The Sun. — 1854-09-13 (London, England)

SUICIDE BY VITRIOL-VERDICT OF 6 6 FELO DE SE."  Yesterday afternoon Mr. Langham, the deputy Westminster coroner, held a long inquiry at the Regent Arms Tavern, Regent-street, Westminster, into the death of Sarah Mummery, a married female, aged 47 years, who committed self-destruction by swallowing a large quantity of sulphuric acid, or oil of vitriol, under the following extraordinary circumstances : John Mummery, the husband of deceased, deposed that he acted as chamberlain at the Albion Chambers, Dean-street, Soho. He had lived away from his wife for a short time past in consequence of her intemperate habits. Deceased lived at 87, Regent-street. He had been in the habit of bringing shirts and other wearing apparel from gentlemen at the Albion Chambers to his wife for her to get up. He last saw her about half past nine o'clock on Saturday evening last. He then went to see if she had washed some of the linen he sent her in the week. Some of the things had been pawned by deceased for the purpose of procuring liquor, and the remainder were unwashed. Deceased then appeared unwell. He thought she was suffering from liquor. She said to him that she had taken some oxalic acid and some sulphuric acid. He thought, however, that she had been drinking. He left her, and returned shortly afterwards to the house to speak to the landlady to induce deceased to redeem the pawned articles and get them washed, when on entering deceased's room he found her lying on the bed quite dead. John Callow, the landlord of the house, having given corroborative testimony, proved finding a milk jug, which contained some oil of vitriol. A paper of oxalic acid was also found in deceased's possession. He Lever saw anything in deceased's manner that induced him to think her likely to destroy herself. She was given to intemperate habits. He believed deceased had been disappointed of money from her sister, who had refused to give her (deceased) any more, and that not being able to redeem the articles given her to wash she had determined to destroy herself. Mr. W. Pearse, surgeon, of Marsham-street, deposed that he had made a post mortem examination of the body, and on opening the abdomen be detected a strong smell of sulphuretted hydrogen. The stomach and bowels presented a highly-inflamed appearance. There was a quantity of fluid in the !Stomach, the inner coating of  which was perforated, as were also the mucous mem. brane of the mouth and throat. He had analysed the contents of the stomach and found the presence of sulphuric acid or oil of vitriol. He assigned the death to sulphuric acid.  By the Coroner—The other organs were quite healthy. The liver did not show the least signs of deceased's having been addicted to drinking. There was no appearance whatever of delirium tremens.  The Coroner then summed up, and having pointed out the bearing of the law with regard to the state of mind of deceased at •the time, cited " Blackstone" as an authority ; and The Jury, after a long discussion, divided, when there appeared—for felo de se, 10 ; and for temporary insanity, 6. After holding out for some time, the minority gave way, and a verdict of Felo de se was returned by 12 of the jury. The proceedings thin terminated.