CASES OF POISONING—ACCIDENTAL AND CRIMINAL. 
161 
Poisoning by Arsenic.—At Leeds, August 11th, before Mr. Baron Cleasby, 
William Fickersgill was indicted for the wilful murder of Kebecca Horsfall. Mr. 
Wheelhouse and Mr. Forbes were for the prosecution ; Mr. Maule, Q.C., and Mr. Hannay 
for the defence. The prisoner was a bricklayer, and the deceased was in the service of 
Mr. Foskett, a farmer. 
On the 30th of May, about 7 o'clock, the prisoner was seen with the deceased sitting 
on a stile, and at that time he gave her something to drink from a bottle. After this 
she returned home, and on the following day, about 11 o’clock, she became ill, with all 
the symptoms of poisoning by arsenic. Evidence was given to the effect that arsenic 
was used in the farming operations, and that the prisoner, a few days previously, w r as in 
the immediate neighbourhood of some glass works where large quantities of arsenic 
were used, and that frequently exposed in a yard where any one could get at it. The 
medical evidence was to the effect that death w ? as caused by arsenical poisoning: large 
quantities of arsenic were found in the stomach and other parts.* The declaration of 
the deceased, taken just before her death, was put in. It was to the effect that the 
prisoner gave her something to drink from a bottle, and that soon afterwards she be¬ 
came ill and sick. 
Mr. Maule made a powerful appeal for the defence, commenting upon the absence of 
motive and the extraordinary fact of the length of time, from 7.30 to 11 on the follow¬ 
ing morning, between the administration of the poison and the severe illness arising. 
The jury returned a verdict of “Not Guilty.” 
Poisoning by Sulphuretted Hydrogen.— The death of tw r o men by sulphu¬ 
retted hydrogen in a sew r er is reported from Dublin. Dr. Mapother deposed that the 
gas was emitted from the lime refuse of the gas w T orks, which found its way into the 
sew r er. Professors Sullivan and Cameron were of opinion that some acid from the 
chemical works must have been added for the evolution of enough sulphuretted hydro¬ 
gen to produce fatal effects. The verdict condemned the Corporation for not attending 
to the recommendation of their medical officer, by abandoning the lime process. 
By Arsenic. —At Wells, Charles Smith, aged tw r enty-three, was indicted for 
attempting to administer a quantity of arsenic to his wife wilh the intent of murder. 
The evidence given was to the effect that the attempt had been made more than once. 
On the last occasion the arsenic was put into a saucepan with some broth which was 
being prepared for dinner. On being accused by his wife, he took the opportunity 
during her absence to make away with the contents of the saucepan, but a portion of 
the grease having been scraped from the inside of the vessel, was submitted to analysis 
by Mr. W. W. Stoddart, of Bristol, who found it to contain white arsenic. The 
prisoner was sentenced to twenty years penal servitude. 
Accidental Poisoning by Arsenic. —A frightful case of accidental poisoning 
has occurred at Waltham, near Canterbury. It appears that a labourer named Lance- 
field, who had been in the service of Mr. File, a farmer, was, with his wife, suddenly 
taken ill after taking tea. Mr. Hamilton, a local practitioner, was called in, who con¬ 
sidered the symptoms to be those of English cholera, and treated them accordingly. 
The man died on Friday, August 20th. Meanwhile a dozen persons living near were 
attacked in a similar manner, and it was noticed that it was after drinking water from 
the same bucket used by the Lancefields. Mr. Hamilton prescribed the usual remedies 
for persons who had taken poison, and most of the patients recovered, but Mrs. Lance- 
field died on Monday, August 23rd. Unfortunately those who came to their assistance 
gave them water to quench their thirshfrom the fatal bucket. From the inquiry made, 
it appears that “Bigg’s Sheep-dipping Composition ” had been used on the farm, and that 
the barrel which had contained it was given to Lancefield to use as a hog-tub, but with 
the caution that it must be properly cleansed. This appears to have been done with a 
solution of soda, but it is supposed that the wood had absorbed some of the poison which 
had impregnated the water after standing in it twelve or fourteen hours,—the tub 
having been used as a well bucket. An inquest was held on Tuesday, August 24th. A 
* It was stated that up to 1866, the longest period known between the administration of 
arsenic and the commencement of the symptoms of poisoning was ten hours, but that a case 
had since been reported from America in which sixteen hours had elapsed between the taking 
of arsenic and the commencement of the symptoms. 
