The Sun. — 1850-04-23 (London, England)

SUSPECTED MURDER BY POISONING.  Towards the end of last week reports were current in Edinburgh and Leith of another murder having been committed near this city, which have been strengthened by the epprerenSion of a man,-reeiding in Stead's. place, Leith-walk, and the disinterment of his wiii, who was buried two days before. From the gradual manner in which the various circumstances have transpired, and from the closeness of all precognitions and examinations in reference to the matter, in which respect the law cf Scotland denies the full and authentic information which in England is made patent to the public, it is somewhat difficult to ascertain and authenticate every particular, but we believe the following statement may be considered accurate:— On Friday week the wife of William Benson, a moulder in Shotts Iron Foundry, Leith-walk, whO resided in one of the old houses in Stead's-place, a little' below Springfield, was taken suddenly and seriously ill, and continued on Saturday and Sunday to retch violently and suffer severe pain. On Monday last the poor woman died, and was buried On Wednesday in ROsebank Cemetery ; but at this time the cause of her illness was not •suspected, and great sympathy was shown with the husband, who expressed much happiness that his wife had died in the full consolation of religion and confidence of a happy transition to the world above.• But by a fatality which seems to mark out all who die out of nature's course; two dogs catering for food entered the house of deceased, and shortly after died, apparei.tly of poison, having in all probability partaken of poisoned victuals in the house; or of what the unfortunate woman had voided in her vomiting. One of the dogs was the faithful companion of an old mendicantdeprived of both legs, and who for above a quarter of a century, has been seldom known to be absent from his accustomed spot near the middle of Leith-walk, where, in a little car, he is wont to sit patiently all day long, being duly drawn home by his canine friend as evening approaches. During the longperiod that this old man has been known to the passers-by, he has, it is said, had but two doge, and his last companion has attended him for a considerable number of years. The other dog belonged•to a merchant in the neighbourhood. The death of these animals gradually excited the most painful suspicions and further investigation seemed to warrant the apprehension of the husband of the deceased, who on Friday was lodged in the Calton Gaol, after an examination, in which we understand, he admitted having 'purchOed a quantity of arsenic about three weeks ago from an apothecary in: Leith, for the destruction of rats. The body of the deceased was the same day disinterred, and the stomach examined, when it was found to contain some arsenic, which unquestionably had been the cause of her sufferings and death. William Benson, whose behaviour was usually retiring, if not forbidding, has generally borne a good character, and both he and his unfortunate wife were members of the Wesleyan Methodict Society, and attended the congregation of that body at the foot of Leith-walk. According to the testimony, of a neighbour, be was never done praying and singing, but the piety and integrity of his conduct have recently been rendered questionable by injurious reports of his having paid undue attention to another female. It is also somewhat strange that rats, for which Benson alleges having bought the poison, have rarely if ever been seen in the building in which he resided. Whether any circumstances of weightier moment conspire against him we cannot tell; but assuredly nothing that has yet publicly transpired can be held as conclusive of the question as to how and by whom the fatal poison was administered. The deceased was about 40 years of age, and of quiet behaviour. She had but one child, a girl six years of age, who, even at that tender age, was employed beside her father in some trifling work about the foundry. A precognition of parties having knowledge of the circumstances took place on Saturday, and a searching investigation is being made into the case by the proper authorities.—Caledonian Mercury.