The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1883-01-06 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

SINGULAR OCCURRENCE.  In London, on Saturday, the coroner for Central Middlesex held an inquiry at the "Buffalo's Head," Marylebone-road, as to the death of John Maplestone, aged fifty-one, which had resulted from poisoning by prussic acid.  Catherine Farrelly, housekeeper to Mr. Alfred Speer, 13, Park-crescent, Regent's-park, deposed that the deceased had been butler to that gentleman fourteen years, and always enjoyed the best of health and spirits. In October last Mrs. Speer had a troublesome cat, and at her request deceased obtained from a medical friend some prussic acid in a bottle with the object of poisoning the cat, but it was put off from time to time, no ot.e liking the task. On Wednesday evening witness wa,l in the library when she heard a loud thud of something falling down stairs. She took no notice or it at the time, as she thought it was s:lmetbing in the kitchen among the servants Some time after, on going into the pantry, she saw deemed lying on his back on the floor, as if ha had fainted. While attempting to raise him her attention was attracted to th cat rushing about the room with its tail out straight and hallbristled up as if it had had some terrible fright. The thought at once struck her that the deceased had been attempting to poison 'the cat, and that something serious had happened to him. She raised an alarm, and Dr. Blott, of Albany-street, was sent for, and on arrival pronounced the deceased to be dead. Witness then noticed a saucer on the table, which had contained sardine oil and prussic acid. The cat was known to be exceedingly fond of sardine oil, and it was subsequently discovered by the vomit about the floor that the sardine oil and prussic acid had been administered to the oat. On the shelf was the bottle which had contained the prussic acid. If the death of the deceased was due to prussis acid she believed it must have resulted from some misadventure, as he had no cause to destroy himself, but, rn the contrary, every reason why he should desire to live. He was on excellent terms with everyone. At the time of the occurrence none of the servants who were in the kitchen heard the fall, or knew anything about it. The doors and gates were all locked by deceased, and no one could get in without her hearing it. All deceased's accounts were in correct order. He had no pecuniary difficulties or love affair that she was aware of, and she could in no way account for his taking poison purposely_ -  Mr. Alfred Speer and Thomas Maplestone, brother of the deceased, said they knew of nothing which could induce deceased to take his own life. He had an annuity on his life, which he had himself purchased, and only on the morning of his death he had paid a further deposit into his bank of £25.  Mr. Rayner' the summoning officer, stated that he had searched the deceased's property and papers, and could find nothing to throw light on the matter.  The Coroner remarked that there was no doubt of the fact that deceased's death was from taking prussic acid, but what caused him to do so was a mystery. He had frequently held inquests where persons had committed suicide without any assignable cause.  The jury ultimately returned a verdict "That the deceased died from the effects of prussic acid poisoning self•adminietered, but whether with the intention of suicide or otherwise there was not sufficient evidence to show."