|
The Times
Thursday, February 22, 1844
Spring Assizes
Northern Circuit
Lancaster, Tuesday Feb 20
(Before Mr. Justice Coltman.)
Edward Greenhalgh, a lad of the age of 15 years, was indicted for that
he in the month of November last, at Burnley, in this county, feloniously attempted to administer to one Margaret Bury a certain
poison, with intent to murder the said Margaret Bury.
Mr. Brandt conducted the prosecution, and Mr. James the defence.
It appeared that the prisoner was connected with a regiment of foot, and was stationed at Burnley. He had been with the regiment from his infancy, and was servant to Major Kenyon. The prosecutrix is a young woman who lived with the major as his mistress, and the only motive assigned as an inducement to the offence was, that he had misbehaved himself in some particular the nature of which did not appear, and she threatened to tell his master of him. It appeared that on the morning of the alleged offence the prisoner was sent to the house of a Mrs. Curl for some beer. Mrs. Curl is remarkably nice about her ale, and looks into the pitchers brought for it before she fills them, lest they should not be clean, and spoil the clour of her choice liquid. She had been taught to do this from having had milky pitchers brought, which, though they did not injure the taste, spoiled the brightness of the ale and made it look muddy. Into this particular pitcher, therefore, she looked, and seeing nothing in it that raised an objection in her mind to its being a proper pitcher for her ale, filled it. The prisoner took it to the prosecutrix, who, on tasting it, suddenly drew her mouth from the glass into which it had been poured, and spat it out, saying it tasted badly, and had burned her mouth, which was blistered into rags. A female servant tasted it with the same effect. A medical man was sent for, who administered mustard and warm water, which produced vomiting, and no serious injury was produced. The boy took the beer away, and said he would tell Mrs. Curl to tap a new barrel. The female servant followed him, when a struggle ensued for the beer, and it was spilt on some steps, part of it falling on an old linen apron which the woman had on. This apon, on being used the next morning by a girl in making the beds, dropped into holes. The prisoner said he had been mixing some oxalic acid in the pitcher and had forgotten to rinse it out. Some of the liquid which remained was analyzed, as well as parts of the apron, and no doubt remained that the poisonous ingredient was oil of vitriol, and the quantity supposed to have been mixed with the ale to produce the effects which it had done was estimated at not less than half an ounce. It was also sworn that the boy had, a short time before, purchased a pound and a half of oil of vitriol at a chymist's but it also appeared that this was done for the servants of the house generally to use in cleaning articles of metal, and who had subscribed to buy it. It was put into an old soda-water bottle. Sergeant Austin said it should do no more harm, and attempted to throw it out of the window. It struck against the casement and broke. Part of the broken bottle was produced. The prisoner said, if they had not sent for the vitriol it would not have happened. It was also stated that a small quantity of oxalic acid in solution hanging around the pitcher would not have affected so much ale as to render it dangerous.
Mr. JAMES addressed the jury for the prisoner, and contended that there was no adequate motive assigned for this heavy charge, and that all the circumstances of the case might be accounted for on the gournd of mistake.
The learned JUDGE summed up the case, and
The jury, after a short consultation, returned a verdict of Not Guilty.
_________________
Mel
Searching for lost relatives? Win the Lottery!
|
Login
Register
FAQ
Search
