The Sun. — 1840-10-31 (London, England)

POISONING CHILDREN AT  STOCKPORT.  The adjourned inquest on the bodies of the unfortunate sufferers, Elizabeth and Marianne Sandys, was held at the Vernon Arms on Tuesday, and, by adjourn ment, again on Wednesday and Thursday. The body of Mary O'Neil, of the poisoning of which suspicionattached to Bridget Riley, had been exhumed, but, upon the most minute examination of the contents of the stomach, not the slightest trace of poison could be discovered. The evidence having been concluded, Honor Sandys, mother of the deceased child, Catherine, was brought up from the lock-up, and examined respecting the death of the child, which took place in July last. She said it was sick about three weeks before it died. She had the measles, and was afterwards attacked with a quinscy. While affected with this, the child could ecarcely breathe. She took her to Dr. Sleddon, who gave her some medicine. She did not take her to any doctor before the quinscy came in her throat. The child was very sick before she died. She was two years and four months old.  The prisoner George Sandys was then examined, and his statement was somewhat similar to that of his wife, Honor.  The prisoner Ann Sandys was brought from the lockup, and the statement she made at the inquest, on Saturday the 17th instant, was read over to her. She added, that when Airtrinr,".o p:et.te of bread in her hand, and immediately began to t0t,,,,t.. She took the bread from her hand and eat it herself. The child said BEilget Riley had given her some tea, which had sickened her. She did not give the children anything to cat from the time they had left Bridget Riley till after they were taken sick.  The prisoner, Robert Sandy's, was then questioned concerning the death of his daughter Elizabeth. His statement was tit milar to that of his wife. With respect to the death of his daughter, Marianne, he stated, he saw her and her sister Jane coming towards home about eleven o'clock in the forenoon of the P2th instant, and, when near home, they began to vomit'. They also vomited as soon as they got into the house. He never had any arsenic in his possession ; and if Elizabeth had died from poison, he did not know how it had been ad. ministered. The cause of death in Marianne, he attributed to what Bridget Riley had given her. The examination of witnesses being completed about nine o'clock, the whole of the evidence was read over, which occupied about two hours ; after which the inquest adjourned. On Thursday the jury assembled again, and the Coroner proceeded to sum up the evidence. The Jury after some deliberation, recorded their decision as follows:—" In the case of Elizabeth Sandys, we find Ann Sandys guilty of wilful murder; and Robert Sandys guilty of aiding end abetting. In the case of Marianne Sandys, we find Ann Sandys guilty of wilful murder; and Robert Sandys, George Sandys, and Honor Sandys, guilty of aiding and abetting. In the case of Catherine Sandys, we find Honor Sandys guilty of wilful murder." Alter the finding, the following resolution was unanimously adepted by the Court : whichq‘ At the lasted of a de five long gdaa)usd, painfulth i sjury investigation ryieelscalieti upon to advert to the election of Coroner which must shortly take place for the Stockport district. It appears to us that these cases demonstrate the necessity of appointing to that office a person conversant with criminal law, well acquainted with the law of evidence, and skilled in the examination of witnesses, and that the functions which Coroner's Juries in these and other cases have to discharge, can only be executed with satisfaction to themselves and advantage to the public, when their deliberations are presided over and their investigations into. the facts of the cases assisted, by a Coroner possessing these qualifications. The jury are also decidedly of opinion that a practising medical man is wholly unfit and ineligible for the office, not only from his want of the qualifications above stated, but from the nature of his avocations, and liability to be called upon, for instance in midwifery cases, veiy suddenly, and it might happen at a time when (if filling the office of Coroner), he is holding an inquest, to execute his proper professional avocations when, it is manifest he must neglect his duty either in the one case or the other."—Stockport Chronicle of the 30th.