CROYDON ARSENIC MYSTERY

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 264, 3 August 1929, Page 11

CROYDON ARSENIC MYSTERY

MRS. SIDNEY’S DEATH DUE

TO POISONING Australian Press Assn.-United Service. Loudon, July 31. In the second of the arsenic mystery cases the Croydon Coroner gave a verdict that Mrs. Violet Sidney died of acute arsenical poisoning, but there was insufficient evidence to show whether she killed herself or was murdered by some person or persons unknown. (Extruo. dinary scenes were witnessed at the dead of night at Croydon on March 21. when live bodies were exhumed at the instance of the police. They were those of Mrs. Violet Sidney, aged 69. the widow of a barrister; her d: tighter, Vera, aged 40. who died on February 19: her brother-in-law, Edmund Duff, aged 59, ex-High Commissioner of Nigeria, who died in April, 1928; and Mr. Duff's two daughters— Suzanna, aged two years, who died in 1904. and Margaret, aged seven, who died in 1919. The exhumations were carried out simultaneously, investigations were begun after the sudden death of Mrs. Sidney, when the coroner adjourned the inquest withou explanation. There was the greatest secrecy about tlie disinterments. At the inquest on Vera Sidney, r. Rygel. Home Office analyst, gave evidence that arsenic was found in the body, and a verdict of murder against persons unknown was returned.]