The Bessemer indicator., 1893-10-14

One of the most famous poisoning
casee in England was that OF Captain
Donellan. who was hanged century
ago for the murder OF his brother-in-
law. 1t was family tragedy In high
life. Sir Theodosius Boughton was
young man possessed OF large
landed estate. Captain Donellan
was his brother-in-law and hCir-ap-
parent to tho largo estate. At tho
time Sir Theodosius died Captain
Donellan was living with him In his
country house and occupied adjoin-
ing apartments. The young man.
who was in delicate health. had sent
to an apothecary shop for draught
OF medicine. which was sent back to
him in an ordinary vial. This draught
was presumed to be composition Of
rhubarb, jalap and lavender water.
At the time he took the draught
other vials OF similar size appeared
to have been In his chamber. He
had only swallowed the draught q
few minutes when he was seized
with violent pains in the stomach,
and WAS soon in commissions and
foamIng at the mouth. He expired
shortly afterwards without making
any statement Suspicion Of poison
ing was Immediately awakened in
the mind OF the young mans mother,
who was present at the death scene,
and she Immediately ordered every
thing in the room, including tho
medicine walls, to be left untouched.
Captain Donellan persisted, how
ever. in going into the death cham
ber, and. against the express wishes
and strong protests of the mother
rinsed out the vial from which Sir
had taken his last drink.
Lady Boughton Immediately took up
the rinsed vial and held it to her
nose At the trial she testified that
the odor was like that of bitter al
monds. Several physicians had testi-
lied that glass which had contained
laurel water, which Is deadly poi
son, would. after rinsing. give an
odor like that OF bitter almonds.
This was the nearest approach to
evidence that was offered to the jury
20 show that Sir Theodosius had. In,
1SVt . Vi tIlO uchuIy
aurel water. Sir John Hunter was
,he most eminent English physician
of the time and ho WAS a witness at
,he trial. He swore most positively
hat there was nothing In the circum-
stances attending the death Of Sir
as described by the ply
sicians who were called in at tho
time, to warrant the assertion that
his death was caused by poisoning.
All the symptoms described wero,
DIR. Hunter said. entirely consistent
with the belief that tho young man
died OF apoplexy. Nevertheless. be-
cause Captain Donellan was the next
heir and "had a motive" he was
executed.
Eliza Fenning was executed in
1915. She was domestic in fam
lily in Chancery lane. Tho family
had undoubtedly been poisoned By
eating dumplings made by this hap
less girl. but she had herself eaten
of the same dish and suffered in tho
same degree as the other members Of
the household. She had not made
the slightest attempt to remove the
evidence Of her guilt, II guilty she
was. She had left tho poison-tear-
ing dish unwashed. 1t is hardly con-
ceivsble that. such being the evil
dence, she should have been con-
victed. But the recorder OF London,
who presided at the trial, seemed to
be very prejudiced against her and
charged the jury strongly for convic-
tion. The only motive ascribed her
was that she had had slight quarrel
with her mistress and had detor-
mined to poison the entire family by
way OF revenge. After conviction
petitions signed by thousands prayed
the mercy of 'he king. but the re-
corder fierceiy fought tho movement
for pardon. The girls mastor
relented and would have signed the
petition for pardon. but the record
or persuaded him not to do 10. A
tremendous demonstration was made
at her funeral. Six young girls. clad
in white. led the way. and 10000
people followed her body in MOURN
full silence through the streets to tho
cemetery OF St George tho martyr,
the windows being veiled and drapcd
in mourning and every housetop
thronged with weeping people.
DIR. Pritchard was Scotch physi-
clan who slowly poisoned his wife and
her mother by antimony. Ho was
convicted on circumst stautial evidence