Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1888-08-09
WHAT POISONED LILLExs
The COrOnerss Inquest Seeking TO
Discover the Cause.

The jury in the case OF Thomas Lilley
met in Coroner Barnhill's office last
evening.
The first witness called was Casper T.
Toppin Of 40S Lombard street, the grocer
from whom the meat was purchased. Mr.
Toppin testified that colored girl en-
ployed by the Singleys had purchased one
fourth of pound Of the chipped beef
about As p. m. August 8, Of boy in his
store. The next he heard Of the meat was
from T. Ellwood 5ipgley who came In
about 6 IS aud wanted to know what was
the matter with the meat. Toppin said
nothing, and asked him what else they had
for supper, and Singley replied nothing
He accompanied Mr.. 5ingley to bis home
He had sold the beef to other parties both
before and after the meat was purch Ased
by the Sirgleys and had heard no com
plants from any one. A piece of dried
beef had been sold to another person in the
neighborhood and a gentleman bad been
taken slightly sick, but the physician who
attended him said that it was from other
causes. The meat was Of Armour and
Compsny's brand aud wss Of frst-class
quality, and in good order. There was
none of the beef left as It had been thrown
into the cesspool.
Dr. @. II. Wallace was sworn and testi-
fed to assisting DR.. Springer at the post
mortem. The mucus membrane Of the
stomach was much swollen and there was
much congestion OF the blood vessels. 10
the doctors opinion the mans death was
caused by an active irritant. He could
not state positively whether it was caused
By vegetable or mineral poison. Could
not state specifically the kind of poison the
man had received as the condition, Of the
organs as they were could have been caused
many poisons. Iu arsenic poison there is
by much greater congestion than 10 strych-
nine, the latter being more apt to produce
convulsions of which there were none in
this case.
DR.. Willard Springer was sworn and tes-
titled TO bis making the post mortem, as
sisted by Drs. Winner and Wallace. The
witness opened the chest and abdominal
cavity. examined the heart first and found
the heart in a fairly healthy condition.
There was a small clot In the heart. The
lungs we're in good condition. The liver
was very much enlarged, almost twice its
natural size, and very much congested.
The spleen was very much congested and
softened on the upper side. The kidneys
and bladder were healthy. but the bowels
we're congested and iuhamed in spots.
The stomach was removed, but it's
contents we're not examined It
had a considerable quantity Of liquor in it.
The witness did not think an examination
Of the stomsch would develop anything as
its original contents had been vomited ami
the material destroyed. Ia its place there
was ice water and other liquids. From the
general condition OF the organs the man
had received an irritant poison. 1t is pos
sible that the poison might have been what
is known as plomaines, a condition where
there is poisonous matter in the stomach
and other matter entering would cause dis
astrous effects. While this may be true Of
one person there was no probability Of
such a condition existing between three
persons and he did not believe this to be
the case here for the reason that the action
was too soon. Nor did be believe it was
arsenic for the reason lbs action was
slower. 1t was in his opinion some quick
poison. An adjournment was taken until
Friday evening.