ENOUGH TO KILL 3500 PEOPLE.

Shannon News, 29 March 1923, Page 3

ENOUGH TO KILL 3500 PEOPLE.

FOUND AFTER A LONG CHASE

The discovery that half a pound of black arsenic, instead of half a pound of saltpetre, had been supplied bv a chemist for pickling’ pork caused intense excitement at Chertsey, Surrey.

A frantic hunt followed to recover the poison before any damage was done. It ended happily, to the .great relief of Chertsey people, within a few hours.

How the mistake Avas made was explained to a Daily Mail reporter by Mr A. Nicholson, a local chemist. “Mr A. Henderson, farm bailiff to General Sir Edward Hutton, of Foxliills, came to my shop and ordered half a pound of ‘saltpetre, which Avas to be called for. Soon after he had gone a local farmer came and ordered half a pound of black arsenic for veterinarypurposes. This Avas also to be called for.

UNKNOWN YOUTH. “On the folloAving- day, shortly after 1 o'clock, a youth came to the shop and asked for half a pound of saltpetre, for Avhich he 'paid. I gave him in mistake the half-pound of black arsenic, Avhich was already made up. “I discovered my mistake soon after he had left, but had not tile faintest idea where the arsenic had gone, as I did not know anything about the youth, except that he said he Avas a butcher's assistant. I at once informed the police.''

The local police at once informed Scotland Yard and all police stations within ten miles of Chertsey. Police men on bicycles and on foot hurried from one village to another in search of the arsenic. At Chertsey a house-to-house call Avas made.

It Avas only just when the police, Averc on the point of telling the toAvn crier to parade the streets Arith his bell and call out the news that a telephone message AA’as received from Ottershaw stat; ing that a police constable had found the arsenic on France Farm Lyne, tho estate of General Sir Edward Hutton, about four miles from Chertsey. “The packet had not been opened,' 1 ' said Mr Nicholson. “Black arsenic is a deadly poison, and one grain is fatal. In a half-pound there are 3500 grains."