The Sun. — 1862-12-10 (London, England)

MYS7ERIOUS SUICIDE.  On Monday Dr. Lankeeter held an inquest touching the death of Constance Vanden Alleele, a foreigner, aged 33 years, who died at the house No. 90, Newman-street, Oxford-street, on Thursday evening last, under very melancholy circumstances. The first witness examined was Mr. Bernard Zuccatti Bulliotte, who deposed that the deceased had lived for some months in his employment as housekeeper ; that she left his service three or four months age, and went to live at the house No. 67, in the same street ; and that on Wednesday last she came and applied to him to allow her to occupy an apartment in his house. He permitted her to do so, telling her at the same time that, as he was about to leave this country, he could only give her temporary accommodation. She went up to a bedroom in his house on Wednesday afternoon, and as she did not come down on Thursday, he proceeded to the room about seven o'clock on the evening of the latter day, when he found her in her night-dress, leaning against the side of the bed, and working in violent convulsions. Observing at her feet a small bottle labelled "Essence of almonds—poison," he raised an alarm, called for milk and vinegar, and sent for doctors. He poured quantities of milk down her throat, and Mr. Harding, surgeon, and another medical gentleman were „speedily in attendance, but she died within an hour. He had no doubt that she had taken the poison herself. Why she had done so he knew not. This witness was closely cross-examined by some of the jury, but all they elicited from him was that he was unmarried, kept. a housekeeper and another servant, and sometimes let out portions of his house. The next witness was a girl named Fanny Clarke, who said she was servant in the house No. 67, Ne man-street, which was kept by Madame Dermer, a dressmaker. There were several young ladies in the house. She could not tell how many; she thought three or four. They also worked at the dressmaking. Some of them lived in the house. Madame Constance, the deceased, was housekeeper there for the three or four months previously to Wednesday last. Witness lived as servant to Mr. Bulliotte when Constance was his housekeeper. In the beginning of last week the deceased purchased a marrow-bone, and asked witness to buy her two ounces of castor oil and sixpennyworta of the essence of almonds. She did so, and the chemist who sold her the latter marked it "poison." The bottle found at deceased's feet was the one which contained it. Previously to Madame Constance leaving No. 67, she had partly made tf.e marrow which she had extracted from the bone into a pomade. For some weeks deceased had cried incessantly, and complained of headache. Witness had no master at No. 67, but she sometimes saw Mr. Bulliotte there.  Bertha Wetzler, a native of Berlin, was examined through Mr. Albert, the interpreter. She said she was one of the ladies in the house, No. 67, Newman-street. Each of the ladies there had a "friend." Deceased was housekeeper there. She also had a " friend." Constance had frequently told her that her life was a burden to her, and about three weeks ago she asked witness whether she would like to take poison with her. Witness declined. Shortly before Constance left the house she heard loud words between her and some other person, but she was in her own room at the time, and could not tell who that other person was. Constance had been crying perpetually for some time, but on being asked the cause said she could not tell.  An old Frenchwoman, named Madame Steiff, who  was also examined through M. Albert, stated that shortly before her death a Madame Delamere went to deceased's room and asked her whether she would have anything. Deceased said she would take some coffee, and within half an hour afterwards, while it was being prepared, M. Bulliotte went upstairs and found her in convulsions. Mr. Harding, M.R.C.S., pro'ed that the cause of death was hydrocyanic (prussic) acid, contained in essential oil of bitter almonds. This witness explained that the latter article seed not of necessity  contain the hydrocyanic acid, tnd that when it did not, it was not only free from poison but also a better perfume than when it contained that deadly poison. He had made several experiments on dogs, and found that in no case did the essence of almonds without the prussic acid kill the animal, while four drachms of it with that acid killed one within an hour, and five grains killed a very strong doginstantaneously. Dr.Lankester concurred in Mr. Harding's opinion,