The Sun. — 1858-09-24 (London, England)

THANES.  EXTRAORDINARY CASE OF POISONING, AND PERSECUTION OF A WITNESS.—Mary Ann Hennegan, a squalid, miserable-looking woman, about 35 years of age, was brought before Mr. Yardley, charged with swallowing a large quantity of aquafortis, with intent to commit selfdestruction. The prisoner, who was in a state of great suffering, was brought from Wapping Poor-house. It appeared that the prisoner was living at No. 4, Burtoncourt, White-horse-street, Stepney, and that she was bound ever to give evidence against three persons formerly living in Burton-court, and who were committed from this court for committing a burglary and robbery of a serious character in the house of Mr. Harman, outfitter, in Emmett-street, Poplar, when property and foreign coins to the amount of £2O was carried away. Since the committal of the prisoners, their friends, who aro ruffians and prostitutes of the lowest description, have persecuted the unfortunate woman in a scandalous manner, and repeatedly threatened to take her life and wash their hands in her blood. She has also been struck, and, through fear, was a prisoner in her oivn house for three days. To escape this unjust persecution she sent a girl, named Matilda Martin, to the shop of Mr. Goosey, chemist and druggist, near the World's-end publichouse, Stepney, for a pennyworth of aquafortis, and told the girl to state that it was required for the purpose of testing gold. Mr. Goosey sold the stuff to the girl, and the prisoner swallowed it, and would have perished but for the immediate arrival of Mr. Robinson, a surgeon, who was then attending a coroner's in quest a the board-room of Ratcliffe workhouse, close by. Ile administered antidotes, and sent the wretched woman to Wapping workhouse, where she has been under medical treatment since Friday last, and has experienced the most horrible sufferings.  George Pullen, 161 K, a police-constable, who has charge of the case of burglary, said the prisoner had complained to him of the threats and persecutions of the friends of the three persons committed for trial, and he had promised to protect her. The trial was postponed in consequence of the absence of the prisoner until the next session of the Central Criminal Court.  Roche, the gaoler of the court, said the prisoner was locked up on a charge, of riot and assault since the committal of the three persons for burglary* for the purpose of keeping her out of the way. He explained the affair to the magistrate, Mr. Selfe, and he discharged the 181 prisoner.  Mr. Yardley said the course of justice was not to be frustrated by threatening and persecuting a witness. The prisoner should, and must be protected, if 100 persons had threatened her. He directed the prisoner to leave the felon's dock and, come into the witness-box.  5G 5  The poor woman staggered, rather than walked, to the witness-box, and mentioned the names of several persons who had threatened to wash their hands in her blood if she went to give evidence against the three prisoners in Newgate Pullen—The poor woman came to me and said she was afraid of being murdered.  Mr. Yardley asked the prisoner why she took so horrid stuff as aquafortis _  The prisoner—Oh, my life was wretched, sir. I have been in horrible pain ever since.  Mr. Yardley—Why, I wonder you are alive. I never heard of anything so shocking before. I wonder this horrid stuff, a sample of which I have in this phial, did not burn your inside out.  Craven, a police-constable, 236 K, who took the prisoner into custody, said she had suffered very much. He was with her six hours on Saturday, constantly administering antidotes.  Mr. Yardiey said the unfortunate woman must be protected from the threats of others, and protected from herself. He granted warrants against the persons who had threatened the prisoner, and directed that she should be taken back to Wapping poor-house And properly treated. He was sorry the, poor creature had ever been removed from the workhouse.  Inspector Griffin—We have had police-constable constantly watching her since last Friday. The prisoner was then removed from the court.  1114  Vice-Admiral Wm. Fanshawe Martin, Captain the Hon. James Drummond, C. 8., and Sir Baldwin W. Walker, K.C.8., Aide-de-Camp to the Queen, and. Surveyor of the Navy, visited Woolwich Dockyard yesterday morning, and ,accompanied by Commodore Shepherd, and Mr. Johnstone, the acting storekeeper of the dockyard, mustered and passed in review the whole of the operatives of the establishment for the purpose of nominating a certain number for the superannuation list.