. The parcel did net appear so
compact when returned to me as when I gave it to the
prisoner. 1 did not take particular notice of it when he
returned it, and he immediately left me. I weighed it;
it weighed three quarters of an ounce. I thought it
appeared less in one corner than when I gave it to the
prisoner. 1 saw the prisoner after the death of Elizabe:h
Farmer, on the following Monday evening ; be said he
wanted some turpentine—that he had given something
to a mare, and he wished some turpentine for a mare
that had the gripes. 1 told him it was good for that
purpose, and gave him enough for two doses. He then
said he did not wish me to say any thing about having
had or returned the arsenic. I said he well knew for.
what purpose he had it, and truth required no study;
and I wished for him to tell the truth. I said probably
I might be on the inquest, and he must expect me to
do the same; he said be should do so. He said the
servant was dead.

Cross•examin d—The prisoner has bought medicines
at my shop for his master's horses.
Mr. Francis Derey—The prisoner and deceased lived,
in my service in November last, and Thomas Godsall
also. The premises mere never so free from rats as in
that month. I did not direct any one to procure any
thing to destroy rats. I had a mare ill, but did not send
for any thing for her. The prisoner had been in my
service about two years and a half. His temper and
disposition are very good. He was a kind man to
his horses.
Thomas Godsall—l was in the service of Mr. Derey
at the same time with the prisoner and the deceased,
and %%corked under him. 1 recollect the death of the
deceased. I got up that morning at five o'clock. and
breakfasted about six. The, deceased was up. I was
about a quarter of an hour at breakfast. I did not see
her during that period. I have been working with the
prisoner's father for a month past. The prisoner's father
came over and offered to take me in till I got a place. .
The prisoner, on being called on for his defence, stated,
that he bad purchased the arsenic for horse medicine,
and entered into a long detail of the way he bad used
part of it, and returned the test on finding it disagreed
with the mare, and concluded by asserting his innocence
of the charge. •
• Several very respectable witnesses gave the prisoner a
most excellent character for humanity and good conduct.
Mr. Baron VAUGHAN having summed up the evi•
dente, the Jury found the prisoner—A.l Guilty.
NORTHERN CIRCUIT.—YORK. Maws Se.
(Before Mr. Ryon HuLubcc.).

Richard Twiddell, aged twenty, was indicted for a
rape, committed on the of body of Bessey Watson, of
Swanland, in the Town and County of Kiogston.opoo.
Hull. The prisoner was removed to the Castle of Yak
by Habeas Corpus.
Mr. ALDISSON and Mr. COULTMAN were for the pro-
secution, and Mr. CounracY and Mr. STARICIR aere
Counsel for the prisoner.
The case was considered as a most interesting one,
from the respectable parties that came forward both on
the prisoner's behalf and that of the prosecutris.
Bessey Watson, who was rather of an interesting ape
pearance, stated, that she was servant to Mr. Hayden,
of Swanland. near Hull. On the list of Janalry she
west to Hull, which is seven miles ftom Swanland ;
her father and mother lived there; ►he left Hull to re-
turn to her mattes about four o'clock. About the
second mile stone the saw the prisoner at the bar ; be
was going towards Swanland ; be .wai riding a grey
pony; be spoke to her, and a►ked if abe was pies