The Sun. — 1859-06-29 (London, England)

POISON AT POPLAR.  Yesterday, Mr. John Humphreys, the coroner for East Middlesex, and a highly respectable jury, assembled for the third time at the Waterloo Hero Tavern, Gough-street, East India-road, Poplar, respecting the death of a woman whose name was first given as Zebra Royal, aged 21 years, who died under very mysterious circumstances. It will be remembered that the deceased and her alleged husband had been lodging for about eight months at the house of a Mrs. Allen, of No. 44, Gough-street, Poplar New Town. n Tuesday, the 31st ultimo, the deceased (who had been only confined five weeks) was seized with violent pains in the stomach and sickness. The landlady was called, when some brandy was administered to her, but the symptoms increased. The landlady asked deceased what she had been taking, when she replied, " Only some coffee, which my husband gave me in a cup." The landlady asked her why she took it, when she said, "He made me drink it, although it was very bitter." She continued to get worse, when Mr_ Webb, a surgeon, of Poplar, was sent for, and found deceased suffering from intense thirst, and a burning sensation in the throat. On Friday Mr. Royal left the house and did not return. The deceased continued to get worse, and died on Saturday morning, the 4th instant. The deceased, shortly before her death, said to the lodger, when speaking of the absence of her husband, " God forgive him." They .lived very up_ happily together, and frequently quarrelled. Mr. Webb took possession of the vomit, and made a post-mortem examination of the body by request of the coroner, when the stomach and intestines exhibited strong inflammation, which he was of opinion had been caused by some irritant poisons. Portions of the mncous membrane were puckered up and blistered, but the other organs of the body were quite healthy. The contents of the stomach, intestines, and other internal portions of the body, were sealed up in bottles and jars, and submitted to the rare of Dr. Letheby, who found the presence of a powerful vegetable poison, but when the jury la:.; met he had not had time to complete the analysis entrusted to him. On the present occasion it was proved that the deceased was unmarried, and that her real name was Ziporah Wright. The man Royal has a wife and two children living, and, at one time, had been employed at a chemist's at Notting-hill. Dr. Letheby was then re-sworn, and said, in addition to his former evidence, that he received Iw3 jars on the 21st instant from Mr. Webb, containing portions of the intestines, &c., of deceased. He had made various tests, but could not find any solid poisons. There were some traces of mercury, and the same acrid principle was detected as described in witness's previous testimony. There were no traces of arsenic or other mineral poison, but on the further examination of the parts he detected a powerful acrid irritant in the intestinal canal of an organic nature, which would account for the symptoms described by the witnesses. Juror—Can you describe the nature of that poison ?  Dr. Letbeby—l cannot precisely identify it, but it was more like cantharides than anything else. It was most probably administered in a soluble form. I have tried a portion of the liquid found in the stomach upon my lip, and it raised a blister immediately. I intend to try an experiment with it upon some kind of animal. I should have done so before, but I have been so much engaged in other matters.  Sergeant Nunn, 72 K, stated that the man Royal was known in various parts of London, and had followed innumerable avocations. He had not been to his lodging since the death of deceased. A'photograph containing the likenesses of the man Royal and the deceased was here handed round to the jury, and Sergeant Nunn said that the accused had not been seen in public since the death of the deceased. The officer likewise said that on the night the deceased was taken ill, a quantity of dirty liquid had been put into the wash-tub, which had been taken away by, a Peon who gave a portion of it to a pig, which died suddenly the same night. The foreman announced that the jury, afteracareful consideration of the evidence, had unanimously agreed to a verdict of "Wilful Murder against George Frederick Royal, slaying Ziporah Wright." The Coroner th his warrant for the apprehension and committal of the accused to Newgate to await his trial on the charge!ofmurder at the ensuing session of the Central CrAnunal Court.  Al  .._J