THE LATE POISONING CASE.

Globe, Volume VII, Issue 761, 28 November 1876, Page 2

THE LATE POISONING CASE.

An inquest was held to-day at the Hospital before J. W. S. Coward, Esq, Coroner, on the body of John Gaul, photographer, who died suddenly at his place of business, Colombo street, on Monday last. Mr John Johnson was elected foreman of the jury, and after the body had been viewed the following evidence was taken : Charles Parker—l have been in (he employ of the deceased as assistant for the last three years. For about a month be has been drinking very heavily. He was very low spirited at times, and complained of being in difficulties—that is, of being in debt. At times he seemed that it would have been better if under restraint. Deceased was living with his wife, and took to drink shortly after her confinement. I think it must have been trouble that caused him to drink. At half-past nine on Monday morning deceased came to me at the back of his studio, in the printing room, and said that as the morning was rather dull it would not be worth while to prepare anything for printing. He told me he had been to see his lawyer that morning by appointment, and he told him he could not advise him how he could get out of his difficulties. Deceased added that he himself could not see how he could get out of them. I knew there had been » bill of sale over his goods. Deceased thee

left me with his eon and went into the studio. I went down stairs, and about ten minutes afterwards could hear someone walking across the floor in the studio. I thought it might be someone come to be taken and went up-stairs. I saw Mr Gaul there sitting in a cbair, and thought at fiver, he wae aiaeep until I heard him gasp or groan, and I ran baok and spoke to him, but got no answer. He seemed to be quite unconscious at the time. I then ran into Mr Wright, the chemist, and asked him if he would come upstairs and see Mr Gaul. He said he could do nothing, but in the meantime I sent Mr Gaul's son for Dr Doyle, who came in about ten minutes. I also sent for Dr Syme. Mr .Gaul was alive when the doctor arrived. We use certain poisonous chemicals in our business, We had a bottle of Cyanide potassium containing about 20oze.

Dr Doyle, examined, said—l have been attending deceased for about three or four years. He has required my attendance for drink or some consequence of it. I was asked to see him about five minutes to ten on Monday morning. When T saw him at his studio he was quite insensible. I knew he had taken poison, as he took some about a fortnight ago, and told me he had taken it by mistake. He was ill for three or four hours then. He told me he had taken cyanide, and from that I concluded that he had again taken it. He told me at the time he had taken it out of a measure. I went to get a stomach pump and. returned in about three or four minutes, but he was then dead. I made a post mortem examination of the body to-day. The organs were all pretty healthy, but there was a slight effiusion in the brain. The organs were healthy except the stomach, which was very much inflamed, and in two or three places about half to one inch in diameter ulcerated or excoriated. I could detect no smell. There was about half a pint of mucus in the body. My opinion is that the man died from poison, and probably from cyanide, and, judging from the appearance of the stomach, I think the poison was not in solution when swallowed. I have kept the contents of the stomach.

The Coroner remarked to the jury that if there had been the slightest suspicion that anyone had administered the poison to deceased it would be then necessary to have the contents of the stomach analysed. Cyanide potassium was not unlike loaf sugar, and taken in the lump would have the effect of causing the patchy excoriations described by the doctor. He might mention that a few days ago when visiting the Asylum he found deceased there on his return to the office. Deceased was then under the influence of drink, but was perfectly sensible when aroused. He wished to be taken in there, as he said he was unable to restrain himself. Of course, at his own request he could not be taken into the Asylum, but Mr Seager at once telegraphed to the police, who came up and had him ■looked after, and removed to his own house. In reply to the Coroner, the foreman, after consulting with hiß brother jurors, said they were all agreed that deceased had died from the effects of poison ; eleven were of opinion that he was temporarily insane at the time, but two did not think so, as no evidence had been given to show that such was the case.

The Coroner said he would not be able to add temporary insanity to the verdict, unless twelve of the jury were unanimous on that point. The following verdict was then returned—" That deceased died from the effects of poison administered by his own hand."