The Sun. — 1824-10-15 (London, England)

MELANCHOLY SUICIDE.  An Inquest was held last evening, in the board room of the work-house belonging to the Upper Liberty of St. Andrew's, Holborn, by Timstas Sruttista, Esq., Coroner for Middlesex, on view of the body of Elizabeth Sylvester, who put an end to her existence by poison under the following distressing circumstances : Sarah Sutton, sister to the deceased, stated, that on Tuesday last she had a conversation with her sister Elizabeth, who at that time appeared to be much depressed in spirits, in consequence of her situation. About- four months since she had married a sailor, who was afterwards obliged to go abroad, and though he made her a monthly allowance, yet It was not by any means adequate to her support. She tried to get into place as a servant, but found nothing but disappointment wherever sho applied. This weighed heavily on her- spirits ; and, to complete the stun of her misfortunes, sho found herself pregnant. The knowledge of this latter circumstance had a very powerful effect,. and she, within the last foJnight, endeavoured to shun the society of her family ; and the witness, fearing that she had fallen into bad company, spoke to her on the sub, ject on the morning of the day on which the rash act 'wai voni witted, but there was nothing angry in the interviev4 this occasion deceased seemed to be in the deepest stated Men. tal affliction. Margaret Jones, another sister, deposed that -deceirsecl'came to her house in Task-street, about one o'clock on Tueiulat;- she remembered seeing lier.drink something out of a cup, which left a whitish mark on the lips. In two hours after, deceased told witness that she had bought an ounce of arsenic 'at Mr. CoOsins's shop, in Gray's-inn-lane, and that she had swallowed it. Witness went to Mr. Cousins, and risked him if he had sold poison to any girl on thatsday ? tie replied that heimd,an ounce of arsenic.—" Then," said witness, " she has drank it for God's sake, Sir, try and do something for her." Mr. Consins replied, it. was impossible, if she had swallowed all. Witnesswent away, and Mr. Cousins (the elder) followed her to the house, but did nothing to relieve deceased, who was then very bad, merely recommending them to send for the parish surgeon, and then went away. Witness ran to the Work-house, and asked for assistance, which was immediatdy granted, but dedoused expired the same evening. Dr. Fernandez, the house surgeon, stated, that: being ebsent when the last witness called, two of his pupils, both very competent, had visited the deceased, and administered the usual antidotes, which dislodged the drug, but from its extremely deleterous property, the coats of the stomach had been previously destroyed. The matter discharged by the emetic he bad analysed, and it proved to be arsenic in great quantity. Messrs. James and Thomas Sympion (Dr. Fernandez 's pu. pHs) deposed to the same effect. Thomas Jones, father to the deceased, described her to have been labouring under extraordinary depression of spirits for some time previous ; her husband had left her in a week or a fortnight after their marriage. The Jury, after a short consultation, returned a verdict, that " The deceased came by her death in consequence of having swallowed poison, whilst in a state of temporary derangement of intellect."  iineoiilittry caused Mr. Cousins's son to be sent for, and spoke very warmly to him on the impropriety of selling so wellknown a poison to a young female. r. Cousins remarked, that he refused to serve her at first, but toll him it was tbr her brother, who was an hostler in Gray's-inn-lane, and that he wanted it to destroy rats : he then gave it, marking " poison" on the paper. Some others of the Jury said, there was greater culpability attaching to Dr. Cousins himself, at whose shop the poison l•ad been sold, in neglecting to apply an antidote without referring the relatives to the parish surgeon.