Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-01-14
ae ysterious Affair at the French
Minister'S.

VERDICT or THE CoRoNRR's INQuRsr-rEs
Two MEN WERE KILLED BY Poison.
The inquest on the bodies Of Sandy Diggs and
Lewis Taylor, colored servants, who were
found dead in bed at the residence of the French
Minister on the morning OF the 5rh instant.
was continued by Coroner w. ". Potter yester-
day. after our report closed
Mary Nee, who has been employed in the
French Minister'S house about three months as
cook, testified that she had had some hard
words with Lewis Taylo once, because he was
in her way when she was going TO the stove
OnesIme Daehuer, steward of the French
Minister, was with Sandy Digs tall about II
O'Clock on the evening of the ith. Diggs was
complaining of cold, and for that reason did
not eat.
Charles Antoine Girandan, the cook. was
sworn, but no new facts Were elected
DIR. L. y Verdi testified that he was sent for
January 5th, al a. m, by the French Min Isier,
and when the door was broken open he saw
me tv o men lying dead in the bed-Diggs on
MS face and Taylor on his back. There was
nothing TO indicate that the men died in con-
vulsions, and they could rot have been dead
over two hours hen he saw them.
DIR. VIM. j. e.. Duhamel VS. present AZ an
autopsy of the bodies of deceased. and did not
notice any smell of chlOrOform, ether. or any
other anasthetic.
Mary Payne (colored), sworn, but her evil
dence was not important
Isabella Kicks (coloredl. sworn:-Reside in
the same house with Miss Payne; had often
heard Sandy Dlggs say that he had difficulties
with the chambermaid where he lived, aud
that as soon as he could get another place he
was going to leave there.
DIR. Edward Bentley testified as 10 the post
mortem examination conducted by him, aud
said be took out the stomachs from both bodies
and took them TO DIR Antisell's Office, where he
opeI Ell them and emptled them into vessels
prepared for the purpose. Witness found
nothiIg IN the examination he made 10 posi-.
lively disclose the cause of the death of the
men. but IL was mis- opinion, from the absence
of certain evidence on one hand, and the pres
ence OF certain proofs on the other that the
men took poison and died from its effects. Toe
indications led him to believe that il was a
narcotic poison.
DIR. Thomas Antisell, sworn:-Witness is a
chemical expert, and made the analysis Of the
contents of the stomaohs of Lewis Taylor and
Sandy Diggs. The stomach Of Lewis Taylor
contained about three large table sposn tulls Of
scarlet red Iiuid, which became clear when
placed in a glass. with a white sediment of
-four or bread. The stomach Of Sandy Diggs
was comparatively healthy in appearance,
except al one point at the lesser curvature
which was infiamed. The contents Of Diggs'
hash, and some Jumps among the mass which
Were potatoes. but no undiRested meat. He
looked for corrosive poison in Taylor stomach,
but found noevldence Of such poison. He then
looked for stIy chime. and found sufficient EVIL
denee TO satisfy himself of the presence of
strychnine- He could not ger any IN crystal
form, but detected II by color tests. Having
treated the stomach of Sandy Digs in the same
manner, he was unable 10 detectthe presence of
any poison There was a vinous smell about
the contents Of the stomach which led witness
TO believe that deceased haJ taken some
alcoholic drink shortly before death. Witness
was bound 10 say that Taylors death was
caused by suychpine. The cause of Diggs'
death was not so clear, but she thic Kened CON-
di,ion of the blood clearly proved that il was
not caused by any noxIous gases, as ia those
cases the blood Is lighter IN color after death
than usual. Although he could detect no
poison IN the contents of Digs stomach, he was
satisfied from the evidence ne had heard aud
the presence OF inflammation IN one portion. that
his death was also caused by poison.
DIR. w =. Johnston cCrroborated the testi-
moDy of Dr. Verdi.
DIR. r. Bentley stated that he was of the opIn-
ION that both of the men died from the same
cause.
The Jury received the case at O'Clock last
evening and rendered the folio wing verdict -
The said Lewis Taylor and sandy DIggs
came 10 their death between the hours of I and
9 O'Clock a. m. on the 5th day of January. 1859.
In a room in the basement of the house on the
southeast corner OF 18th and II street, occupied
by the French Minister in the city and county
OF Washington. Wefurther find that the cause
IF death of the said Lewis Taylor and Sandy
Diggs was from the administration of a guam
tity Of stryehnine by some person or persons
unknown to this jury"