SEVERAL DEATHS

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 140, 18 June 1929, Page 9

SEVERAL DEATHS

SIGNS OF POISON

SENSATIONAL ENGLISH CASE

Australian Press Association. (Received 18th Junej- ;8 a.m.)

LONDON,vI7th June.

The "Daily Telegraph" says that an analysis of the organs of Edmund Duff shows arsenic in the bodyi'>: The report has- been forwarded to Scotland Yard. The Croydon poisoning mystery, involving the poisoning by arsenic of other members of the Duff family,-is likely to become a leading ease in criminology.

.Evidence in connection with the poisoning of members of the Duff and Sidney families has been creating a sensation for some time in England, where several bodies have been exhumed for the.purpose of examination. Evidence of the discovery of arsenic in the body of Miss -Vera 'Sidney, was given when an inquest was held-'. at Qroydon on 27th April.. Miss'Sidney died on 14th February, about a fortnight before the death of her mother, Mrs. Violet Sidney, with whom she'had lived at Birdhurstrise, .Croydon. The.'bbdies of the two women were " exhumed ;; following the mother's death.' At the inquest on Mrs. Sidney evidence was given that a. quantity of arsenic was found in. her remains. The Home Office Analyst stated.that in the case of Miss Sidney his examination.; of the organs' disclosed about a grain and a half of arsenic. He considered that she must have taken five grains,"a fully poisonous dose." Thomas Sidney gave evidence -regarding the death of his sister, Vera Sidney, whoso^bofly,■'•with-'that of her inother,; Mrs.' Violet Sidney, had been exhumed. Quantities of arsenic are stated to have been found in the remains of the two women. Sidney was examined'on a statement he had previously made to the police. He raised objection to phrases attributed to him, complaining that, "words, had been put into his mouth" by the poUce: inspector. Sidney was questioned abont a tin of weed-killer found at his' house. He did not remember where he!i bought it, and he did not think he signed for it. At the conclusion of ..tiis examination on this,point he protested, "Why feature my tin of arsenic: arid'leave out the tin which contained arsenic, found on my mother's premises." "::■'' : Mrs. Grace Duff,' who' has /also been called upon to give evidence, is the widowed sister of Vera Sidney, one' of the dead women, and Thomas Sidney is a brother. " Edmund Duff wag the husband of Mjs.' Grace Duff, and also died ucder suspicious circumstances^