342 
MISCELLANEA. 
from drinking spirits of naphtha. The deceased had evidently been in the habit of 
satisfying his craving for drink by diluting the spirits of naphtha and spirits of wine, and 
drinking them. He had expired from the effects of taking an overdose of spirits of 
naphtha. A verdict in accordance with the medical evidence was returned by the jury. 
Suicides by Prussic Acid.—An inquest was held on Wednesday, September 7th, 
at the Battersea Union, on the body of Mr. Edward Yilliers Crotty, aged 50 years, who 
was at one time possessed of a large fortune, all of which however he had lost on the 
turf. From the evidence of his wife, it appeared that his reduced circumstances had 
affected his mind. The deceased was found lying on the grass in Battersea Park; death 
took place a few minutes after he was discovered. A bottle labelled “ poison ” was 
found in his pocket. Dr. W. Pocock stated that the deceased died from the effects of 
prussic acid, and that the bottle found had contained that poison. The coroner having 
summed up, the jury returned a verdict of “ Suicide while in a state of temporary mental 
derangement.” 
On Thursday, September 8th, an inquest was "held in the" Infirmary, Newcastle-on- 
Tyne, on the body of Mr. William K. Murray, brother of Sir Patrick Keith Murray, 
of Ochtertyre, Perthshire. Deceased had formerly been an officer in the GOth Rifles, but 
had left the regiment. Pie had come to Newcastle for a course of instruction in Messrs. 
Palmer’s works, at Jarrow. On Tuesday, about midnight, he entered the billiard-rooms 
of the Central Exchange, which he was in the habit of frequenting. After being there 
some short time he was supplied with a glass of gin, and shortly after he was seen put¬ 
ting some liquid into it. As soon as he swallowed it he suddenly collapsed, and sank 
with his head on one side. A medical gentleman who was present attended to him, and 
while the deceased was sitting in a chair in this condition a small glass bottle was taken 
out of his pocket. The bottle was empty, but it had a disagreeable smell. He was 
subsequently taken to the Infirmary, where he shortly afterwards died,—in the opinion 
of the medical men from the effects of swallowing prussic acid. Mr. Murray had been 
in the habit of taking laudanum in considerable quantities. The jury returned a ver¬ 
dict “ that the deceased had died in consequence of taking a quantity of prussic acid, 
administered by himself, and that there was no evidence to show the state of mind he 
was in when he took it.” 
Alleged Poisoning' by Cyanide of Potassium.— On Friday, August 26th, 
two women, named Frances Beckenham and Mary Ann Gribbin, were found dead under 
the following circumstances. The deceased were sisters, and the former lived with her 
husband at 21, Albert Cottages, Mile-End New Town ; the latter was a widow, and lived 
in the same neighbourhood. The evidence proved that both women were much addicted 
to drinking, and that the husband of Beckenham was a poor imbecile creature com¬ 
pletely under their control. On the night in question the two women were found dead 
in the sitting-room, and the man Beckenham crouched under a bed in an adjoining 
room. The room was in disorder, and there were indications of a recent drinking-bout. 
A post-mortem examination made by Dr. Gayton afforded no clue to the cause of death 
in either case, but in consequence of a suspicion that death had resulted from poison, 
the contents of the stomachs with parts of the liver and intestines were submitted to 
Dr. Letheby for analysis. The principal witness examined was an old woman named 
Lydia Goozee, who said she was asked by Beckenham to go and see them on the Tues¬ 
day ; that she found Gribbin complaining of pain and retching violently. Twice during 
the day Goozee went out and brought them porter and gin, and on the same night 
Beckenham went to a public house and took home half a gallon of beer. Dr. Letheby 
deposed that he had examined the contents of the stomachs of the deceased women. 
The mucous coat of that of the woman Beckenham was very much softened, and the 
stomach was stained by a purple colohr. It contained a teaspoonful and a half of 
thickish fluid, of a deep red colour, which was carefully analysed for poison, but nothing 
was found beyond a small quantity of potash and sulpho-cyanogen. Portions of the 
intestines and liver were also examined, but no poison was found. The stomach of the 
woman Gribbin contained an ounce and a half of red liquid. The mucous coat was 
much softened, of a red colour, with a purple stain at one end. There was no trace of 
food in the stomach. The liquid in it had no peculiar odour, but on being tested for 
poison yt was found to contain about forty grains of carbonate of potash and a little 
