A SORDID STORY.

Evening Star, Issue 13149, 4 January 1909, Page 7

A SORDID STORY.

SAD END OP A DOCTOR'S WIFE. t Dr i F V T / aldo he!d an inquest at the London City Coroner's Court the other day on the body of Christina Mary Sinclair Wilson, aged fifty-nine, the wife of Air Wilinm Wnghi Wilson, a well-known Birmin"liam surgeon, who died suddenly at Andertons Hotel, Fleet street. Dr Wilson said that his wife had been in-ill-health for some time. She went to London on the previous Thursday with her nephew tor the purpose of visiting tho White City, On .Saturday morning he received a telegram to say that his wife was ill. When he reached London she was dead. Dr Edward Montagu Price said ho had attended the deceased for the past three years. At the time she suffered great paiD, to relieve which he had had occasionally to' inject morphia. He had suspected for some time that the deceased took too much alcohol. A nephew of the deceased said lie had lived with his uncle at Birmingham for the past si* years. He had given her a sherryglass full of brandy The Coroner: About how often did you give her this?

Witness: About every hour. I have lqiown her drink a bottle of brandy in a night. Did her,-.'husband know of' this?— No. Witness added that he used to purchase tho brandy in Birmingham. When they arrived at Anderton's Hotel he went out for a bottle of brandy. This was on Thursday afternoon. His aunt drank this during the night, -with tho exception of a quarter of it',' which he drank himself. On the following morning he went out of the hotel for another bottle of "Three Star" brandy, and his aunt had some of this. He also had some of it himself.

Mrs James, housekeeper at Anderton's Hotel, said she went to see the deceased on the Friday, and she thought it very funny that a woman should be attended by a ha'.fintcxicated . man.—{Several Jurors: " Hear, hear.") She suggested a nurse, but the nephew would not send for one. When witness first went into the room the deceased took hold of her hand, and said: "Thank God, it i? a woman:" Witness suggested nourishment, but the nephew said ''lt's, brandv sho wants." She found a half-full bottle of "Three Star" brandy in the bed. "I turned oa the nephew," said witness dramatically,, "and said to him : ' You are a brute to give this woman brandy in this way.' " What .did he say to this?— That she must have it. j Medical evidence showed that the cause of death was syncope, due to acute poisoning by alcohol on a patient who was suffering from chronic alcoholism. . ■, The Coroner said that this was clearly a case for adjournment. He tjiought tho City detective department should be acquainted with the matter, and .that the stomach of the deceased should be kept for expert examination. The Foreman of the Jury did not think an adjournment necessary, as it was clear that the deceased died from the administration of too much brandy. Was this a criminal act? The Coroner: Certainly. Brandy given under certain conditions is a poison. I consider the conduct of the nephew most reprehensible, and probably the jury might consider it necessary at least to add a rider to their verdict. At this point the nephew completely broke dewn and sobbed bitterly. He briefly addressed the coroner, saying that he was deeply attached to his aunt, whom he always called " Mother," and he went with her wherever she went. Two of tho empty boit'.es found in his room had been brought from Acocks Green, as he thought he could get rid of them in the train. When the assistant housekeeper thought he was putting his finger down his aunt's throat he was merely adjusting her false teeth, which had become loose through her retching. At the request of the jury, the Coroner said he should write to the Commissioner of City Police, with a view to further inquiries'being made into the matter. The jury added as a rider-. "We are of opinion that, (he conduct of the nephew is deserving of tho strongest censure." Tho Coroner: I quite agree with you, gentlemen. This is almost a case of manslaughter. I sincerely sympathise witli Dr Wilson. but I quite agree with the censure. In all my experience as a coroner I have never heard of a more shocking case. You have (turning to the nephew) just escaped being tried at the Old Bailey for manslaughter. The jury found that the deceased died from heart failure, accelerated through the excessive administration of alcohol.