ADJOURNED INQUEST AT DOYLESTON.
The adjourned inquest on the body of John Skilling, who died suddenly on the 6th inst., which was adjourned for the purpose of having the contents of the stomach analyzed by Professor Bickerton, was resumed on Monday before Mr R. B. Willis. Alexander Wm. Bickerton, on being sworn, said—l am a Professor of Chemistry, residing at Christchurch. On the Bth November I received from Mr R. Douglas the contents of a man’s stomach for-analysation. Deceased was said to have died suddenly, and on analysing the stomach I found a large quantity of strychnine, quite sufficient to have killed a dozen men. Robert Douglas, chemist, deposed that he had delivered the contents of the stomach to Professor Bickerton for analysation, and whilst in his care had kept it under look and key. The coroner, in summing up, said that he was of opinion that the deceased had taken poison in a fit of temporary insanity. The jury then retired, and, after about half an hour’s consultation, agreed on the following verdict:—“ That the deceased John Skilling committed suicide by taking strychnine on the 6th November, but that there was no evidence to show what state of mind deceased was in at the time.”
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Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1793, 19 November 1879, Page 3
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206ADJOURNED INQUEST AT DOYLESTON. Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1793, 19 November 1879, Page 3
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