Northern Weekly Gazette. — 1899-06-17 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

THE SPALDING POISONING CASE. STATEMENT BY THE GOVERNMENT ANALYST. The enquiry into the death of Mary Eliza Bell, whose :husband, Edward Bell, farm labourer. I stands charged with her wilful murder by administering poison to her at Weston Marsh, near Spalding, on April 20th, was concluded on Tuesday. The organs of the deceased, who, after 'death, was interred in Orby Churchyard, but the following week was exhumed by the Coroner's order, were forwarded in sealed jars to Dr. Stevenson, of Guy's Hospital, the Government ' Analyst, who was now in attendance to give the result of his aualysis and examination of the broken medicino bottles submitted to him.—Dr. Stevenson deposed that he received from William Wood, superi-atendent of police, Lincolnshire, fonr jars of viscera. The stomach showed signs of extensive 'inflammation, as if from an attack , of a corrosive and irritant po'eon, hemorrhages, and commencing laceration. The con- ' tents contained no solid food. The bowels showed inflamed patches, the hemorrhages. and the peouli: ir green tints met with after the use of n.orcurY gilts. Neither heart nor kidneys showed signs of disease, though the kidneys were congested, en appearance which is met with in acute mercuriul poisoning. All the jars of viscers contained two poisons, viz., a metallic poison, mercury, and a vegetables alkaloid, strychnine. The quantity of mercury was: '—ln the stomach and its contents, 0.04 grains; in the bowel contents, 0.14 grains; in the liver, 0.13 grains; total,' 0.31 grains; or an equivalent of 0.42 grains of perchloride of mercury or ornrosive sublimate in these organs. Ehe strychnine present was;— In the stomach; and its contents, 0.60 grains; in the bowel contents, 0.69 grains: in the liver 1.63 grains ; total, 2.97 grains. Tine rceult of the examination and analysis of the visee.e. point to ieflairenation td the stomach and bowels, due to the taking of a poisonous salt of mercury some hours at least before death, and to the administration of a quantity of strychnine in more than fatal quantity. Indeed, more than a fatal dose) was found absorbed in the liver. Witnese said he should expect rue& a large quantity of strychnine as he found absorbed into the body to prove fatal within an hour.—The Coroner euramed up. and left two questions to the jury-41) Did Man' Bell die from disease in a natural way, or from a poisonous drug? (2) If from poison, by whom was the poison administered?--The jury found that the deceased died from a poisonous drug administered by her husbanfi, and returned a verdict accordingly. Bell /as later in the day brought up at Spalding Sees Sons HOU9II When the case against him was resumed the Sessions House was eurrou tided during the whole time by a large number ‘A spectators, and Miss Mary Skeels Hodson, of Ramsey, Hunts, whose evidence at the former bearing created such a sensation, again attended, and received a very hostile reception from the crowd. It had been thought necessary' for her to be escorted by the police from the raileray station to the Sessions House, said but for this precaution she doubtless would have been mobbed. As it was, the attitude of the spectators was very hostile, she being both hissed and loud 17; hooted as she came into the Sessions House. The evidence given at the in-, . quest liming been repeated. the prisoner, in answer . to the Clerk of the Justices, said he had no questions to put to, the analyst. The magistrates cornmitted the prisoner for trial on the charge of 1141cid murder at the next Assizes at Lincoln, on July list.