The state herald. (Holyoke, Logan County, Colo.) 1887-1921, 1893-10-13
WERE THEY POIsONERs9
NOTED CASES WHICH LEFr
DOUBTS TO MANY.
Did Captain Donellau Murder His Broth.
er-in.Law7 - Tho Noted Tragedy Of
Eliza Fsnuing, Judiciaiiy Murdered By
tho Recorder OF London.

Eliza Fsnning. Judiciaiiy Murdered By
tho Recorder OF London.
One Of the most famous poisoning
cases In England was that OF Captain
Donellan, who was hanged century
ago for the murder Of his brother-in-
law. It was family tragedy In high
life. Sir Theodosius Boughton was
young man possessed Of largo
landed estate. Captain Donellan
was his brother-in-law and hoir-ap-
parent to the large estate. At tho
time Sir Theodosius died Captain,
Donollan was living with him In Inv
country house and occupied adjoin'
ing apartments. Tho young man.
who was In delicate health, had sent
to an apothecary shop for q draughs
Of medicine, which was sent back To
him In an ordinary vial. This draught
was presumed to be composition Of
rhubarb. jalap aud lavender wator
At the time he took the draught
other walls OF similar size appeared
to havo boon In his chamber. Ho
had only swallowed the draught o
few minutes when no 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
tho mind Of tho young mans mother.
who was present ut tho death scene.
and she Immediately ordered every
thing in tho room. including the
medicine walls, to bo left untouched.
Captain Donellan persisted, how
ever, In going into tho death cham
Dor, and. against tho express wishes
and strong protests OF tho mother.
rinsed out the vial from which Sir
Theodosius had taken his last drink.
Lady Boughton Immediately took up
tho rinsed vial and held II to her
nose. At the trial she testified that
the odor was like that OF bitter ul-
monds. Several physicians had testi-
fed that u glass which had contained
laurel water. which Is deadly poi
son. would, after rinsipg. give an
odor like that OF bitter almonds
This was the nearest approach to
evidence that was offered to tho jury
to show that Sir Theodosius had, in,
fact, taken q drink OF tho deadly
laurel water. Sir John Hunter was
tho most eminent English physician
OF the time and he was witness at
the trial. He swore most positively
that there was nothing in the cIrcum-
stances attending tho death OF Sir
Thcodosius, as described by the ply
sicians who were called in at tho
time, to warrant tho assertion that
his death was caused by poisoning.
All the symptoms described were,
DIR. Hunter said. entirely consistent
with the belief that the young man
died OF apoplexy. Nevertheless. be-
cause Captain Doncllan was the noxt
heir aud "had n motive" he was
promptly executed.
Eliza Fenning was executed in
1915. She was a domestic In fam
lily In Chancery lanc. The family
had undoubtedly boen poisoned by
eating dumplings made by this hap
less girl. but she had herself eaten
OF tho samo dish and suffered In tho
same degree as the other mem bcrs OF
tho household. She had not made
the slightest attempt to remove tho
evidence Of her guilt, II guilty she
was. She had left tho poison bear
ing dish unwashed. II Is hardly con-
ceivablc that. such being the evil
dencc. sho should havo been con-
victcd. But the recorder OF London,
who presided ut tho trial, seemed to
BIO very preiudiced against her and
charged tho jury strongly for convic-
tion. Tho only motive ascribed her
was that she had had slight quarrel
with her mistress and had deter
mined to poison the entire family by
way OF revenge. After conviction
petitions signed by thousands prayed
the mercy Of the king. but the re-
cordcr forcely fought the movement
for pardon. The girls master
relented and would havc signed the
petition for q pardon. but the record
or persuaded him not TO do SO. A
tremendous demonstration was made
NJ Ger iuncrnL Six young girls. clad
In white. led tho way, and 10000
people followed her body In mourn
fui silence through the streets TO tho
cemetery OF ST George the martyr,
the windows being yelled and draped
In mourning and every housetop
thronged with weeping people.
DIR. Pritchard was n Scotch physi-