The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-06-23
CHILDREN KILLED BY ARSENIC
TIE Erect " roi.cosu. v,o,et Powder on IN,
bodies sr Infsrts.

nodies sf Infsrts.
Prom n, L,nIor Telegraph
Henry King, wholesale chemist, appeared
yesterday June n ut the Epping Petty Sessions
to answer tho charge Of having. on Feb. 1s lust.
in the parish Of Louvhton. In Essex. killed ono
Eliza Scar. second summons charged bin
with having. on Jan. I. 1877. and on divers
other days. sold and delivered and procured to
be sold and delivered. to Isabella Martin. Sarah
Mead. Elizabeth Scar. Mary Harrington. and
others. quantities of violet pow der. contain
ing large proportions Of poison called white
arsenic. with the intent that the said poisonous
powder should he applied 10 the bodies Of chill
dren oil tender years. and that he caused the
enca srs 10 DC So mppnd 70 t FIT.
Scar Alfred Harrington, and other children,
whereby their bodies became distcmpcred and
their healths injured aud endangered.
Mr.. Poland conducted the prosecution. The
dGMln l was not represented by counsel A..
Sarah Clarke. whose child also died. and Mrs.
Lucy Wade. whose child became i'll from. II was
alleged the use Of NE violet powder gave cyl,
that her child swslied up ike Bladder n Of
Mrs. aCourt said she purchased from one Of
the dcfcndant's travellers n quarter gross Of
was not right she sold very little of it, and
handed the remainder to Sergt. Roots.
The defendant said that bad the witness told
70 correct an error which no one regretted more
Sir. ". II. Power. Medical Inspector to the 10.
cal Government Board, and others gave formal
evidence.
DR.. Fowler, Epping. described the appearances
of several children which lac attended. and on
which the powder had been used. He found
Inflammation and liberation, about the groin,
Deiendant-HOw many children have diedP
ss-Thirtcen; but only four who were
under my treatment.
Defer dant-You believe they died under the
| use ~ the POWDER
Witness Decidedly.
Mr. W LEWIS, surgeon gave similar evidence.
| He attended Mrs. Martin in her confinement in
| November 1877. The child was born on the 2 LIST
! and died on the 2Oth OF that month. His attsn-
| ton was drawn TO blue lines in the groin. and
| would be accounted for by the outward appllca-
| tion Of a'powder containing arsenic.
What in your Judgment, was the cause Of
| death Arsenical poison. i certified the cause
| Of death to log intlammatlon. and there was in
| nammaton. hut lid not know the cause OF IT,
| Witness attended Mrs Harrington. whose child
WAS born on March 10 last. and died on the 10Th
| OF the, same month. He saw the child every
| day. Its condition was exactly tho same "a the
| other. and he certified the cause Of death to he
crysipelas The outward application OF pow
der containing arsenic would account for
death. He also saw the children Of. Henry
| Brown born on june last. and died June g;
Thomas Clark. born on Aug. 10 Inst and died
died Oct. 80 last and Morris Jerreit born Feb.
i7last and died on the Goth. Mr.. Deacon's child
The Clcrk-rhat child did not die. Witness
| snid II did not The symptoms Of the children
which died were all alike Arsenical poisoning
was the cause Of ali their deaths. The face OF
! the child Jerrett was very much swollen. which
| was not the case with any OF the others Lawn
The DeIcndant-How many children died ?
| Witness-Five.
| my powder? Witness-Ycs.
| The Defendant-Did you express that opinion
| on the certificates Witness-No. l described
Mr. Pcland-The certificates will be produced
Dr. Roberts. Buckhurst Hill. said from June
| q To July % last ne attended the child Of Mrs.
Wade. There was deep disc9oration in the
rhua. The child recovered. In his Judgment.
the outward application of violet powder con-
tanning arsenic, you'd produce the symptoms
baby. born Nov I. 1877. He first saw the child
on Jan. 1873 and he continued to attend it till
FEB. l. when II was better. Arsenical powder
| Mr.. Poland asked for the defendant TO be COM
Would ii be sueent to have ,he com mi '4Ie on
the three cases Of Martin. Scars. and Harm gtOn.
II might be that bills would be presented at the
asszes with reference to the same charge in
other cases. But. SO far as that day was con-
| cerned, he would ask the MAGISTRATES to commit
the defendant on those three cases II they
thought the evidence justified that course. He
! would also ask the magistrates 10 commit the
| defendant Tor tho common law misdemennOr
Of selling and delivering powders containing
arsenic TO Mr.. Nottage and Miss Grout and other
persons, showing them e eoptain arsenic. and
The Defendant-I wish 20 understand what
position | am in on this platform. Do you
mean to say that you are going to commit me
! for trial2
| The Chairman-Yes
Tho dispositions were then read ovor 10 the
| witnesses. u proceeding which occupied two
| hours.
In answer 10 the usual caution the defend
| ant said am innocent Of this charge As am
going TO be committed for trial. reserve my
| defence
Tho Clerk-Do you desire to call any wit
nesses
! Defendant-No.
The defendant was then committed for trial
| n, the next Chelmsford Assizes. on the charges
| botS OF mansiaughter and misdemeanor. He
appled t!5: no might be tried NJ the Old Bailey,
! but he was informed that the bills must DO pre-
! lerrcd at the assZes
The magistrates said they would admit him
TO bail-himself in 1900 and two sureties in GlO0
| each.
The defendant said he had telegraphed 10
London, but he was afraid that one Of his sure
ties could not be present till Saturday.
| The proceedings then terminated, and II was
understood that the defendant would DO locked
ny all night.