Swansea and Glamorgan Herald, and South Wales Free Press. — 1867-05-18 (Swansea, West Glamorgan, Wales)

SUSPECTED MURDER OF TWO CHILDREN NEAR ALFRIITON.  The following case of suspected poisoning is under investigation :  Two children, a boy aged one month and a girl aged two years, the children of Mr. Tomlinson, a farmer, of Slurland Delves, near Alfreton, had both died within a few weeks of each other. Their deaths were supposed to bare been caused by arsenic, the piing and convulsions in each case being similar to those consequent on arsenical poisoning. The boy died first, anti the death of the girl at such a short interval caused suspicions of foul play, and the surgeon who attendl both the children during their illness expressing an opinion that they had both been poisoned, by the order of the coroner St an inquest on the girl, the boy's body was disinterred, aild the stomachs, the , of both children sent for analysis to Professor Taylor. In the meantime, the servant, whose name is Elizeheth Wheehlon, had been taken into custody in suspicion of having administered the poison to the children. At the inquest, Mr. Tomlinson stated that he kept a packet of rat potion la the cellar, and that the servant had access to it, and used it to kill the rats in the house and the insects iii the garden. As to the death of the boy, the witness said that the child died in a Cutill.liiVC fit, and that it hail never hail them before. The girl Wheeldon had fed it. She hail been f I fault with by her mistress for staying out too late, as well as for her immoral conduct, and she was out of temper becaum witness had complained to her father of her bad conduct, and be had then counselled witness to send her to gaol. . .  Mr. Tomlinson corroborated her husband's testimony, and added that the day before the boy died, she left the ho use for a few minutes, and on returning saw the child awake in the girl's arms. It soon afterwards became ill, and the girl said she had been giving it sine sago, and pointed to some grains on the ehiMS pillow, as if to prove her :;ssertion. The genus appeared to have been in the child's mouth and thrown lat again. The medical attendant. Mr. Turner, was sent for, but his aid was of so avail ; the chill died in violent convulsions As to the death of the girl, the witness said, in reply to Professor Taylor, that the matter vomited was greenish ; and some curdled milk, which was also thrown up,. was IA a bluish .colour. _  Dr. Alfred C. Taylor, P. RA, Professor of Medical Jurisprudence at Ony's Hospital, said that on analysing the boy's stomach he found hair grains of arsenic therein. There was Ho other cause to account for death, the other organs being very healthy. The arsenic was found in different directions in the body, and had evidently been administered in large quantities. There was enough in the child's stomachs to cantle the death of two grown-up people. In the female child's stomach there were dark patches which contained arsenic, a quantity of which was found also in the intestines, on examining the "rat poison" he observed that it had the appearance of husky meal. Under the microscope starch granules were seen without any appearance of mineral matter. The powder weighed forty grains, was tasteless, and without smell On testing it be could not discover arsenic, mercury, or other mineral poison, but there were some indications of a poison called veratrin He was of opinion that in both cases the deaths were occasioned by arsenic, and he had never had two clearer casts of poisoning by arsenic than the two now under inquiry. •  The inquest was then adjourned. The girl will be brought before the magistrates at a special petty ses.sion, on a charge of wilful murder.