Lancaster Standard and County Advertiser. — 1905-03-03 (Lancaster, Lancashire, England)

INQUEST AND VERDICT.  The death of Mr. James Armstrong, a wellknown coal merchant, took place an Saturday about 8.30 p.m. Mr. Armstrong was in his 66th year. The news of his death created it sensation in the town, for he had been following his usual vocation during the day. Dr. Treughton was summoned, but foiled deceased dead on his arrival, and was then of opinion that death was the result of heart disease from which deceased had long suffered. Subsequently it was found that Mr. Armstrong bad purchased about seven in the evening two tunas; of oxalic acid. The police were informed, and the serious appearance of the ca.so made it necei,ary for the Coroner to be informed. He ordered an inquest, and this was held on Monday afternoon by Mr. Edgar Wood, Coroner for the Skipton The first witness called was Mrs. Elizabeth Armstrong. She said: lam the wife of James Armstrong. Ho had been ill and delicate for a good few years, but he carried on his business up to his death. He suffered from heart disease, and often complained of great pain. Ho was in pain on Saturday night between 7 and 8, and said he would go and get steno Roehelle salts. He had taken them many times before. He went out, and was away about half an hour. When be came in he told me he hail got the salts, and would take them in some coffee. I made him a cup of coffee, and saw him take them, knowing nothing but what they were salts. Ho then went upstairs, and I went with him. He was sick, and as he continued to get worse I sent for the doctor. Mr. Armstrong id, "1 am done for." My husband had some Rochelle salts in the house, but he did not think they were sufficient, and would get some more. He had never threatened to I commit, suicide, and we had had no trouble. About 25 years ago deceased had is sunstroke, and ever since then he has been very light in his head, and was subject to dizziness. He attended to his business on Saturday as usual, but came in about four o'clock the worse for drink. The next witness called was Mr. W. E. Sanderson, an apprentice of Mr. Holmes, the chemist. Mr. Armstrong went to the shop about a quarter-past seven on Saturday night and asked for oxalic acid. He said lie would take two ounces, but did not say what he wanted it for. Witness supplied him with tlie acid, and put it into a packet, affixing a poison label with the name on. When told that it was poison Mr. Armstrong answered, "I know : I have had it before." Witness noticed nothing strange about him, and bad no hesitation in supplying him, as he seemed quite rational. Dr. Arthur James Troughton said he had attended Mr. Armstrong about IN years for heart disease. He knew he had had a sunstroke. He was called in to see deceased at 8.30 p.m. on Saturday, but he was dead when be arrived. Mrs. Armstrong stated that he had taken a &so cf salts, and he took her ,i to mean Epsom salts. At the time there was nothing to indicate the slightest suspicion of noisoning. The after-death appearance pointed to heart disease. By the side of the I cup he had drunk from were a few crystals. I Mrs. Armstrong said they were the salts Mr. Armstrong had been taking. He gathered them up, 'and put them in his pocket, and on Sunday morning he tested them and found them to be oxalic acid crystals. He had not seen the body since, but thought deceased died from failure of the heart caused imme- , diately by the poison. He had a white leathery tongue, which was one of the symptoms, but as he had been drinking it was rather more difficult to judge. His hands were not clenched. A twc-ounce dose was a very big one, and it would not take very long to act. _  Mr. Bryan He Imes Stated that he was a chemist, and Mr. Armstrong was his tenant. He had supplied him with oxalic acid about six months ago, and saw him on Saturday at 9 a.m. When his assistant told him Mr. Armstrong had bought 2ez. of oxalic acid ,1 they went together to his house, and asked Mrs. Armstrong if she would search his pockets for the poison, but she could not find the acid. They then informed the doctor. Dr. Troughton, re-called, said the dose taken by Mr. Armstrong was absolutely fatal. The jury found that deceased had committed suicide by taking oxalic acid, being at the time of unsound mind. The jury asked the Coroner to convey an expression of sympathy to the widow, Mrs. Armstrong.