Nobody to Blame!

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 1, Issue 50, 18 July 1890, Page 2

Nobody to Blame!

In a previous-issue we published a telegram to the . effect that a Mrs Bennett had been poisoned at Wellington, through, the chemist having supplied strychnine in mistake for morphia. The following further telegram from Wellington saya : —" The inquest on Mrs Bennett was' resumed. The young man Cumberworth, formerly in the employ of Mr Fitzgerald, chemist, said he had no recollection of filling the morphia bottle'. He had filled a number of jars, but could not recollect anything about them. The jury returned a verdict of accidental death," and acquitted everyone of blame." This seems rather strange that a woman should be poisoned; through strychnine being supplied instead of morphia, and yet no one is to blame. To say the least of it, there' seems to have been a want of care and proper-precaution on the part of the chemist; in not superintending such an important matter as filling the poison bottles. It is something like the charge of the Light Brigade, someone 1 must have blundered, yet the verdict is that no one is to blame. We presume those who heard all the evidence know best, but it is as strange as many other Wellington verdicts which, have called forth comments from the Supreme Court Judges.