Weekly News. — 1891-03-26 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

THE FAVERSHAM POISONING CASE. The trial of Charles Lyddon for the murder of his half-brother, Dr. William Reeks Lyddon by morphia poisoning at Faversham, on November 25th, was concluded at the Old Bailey before Mr. Justice Hawkins, on Saturday-. Dr. Bond, of Westminster Hospital, said there could be no doubt that the deceased died from morphia poisoning and by a large dose. Assinniug that he was in the habit of taking morphia, deal's would ensue within seven hours.  The evidence for the prosecution being concluded, Mr. Murphy sumnied up for the Crown and said the evidence of the boy Naylor exhibited, in a lurid and painful light, what went on in this remarkable household. With regard to the habits of the deceased, it would be idle to doubt that he was not merely addicted to excessive taking of alcohol, but from time to time he was an habitual drug taker and took morphia. The learned counsel read a number of letters frou the deceased to the prisoner begging him to cease worryinghim with legal matters, and to drop his threats to "whip" him, and then referred to the night preceding the murder, when the deceased visited one patient and arranged to pay another visit the next day, and saw another patient at the stngery and arranged with him for the payment of an account. These circumstances. he argued,disposed of any possible suggestion of suicide, as shewing that deceased had intentions with regard to and was making preparations to continue carrying on his business. Mr. Murphy contended that the medical witnesses had proved, from the appearances of the stomach, that the deceased must have received a quantity of liquid from sonic person on the night of the 24th November, and the jury would have to decide the question who was the person who entered the lumber-room during that night, the keys of which were in the ro3session of the prisoner. The statement made by the prisoner at the inquest was, according to the learned counsel, altogether and absolutely unreliable. The evidence adduced at least supported a prima fade case against the prisoner. Mr. Dickens, for the prisoner, said it was a wellknown fact that when one had contracted the degraded habit of taking drugs to excess he could not cure himself. It was clear that the deceased took. drugs, that the habit was steadily growing upon' hint, that he could not cure himself. and that he ' became soddened with morphia. While at Herne Bay, the week previous to his death, he was undoubtedly taking morphia, and was in fact under the influence of it the whole time. The conduct and the correspondence of the prisoner proved to be inconsistent with the theory that the prisoner's desire was to see his brother die. He justified the locking up of the deceased in the lumber-room on the ground that he Wit% dialer the influence of drink or morpliia, and it v expected that he would create a disturbance dorii die night. Counsel suggested that the deceasei took a dose of morphia on the. night preceding his death before the row about the, carriage, and put the bottle in his pocket. The evidence failed to shew at what time, in what. manner, or by whom the morphia was administered, and in the absence of this evidence he was entitled' to a verdict of not guilty. His lordship having summed up, the jury, after ' two minutes' consultation, returned a verdict of " not guilty."  SOllle faint indication of the enormous loss to the country which is involved in such snowstorms as were experienced recently is afforded by the railway companies' returns of gross traffic receipts for the eek in which they occurred. The four lines running north from the metropolis had an aggregate increase of £ll,OOO on the corresponding week of last year, but the five lines running south and west shew a loss of £24,000, the Great Western being the greatest sufferer, with a deficiency of nearly £1.3,000. The North-Eastern, which runs from York northwards, also had a loss of £6,400, our northeastern counties having suffered a good deal from snowfalls in the same period. To these heavy deficiencies must be added the expense incurred in clearing the lines of the snowdrifts, which filled the cuttings, stopped traffic, and caused no small damage to the rolliug-sto_ck. To the railways, therefore, the snow has been an exceedingly serious matter.  The city of Detroit is it: a state of excitement over the daring kidnapping or Mr. Joseph Perrin, a millowner worth half a million dollars. On Thursday night a young man, a stranger, called at Mr. Perrin 's house and hurriedly asked him to go to the bedside of an intimate friend who, he said, had been hurt in an accident. Mr. Perrin entered the coupe which was waiting, telling his nephew and niece where he was going. At 1 o'clock the next morning the same young man again called at the house, and presented an envelope addressed to Mr. Perrin's nephew. This contained a cheque for 15,000d01. and a promissory note for the same amount, both in M. Perrin's handwriting. There was also a letter asking his nephew to raise 30,000d01.t0 obtain his release from his captors. A note from the kidnappers was enclosed saying that unless the money was raised Mr. Perrin would not be released. There is absolutely no clue beyond the letter of Mr. Pe rrin's captors, which is in a disguised hand. It is supposed that the captors are