Extraordinary poisoning

A girl lately found in the ruin of an old house, a small parcel, wrapped in paper, which she brought home to her mother.

This package contained a whitish powder, which the mother thought to be starch, and which she proposed to use the next washing-day. A neighbour who was consulted, thought it was cream of tartar. The mother of the girl, imagined that she and three of her children needed physic; she therefore emptied the paper into a jug, poured water on it, and sweetening the mixture with sugar, stirring it well, that the strength of it might not fall to the bottom, she took some of it herself, and gave it to three of her children.

They were all instantly seized with violent heat in the stomach, and soon after with violent vomiting. About nine o'clock, when the father came to his breakfast, he found his family in this situation, and immediately procured medical aid. The eldest child, a girl fifteen years of age, died about two o'clock, and another, three years old, died on Sunday morning.

The medical gentleman who attended, hinted to the father, on Saturday afternoon, the wish to open the eldest girl's body; but this was refused with oaths, and with threats of violence if it should be attempted.

The nature of the substance was ascertained in the mean time; particles of it were found in the mother's pocket, and the jug from which they drank contained some portions of it. These were submitted to chymical experiments, and it was discovered that the poison was arsenic. Still it was thought necessary to trace its presence and operation in the stomach and intestines. A warrant for inspection was given by one of the magistrates, but when this was intimated to the father, he burst into the most ungovernable fury, and threatened violence against the gentleman to whom the mandate of the magistrates was directed. He was determined to resist authority, and began to use violence against the police-officers, who had come along with the superintendant to see that the magistrate's warrant was complied with. It was therefore necessary to carry him to the police-office, which could not be done but by mere force.

The body of the oldest was inspected, and there was found in the stomach and the intestines, a considerable quantity of the same substance, which was afterwards reduced to its metallic state.

Immense crowds of people having assembled around the house where the affair took place, a plan of finance was had recourse to. A pewter plate was placed upon a stool in the entry to the house, and there stood beside it a grave-looking person. Half-pence, pennies, sixpences, and shillings, were thrown in, and a considerable sum of money was thus collected. Boys and girls were admitted for a penny each into the house, to look on the poisoned children in their shrouds, and to see the unfortunate woman whose mistake had occasioned their death.