The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-11-29
The Death or mr.. Edwin l.. Dickens.

ADDITIONAL PARrICULARs-DE. EDwARDs' REPORT
or THE POST hoRTEs ExAArsATIos- -iiE DOES NOT
BELIEVE THs DECEASED INTENDED TO rorsoS
Observation-Disclosures or MI: PIERgsposr I'D
WARDS, II. p. NJ. VICE CONSUL.
On Saturday ast We published report Of the suicide
OF Mr. Edward L. Dickens, in Jersey city but have since
been furnished with some information respecting the
melancholy occurrence, which leads to suppose that
the deceased did not COMM. suicide For some Tina
back Mr.. Dickens was suffering from a severe chronic
cough nom pourisy-a cough which scdaiYe would re
icvc-and occasionally took cyanide Of potassium; and
supposed that he incauousy took overdose on an
empty stomach, which caused death
We have been favored with the following statement
by Pcrrepont Edwards, Esq, hor Pri,annic Ms.~,y's
Vice Consul Ia New York. who has taken every measure
TO investigate the Of tho death Of Mr. Dickens.
when Mr. Dickens wont TO the American Hotel In yerscv
CITY he took with him two clean shirts and three or four
pocket handkerchief evidently intending IN remain thcrc
two three days He sat down In he sitting room ADD
sent boy on. TO purchase evening paper which he
read. After remaining for some ti,ae reclining the
sofa he retired 20 his bedroom Hs clean snirts ho
placed On the charntcnding, doubt, them too
following morning-and then undressed himself folding
up his clothes carefully and placing his shoes tho
deer 10 be cleaned, leaving the door uboed When dis
covered IN the morning he found lying the floor
with basin near hun, evidently paocd there by him for
the purpose of being used II 10 stated the rst effect
which the medicine would have sckencss OF ths
stomach, and BE- was known 70 BE- IN the habit Of using
Prom the evidence OF Surgeon Edwards, who male tho
POST norton examination, appears that the mixture had
peculiarly powerful effect owing Tho empty state OF
his stomach and that the poison would not haye
ncted had he taken full stomach His last visit 10
of the newspaper Offices in this city Tuesday even
ing and his manner and conversation would ~, lead anv
suppose that he Intended committing saiclde a
address was always AT the Agor and can be
assigned for bis giving fcignod name at tho American
Hotel Jersey City, except that he desired 10 be private
lie always stated that he with tue London
.Sdndnrd, and there doub, the assertion
The following IS Dr Edwards report Of the post
examination
NSw YORK. Nov "a, 1858.
have this day made poet mortcin examination, by
direction OF the British Consul of the body OF edwin j.
Dickens at No Prospect street. Jersey Cty pre-
% Picfrcpont Edwards sq., Her Brtann.s Mslestys
Vice Consul and Mr. NcCune, medical student
The body not dcco.1poxed In the slightest degree,
and wounds disco, cradle upon IL, ezcepta sight
abrasion the left cheek bone and nj the odgo of each,
lin On FIRST opening tho abdomen and other cavities
very faint odor Of pittcr almonds pcneptble Tho
left lung quite healthy, who the RICH. had boon tho
scat of pcursy the whole surface being strongly
adhcrcnt 10 The ribs Tho heart healthy except two of
the valves, one q which was anormaIy thcscncd snd
the other contf acted from Inflammation but were
not sufficiently affected 10 influence general health,
unless under great exerton or excitement The blood
throughout in the body was fluid found coagu-
lated anywhere. Tie stomach externally healthy,
but internally contained only rory no food or any
vered with this thick tenacious muce, aud highly injected
In all ts extent but not c0rroded her perfectly
healthy and showing no ELECTS q ntempcrance vice 90
sickness.
That the deceased died q an overdose ~ cyanide q
potassium haso doubt but that he intentionally poi
soncd himself lido not believe. lie suffering frosn
chronic cough from his pcursy kind Of cough wi9cb
scdatvo would rcliove cyanide 81 potassium IL FOR
this purpose and The doee evidently from q
bottles containing tho wcnkces solution, while suicide
would have chosen the strongest only small quantity
could have been taken or more effect would have Ieen nor
cevcd and greater odor OF prussc acd onn detected The
stomach being entirely emiy (e had the hotel
too late tor dinner aud NOT having he supper
tablet, hcrc ncithcs food fluid 10 dilute the
quantity OF medicine taken and al absor bod,
and the full efcc,a total loss Of muscular rovr-nmc-
datey produced, which would, probably not have boon
the case hal the stomach zcd food The fact oc
the body being still warm when found NJ ten o'clock
the next morning rSyts, concHsyely that the medcno
was either taken n mail quantities. during the night All
al ss produced aeath by accumulation Gas cyanide OF
potas alum WI dol " that, but dose was akess
was not until laie hour IN Ne morning.
NY conviction that he accidentally took an overdose
oicyanc Of potassium, watch he was usng Is mc.cinc'
~ = EDWARDS, No. u.
w WfSr TWENTY srcoxp sTpHsr.
Tho exrerscs ~ tho pTt mortem examination ad ths
funeral have been betrayed by the English oonSol.