EXTERAORDINARY POISONING CASE IN SYDNEY.

Auckland Star, Volume XVII, Issue 286, 4 December 1886, Page 4

EXTERAORDINARY POISONING CASE IN SYDNEY.

Tho Victim a Well-known City

Merchant.

Tiik business circles of tho city, says tho "Sydney Globe," were startled this morning by tho announcement that n gentleman well-known both to mercantile people and to thoso moving in the highest social circles of the capital, had met with his death by poisoning under circumstances of a peculiarly tragic nature. The victim of this deplorable e^ent is Mr Frederick Bernrit, a merchant and importer, having a very largo Continental connection, and wfio has been carrying on business for ,i considerable time ptibt in Jatnieeon-street. Mr Berndt, who was, no far na is known, unmarried, roaidod at Uhdo's Grand Hotel, Wynyard Square, where lie had taken up his quarters some ton months ago. On Monday last, which, it will bo remembered, was extremely stormy, a number of gentle, man who, like Mr Barndt, were boarders intho hotel, finding it impossible to keep their outdoor engagements during the continuance of the storm, resolved to pass the time by playing dominoes in the coffeeroom.

The party were engagod in the game when Mr Uhdo, tho proprietor of the establishment, entered the room. That gentleman hud been informed by Madame Mujeroni, tho eminent tragedienne, now playing in Sydney, that her rexc had been disturbed for several consecutive nights by the noise of rata in the corridor adjaoent to tho apartments occupied by her in tho hotel. Ho liaii accordingly determined to lay poison for tho vermin, and came into tho coffee-room (or the purpose of preparing the bait. Ho cut several thin slices of bread anil butter, spreading on oach the poisonous compound known as "Rough on Knia. Before leaving the room he drew tho attention of the " boots," who was in attendance at the time, to the poisoned bread, and also informed tho gontlemen in tho room of the objont for which it was intonded, cautioning them against touching it themselves or lotting any of thoir dogs — several of tho boarders koop their canine pota at tho hotel—have access to it. All tho gentlemen present* clearly understood that the sandwiches had been poisoned— ut least it wan co thought for the time.

Mr Borndht himsoU had evidently, heard Mr Uhdo's remarks, for he ojaculatod after the latter had left the room, " Bah ! poison ruta, and then lot thorn stink ill their holes I" Notwithstanding this, however, and incredible as it may seem, tho unfortunate gentleman, immediately tho landlord had clojod tho door, jumped up soized one of the sandwiches, and commenced to oat it, at tho same timo remarking to a gentleman noar him, " What is this, it tastes like eaud ?" The gentleman referred to inf-tantly became alarmed, and hurriedly told him to spit it out, as it waa poison. Mr Borndt did bo, and in reply to anxious interrogations said that he had not swallowed any portion of the bread. Ho oven laughed at his apparently narrow eecapo "from being," to use his own words, " poisoned liko a rat;" and no Httlo was thought of tho matter that all tho other occupants of tho room joined in tho laughter, with the oxception of Captain Sutton, of tho s.s, Alamedu.

That gentleman, one of several maritime oflicora included in the party, waa greatly concerned. Eo related that ho had heard of the death of two parsons from tho fame poison just boforo hie vessel loft Sun Francisco, and fully realising tho deadly nature of tho compound, immediately re commended that an omotic should be taken. A lar^o quantity of ealt and water was accordingly mixed, of which Mr IJt-rndt reluctantly partook. The omrtic acted at once, and produced violent retching and vomiting, tho latter continuing nearly tho whole of tho night. Tho next morning Mr Berndfc appeared much relieved, Shortly aftor 7 o'clock ho wont to tho bedroom of a fullow-loiJgor, where ho again vomited, Ho said ho felt exhausted and weak, and thin was attributed to tho violent action of tho emetic. Up to this timo, ho posiiively declined to sea any doctor, treating tho mutter as trivial. However, persuaded by his friends, he sent for his umial medical attendant at 0 o'clock yestorday moriiing, but, unfortunately, that gentleman waa from li itue. At two o'clock yesterday afternoon, Mrs Uhde, landlady of tho establishment, insisted on a doctor being sent for, and Dr. Wright was then called in. That gontleman found Mr Berndt excesdingly weak, and presenting such symptom* as at oneo mado it apparent that tho poison had insidiously worked its way into tho system of the unfortunate victim to his own heedleMness. Tho remedial measures applied by Dr. Wright procuring only temporary relief, Dr. M ('Lauren, tho Government Medical Ofiicer, was went for. At this stage, however, it was apparent that] medical skill could avail nothing. The remainder of the day and last night wero puspod by the sufferer ii inconceivable agony, which v.ns Dot alioviated in any degree by a merciful unconsciousness-

Early this morning Mr Berndt signified that he know his end wos approaching, as in answer to an interrogation from Mrs Uhdo —who had boen unremitting- in her attention tjliiti—as to •.vhothor sho could do anything for him, Mr Berndt replibr), "Mo Mid Uhde, you can do nothing for me, nor can anyone else in tho world." About' half part 9 o'clock this morning Mr Borndt sent for his solicitor, ami fidjuated his worldly affairs, His brother, also a resident of Sydney, who was sont for as soon as the hopelessness of the case waa understood, arrived shortly afterwards, and was thus enabled to have the wonderful oonaolation of being present during tho last s:id moments. Those nrrived all too soon, an at 10 mitiutos pact 10 this forenoon, juet 36 hours after the occurrence of the thoughtless act which cut him off in the prime of life, the unfortunate gentleman expired The Rev.* Rabbi Davis was present with Mr and Mrs Uhde and the decoased's brother when he died. The last words of Mr Berudt were "I took that, thinking it was — " The body was removed this afternoon to the Devonshire street mortuary belonging to the Jewish denomination, of which the deceased was a member. It is surmisod that the unfortunate gentleman mistook the sandwiches for the supper which was usually brought in about that hour.