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ATTEMPTED MJJRDER AND SUICIDE…

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ATTEMPTED MJJRDER AND SUICIDE IN SOHO. On Monday Mr. C. St. Clair Bedford, coroner for Westminster, held an inquiry in St. Ann's vestry-room, Dean-street, Soho, relative to the death of William It y.Fko committed suicide after having attempted 1 of a youn £ woman with whom he had co« habited, the attempted murder and suicide being com- mitted almost in the presenca of deceased's wifa, and at his residence. The jury having viewed the body in the dead-house, the following evidence was taken :— Mrs. Elizabeth Handley Mold said: I live at 26, King-street. The deceased was my husband, who was 51 years of age, and a public-house broker. He had several times threatened to poison himself, and generally had poison by him. He sometimes threatened to do so owing to pecuniary pressures. He has been in a lunatic asylum. I have been married to him three years, and previous to that time he had twice attempted suicide with laudanum. On one occasion he took two ounces. He was not of sober habits. In 1854 he received an injury which affected his brain. He was at times delirious. Hia affairs were in a confused state, which affected him. On Thursday last he said he should not live through- out the day. I said, "I don't believe you, for you have said it so often." He replied, You will find it out." After tea he lay down, and a yeung woman being in the room, he attempted to poison her. She screamed out, and said deceased had tried to force vitriol into her mouth. I rushed into the room, and I saw my husband lying on the bed. The young woman wag also on the bed, both being dressed. All my husband could say was, Water water I gave him some, which he drank, and he never spoke afterwards. Mr. John Hursley, of 66, Wardour-street, said: I am a surgeon. I was called to deceased about eight o'clock on Thursday evening. I found him lying partially on a bed and a box, with his legs drawn up. He waa quite unconscious and collapsed. On the box there were about six drachma of fluid and a bottle containing but a very small quantity of cyanide of potassium. I dashed water upon him, and endea- voured to administer antidotes, but he rapidly sank and died. There was a strong odour of pruseic acid emitted from the mouth, as also in the stomach upon internal examination. OH testing some of the fillid j\om tha stomach, it returned Prussian blue. The 00gna of tha body wera all healthy, and the brain Cyan^ed. The cause of death waa poisoning by Hanntf potassium. o'clock Mj?oarcl°n said: On Thursday last about 12 where I wail-old came home, and entered the room, Mold was. Hevrork, adjoining the one where Mrs. as it will not be n3> You need not finish that work, beyond tha day." ':ii, for neither you nor I will live don't believe you, for ýJd, Don't talk that way. I no heed of him, but I hesfcwe often said so." I took he wanted to provide for myim say to Mrs. Mold that would liva throughout the day°.ld, as neither he nor I down, and at teatime ho said, '"iter dinner he laid and snatched the cup from me and t want tea," He continued: You're going to die. ^.contents, lay down again, and pulled me on the b->.d atbat he him. Shortly afterwards he got up and went to a "lido box in the room, when I got frightened, and thinking he was going to get a razor to cut my throat, I ra into the next room, but he brought me back. We lay on the bed again, when he put his elbow across my neck and forced a, bottle into my mouth, and I felt something run into my mouth. I struggled and got up. I did not swallow any of the stuff, but it touched my tongua and throat; none of-it got into my stomach. I though it waa vitriol, from tha burning sensation. I screamed out; I'm burnt—I'm poisoned. It ia vitriol." I knew nothing more till he was dead. I believe he died across my knees. Mrs. Mold was recalled, and the following questions put to her:— The Coroner: So it ia true that the last witness had a child by your husband P Witness Yes, sir, but that was before I was married to him. The child is nearly five years old. She has twice lived with him for a short time. The Coroner: And she resided in your house ? Witness Only occasionally for a short time. Tha Coroner: I find, by a certificate put into my hands, that your husband was in the insane ward at St. Panola. Has he since been under treatment ? Witness: Yes, twice at Wandsworth. The Coroner: Was it not suggested to you that he should again go to St. Pancraa' ward P Witness Yes, but I could, not afford to pay for a keeper for him. The Coroner: It is a wonder he did not kill you all. Witness: He did ask me if I wished to die. It is a wonder we were not all killed. The Coroner then referred to the evidence par- ticularly showing the state of mind of the deceased, and left the jury to consider their verdict. The foremau then announced the following unani- mous opinion:—" That the deceased died from the effects of cyanide of potassium, taken by himself while in a state of insanity."

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