STRANGE CASE OF POISONING AT SEA.

Globe, Volume III, Issue 221, 23 February 1875, Page 3

STRANGE CASE OF POISONING AT SEA.

In an action at the instance of a seaman (Henry Cook), at the Greenock Sheriff Court the other day, a melancholy case of poisoning at sea was described. Captain James Parsons, of the barque Nevada, of London, which has arrived at Greenock from Australia, stated that during the voyage he and his family had been wilfully poisoned. A half-caste West Indian was employed on board as cook and steward, and seems to have taken some unaccountable umbrage at the master and vessel. He is supposed to have obtained possession of a quantity of arsenic or other poison, and to have used it in an attempt to destroy the life of the master and those with him in the cabin. After he had partaken of a quantity of gruel one day Captain Parsons became violently ill, and for a time he was affected immediately after food. The captain's wife and two of her children were on board, and they also became ill, and exhibited symptoms of poisoning. Mrs Parsons died after an illness of two days. On arriving at a port in Java medical assistance was obtained, and the Government doctor gave it as his opinion that the captain and his family had been badly poisoned. The steward was called to account for his crime, but, there being no sufficient evidence against him, he was allowed to go. In relating the occurrence Captain Parsons became much affected, and Sheriff Smith expressed sympathy with him in the bereavement he had sustained.