The Sun. — 1821-10-02 (London, England)

POISON.—On Tuesday )agt an Inquest was held at Headington, on view of the body of James Harris, a labourer. This was a ease which required considerable attention, and the examination of several witnesses. Mr. Stock, of Magdalen Hall, in this University, who resides at Headington, was Foreman of the Jury. It appeared from the evidence of Mr. Wingfield, surgeon, and Mr. Rusher, apothecary,. of Oxford, that the deceased died in consequence of taking corrosive sublimate on Sunday, the 9th instant : but how he procured the sublimate could not be ascertained. He lingered in extreme agony until Sunday last, on which day he died. From the evidence given by Jane Harris,the wife of the deceased, and other witnesses, it appeared that in May last she left her husband, and cohabited forl about three weeks with Henry Hyatt, a labourer, of Ileadington, a married man. Hyatt is a young man ; her husband was only 31 years of age ; she did not leave her husband on account of any quarrel ; she left Hyatt, and went to her sister's, from whose house her husband fetched her; he never afterwards reproached her. On Saturday, the llth inst. 1 she was returning from work with her husband, when Hyatt came up to her and asked how she was, at which her husband was much irritated, and challenged Hyatt to fight, who declined it then, but said he would fight him at any other time. Harris and his wife then .went home. No conversation passed between them in going home ; he went up stairs, and said, " I will go away," and immediately ran down stairs. his wife overtook him, and locked him in; he then jumped out of the window, and went away, but returned in a Outer of an hour, and went to bed. Did not speak all night, but appeared much agitated and distressed in mind. About eight o'clock the next morning she asked hint to get up, and have his breakfast ; he refused. She then went down stairs and fetched some milk, which she took lip stairs. Shortly afterwards he said to her, " I have been and took tome poison. She looked at hinn, and caw him with a cup in his hand, which she took from him, but be had drank the greater part of the contents.—Mr. Rusher was sent for, who exidnined the remainder of the liquid in the cup, and found it to be, as before stated, corrosive sublimate.—Elizabeth White, a near neighbeur of the deceased, and one of the witnesses, stated, that in her opinion " the deceased had not been in his proper mind for some time," which was evidently occasioned by his jealousy of Hyatt. It appeared also, by the evidence of other witnesses, that the conduct of Harris had lately been very different from what it had been previously to his wite's elopepent. After the Coroner had simimed up the evidence, the Jury returned a verdict, " That the deceased died in consequence of having drank poison when a state of temporary insanity." The -Coroner then addressed Jane Harris in strong terms, pointing out to her the gross impropriety of her conduct, which wag clearly proved to have been the cause of her husband's premature death ; and that, in fact, she was morally, though not in point of law, .guilty pf murder. In this Address the Jury unanimously coincided, and it is hoped that it will produce some' good effect an the mindand conduct of this misguided woman.— (Oxford Paper.)