Bridlington and Quay Gazette. — 1899-12-01 (Bridlington, Humberside, England)

POISONED BY ACONITE.-- 7  A sad case of poisoning conned on Wednesday at Albany House, Beaconsfield. Samuel Williamsons sixty-seven years of age, who was employed at Mr. E. Wardill's, went home about two o'clock, sod according to Mrs. Williamson, a daughtez-inlaw, who lives at 18, Holyrood-avenue, h was net sober and started to curse and swear about the voting. He did not have his dinner, but went out, and in about a quarter of an hour be returned, bringing back a. herb something like horse radish. He asked the girl, Julia Cooper, for mune boiling water, and, according to her story, though he was in drink he was sot drunk. She poured the water on the herb which bad been placed in a basin, but apparently neither of them saw him take it, though they knew he bid done so as the former said she saw the empty basin on the copper. Mrs. Williamson, the daughter-in-law, asked him what it was he had taken, but he never answered, though to the servant he said it was for his complaint. Ile began to vomit, and about air o'clock Mrs. Williamson sent for her husband, and afterwards the servant was sent for and arrived just before the poor man-died. The servant Cooper was severely crossexamined by the Coroner and the Jury, but nothing could be got from her except that the deceased told her he took the stuff for his complaint. She admitted, however, that directly after he had taken it she went and told her mistress, but some time elapsed before the doctor was sent for. More light was throw* upon the sad affair by Mr. T. H. Chambers, joiner, who said that at a quarter past three he went to his allotments and there saw Williamson, who asked his for some flower roots, and he asked particularly for those which had blue flowers. Mr. Chambers flaked what he wanted them for, and he said to plant in his front garden. Mr. Chambers gave the deceased three or four roots of aconite, which is known as Monkshood or Wolfsbane, and told him they were very poisonous. He had had some beer, but witness would- not say be was drunk; he knew very well what he was doing. The Coroner and jury wanted to hear what the deceased's wife had to say, but Dr. Thompeon said eho was suffering from palpitation of the heart. He was sent for about twenty minutes past six, and put some emetics in his pocket as he was informed by the servant that the deceased had taken poison. He found him alive but cold and clammy, and breathing heavily. On the kitchen table were some roots of aconite or Isf onkshood, and he was informed that deceased had made some drink with them. The doctor said he was told they had been having a bit of a row and that deceased said, "We shan't be long now." He was in the w.c. when the doctor saw him and gave him sulphate of zinc. Be was very bad and died in five minutes afterwards.. Aconite was a deadly poison and many persona bad been poisoned through eating it in mistake for horse radish. The jury seemed at first inclined to the opinion that deceased took poison when in drink, and this the Coroner said would mean self-murder. It was evident, however, that they were disinclined to return a verdict of fere de se, and after further consulting they found that deceased had committed suicide while of unsound mind.