The Telegram. — 1899-04-11 (Weymouth, Dorset, England)

MURDER BY POST.  SENSATIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF AN EXTRAORDINARY CASE.  ARREST OF THE VICTIM'S SISTER. The "murder by post" caie, in which Caroline Ailsell, agerl-26, was poisoned by a cake sent by an unknown donor to her by mail to the Leavesdeu Asylum, of wluch she was an inmate, took a sensational turn on Thursday. Mary Ann Ansel', aged 22, sister of the deceased, war arrested on the charge of wilful murder. The arrest took place at the boardinghouse in Great Coram Street, Londou, where the girl was in aoinestic service. When Supt. Wood, of the NVattord police, read the charge, the prisoner plied,"l know nothing whatever about it. lam as. inuocent a girl as ever was born." 6he was Again to WStford Ponce-station, and on Friday *Mang she—apreirecd. before Mr—Wations,,Ll",,_ an. was . .wcinfliketd lo toe Factty. Sessions to be head next Tuesday. It has already been, pointed ont that this girl had been subptenatid as a new witness to attend the resumed inquest today (Nlonday), and speculations as to tire ligiit she could be expected to throw on toe mystery tended to suggest toat she was to be called in consequence of the discovery by the police of the wiapper which covered the poisoned cake—Cie wrapper which bore tire telltale hand-writing of the pers.ni who sent it. For it was after that all-immirtatit find had been made that this girl, Mary Auu Ausell, was served with a subpaina. Ever since their find the police have had strong duspictons that they know the writer of the address on the wrapper. What is it that has now led them no act upon their suspicions 1' in all probability title report of Dr. Stephenson, the Government itiotlyt, has been presented, and has made it clear iihat dectistail was indubitably poisoned by an acute irritant poison mixed in the cake—probably phosphorus—as has already been stated. Until their tab:pinions to tins effect were confirmed by the analyst's evidencv, the police were disinclined to i?ruceed to the length ut an arrest. They had to .ae thoroughly satisfied that murder had been ,ione iteiore they brought the charge of murder against any individual. The prisoner is alleged to have dictated to her mother a letter forbidding the doctors to make a pod-mortem examination of the body of her dead sister at the time that the authorities first asked for the parents' permission. But the girl's mistress in Bloomsbury, with whom Mary Ann Ansell has twee in service for several years, gives her an excellent character, • and has stated that the girl would have no facilities fur making a cake of any sort at her (the mistress's) house without her knowledge, and as far as she knows ttie girl has not made any cake there, not yet posted one from there. The trial, if the cake reaches that stage, is likely to be a highly sensational one. Poison cases generally are, and this one, introducing the novel and insidious method of murder siy the medium of Her Majesty's mails, gives the affair a distinctiveness of its own which huts it quite out of the ordinary. Tire allegations are grave, but they are merely allegations at present, and many a graver-looking ,:ase has broken down upon thorough investiga 6)11. Within a short titre Mary Ann Ansell was to have been married to a young fellow to whorls she was engaged. All the a. rangemenrs tor the wedding had been made, and, according to a statement of the landlady, it was the nitration of the accuserl to have left sender at Wiib adutide. In the meantime she hat been gettnur a number of things together for her new home.