THE DEPTFORD POISONING CASES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 9452, 24 August 1889, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE DEPTFORD POISONING CASES.

| RESUMED INQUEST AND VERDICT. At the Breakspear Hotel, Brockley, on July 10, Mr. Wood resumed the adjourned inquests on the bodies of Sydney Bolton, aged 11 years, and William Sutton, aged 74 years, whose remains were recently exhumed by order of the Home Secretary. Since tho adjournment a third body, that of Klizabeth Frost, aged 4.1 years, has also been exhumed, and the organs examined, like those of the others, by Dr. Stevenson, analyst to the Home Office. Each of the persons whose death formed the subject of inquiry had been, together with others, insured by Mrs. Winters, of 153, Church-street, Deptford. The boy Sydney Bolton lived with Mrs. Winters for some time before his death. His sister also lived there, and was first taken ill, but recovered. The boy was next seized with similar symptoms and died, Dr. Stevenson finding in the body traces of arsenical poisoning. It was alleged that Mrs. Winters declared the insurance policy to have lapsed, but that subsequently it transpired that she had received £20 from one office and £10 from another. Sutton appears to have been insured for £3 14s. lie went out of the workhouse on December 4 last, and died at Mr?. Winter's house four days later. Mrs. Frost, whose body was the third exhumed, was insured for £5. In all, five persons whose lives were insured> by Mrs. Winters had died, the first on .July IS, lS3u, and the last (Bolton) on February 11 of this year. The coroner now swore the jury to inquire into the death of Elizabeth Frost, who died on February 7, I'SSS. Inspector Phillips produced a certificate from Dr. Tayler that Mrs. Winters was still unable to appear through illness. Anthony Petigeily, sailmaker, of 16, Berrhon-street, Deptford, said he sawWilliam Sutton on the 6th of December last at Mrs. Winters' house. He went to him on "spiritual matters" as a Scripture reader, and found that he was convulsed. Sutton told the witness that he was all right when he left the workhouse, but that after he had had something to eat and drink he was sick and felt a burning at the tjiroat and pit of the stomach. He said he knew he was dying, but he did not know who gave him the drink. Emma Delemain, daughter of the deceased woman Frost, deposed that her mother was seized with illness in February, ISSS, when she was sick, and complained of violent thirst. The previous day she had been washing for Mrs. Winters, who gave her some dinner and some brandy. Shortly after taking these the deceased became very unwell, and complained that the brandy burned her. The witness tasted some of the beef tea brought for the deceased by Mrs. Winters, and thought it poor and nasty, with a burnt taste. Mary Ann Bolton, sister of the deceased child Sydney Bolton, said that Mrs. Winters and Mrs. Thomas Frost used often to take Mrs. Elizabeth Frost beef tea, prepared by one of them. Mr. W. T. Hunt, registrar, produced original certificate of the death of Elizabeth Frost. It was signed by Dr. Macnaughton, and was to the following effect: — "Primary, stomatitis; secondary bronchitis." He also produced the certificate of death of William Sutton, which was said to have resulted from senile decay. Walter Clyde Frost, aged 17, son of the deceased woman, was called, and said he asked Mrs. Winters if he should stay at night with his mother, and she'said " No," and that he could do no good. Mr. Angus Lewis : Did you ever insure your life ? Tho witness : No. Mr. Lewis : Did you know your life was insured? The witness : No. Mr. Lewis : Is that signature, " Walter Frost," on the proposal form in your writing ? The witness : No ; I cannot write.

Dr. Macnanghton, cautioned by the coroner, said Mrs. Winters sent for him to see Mrs. Elizabeth Frost, stating that she suffered from pain in the stomach, sickness, and diarrhoea. He had lost his attendance book. He found she was suffering from bronchitis, enlargement of the liver, and weak heart, and circa* senilis was beginning to be apparent in her eyes. He came to the conclusion that she was suffering from chronic alcoholism. Stomatitis was inflammation of the stomach, and would be the result of drinking. At first he gave the deceased chlorodyne and bicarbonate of soda, and afterwards ipecacuanha wine, squills, and carbonate of ammonia. She did not rally. He did not remember having seen Mrs. Delemain until that day. The statements she had made with reference to what he was alleged to have said were not true, to the best of his recollection. He thought alcoholism was a primary cause of her death, but did not put it on the certificate, because he had never done so. Mrs. inters paid him for his attendance. Samuel Ileum, a prudential assurance agent, and two representatives of the Liverpool and Victoria Friendly Society, having given evidence, Mr. Thomas Bond, F.R.C.S., described the result of the postmortem examination of the bodies of William Sutton and Elizabeth Frost. In Sutton's case the appearances were quite consistent with death from an irritant poison. In the case of Elizabeth Frost the state of preservation in which the intestines were found indicated the presence of some preservative, such as arsenic. The intestines were sent to Dr. Stevenson, f The jury returned a verdict of " Wilful murder'' against Amelia Winters and Elizabeth Frost, her daughter, in each of the three cases, adding that Dr. Macnaughton had been reckless in the manner in which lie had given the certificates, and that the facilities given by the loose system of some insurance societies is an incentive to wilful murder. The coroner made out his warrant against the two women to appear at the Central Criminal Court. Mrs. Winters' daughter Elizabeth, who is married to one of the sons of the deceased Mrs. Frost, was in court with a young baby at her breast, and when tho coroner's warrant was made out she was immediately arrested and taken into an ante-room. Her husband, who witnessed the arrest, one of the charges being for murdering his mother, was completely broken down with grief, and sobbed like a child. ELIZABETH FROST AT THK POLICE COURT. Elizabeth Frost, described as aged 30, of 155, Church-street., Deptford, was brought up at Greenwich Police Court on a charge of murdor. Mr. Angus Lewis, who prosecuted for the Treasury, said that in Mrs. Winters' case the divisional doctor certified that taking her into court would endanger her life. Inspector Phillips said he was present at the inquest and received three warrants of arrest from the deputy coroner. He arrested the prisoner and took her to the police station, where he told her the charges against her, and to that she made no reply. The prisoner now said she had no questions to ask the inspector. She is a good-looking woman, respectably attired in black, and, being very ill, was accommodated with a seat an.l was not placed in the dock. She carried an infant. Inspector Phillips said the child was three months and one day old, and was brought- up partly with a bottle and partly at the breast. He would like the magistrate to say what was to be done with the child. Mr. Kennedy said he was not going to decide it. The police divisional surgeon had better deal with it. The prisoner was then remanded.