AN ARSENIC MYSTERY.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 42, 14 February 1912, Page 8

AN ARSENIC MYSTERY.

NORTH LONDON CASE. London, December 15. Medical evidence at the resinned inquest in the North London mystery yesterday proved that the deatli of Miss Eliza Mary Barrow was duo to acute arsenic poisoning, and the jury found that Miss Barrow died 'from arsenic poisoning feloniously administered, hut by whom ad mini;; fed there was not sufficient evidence to enable them to decide. Miss Barrow, a spinster of independent means, aged -If), died on September 14th in a house of Mr Frederick Henry Seddon, an insurance agent, of 615 Tollington Park. Before the death she made over to Mr Sodden property and stock producing £l7O a year, in consideration of which he was to allow her £3 2s per week on his personal security. She made a will leaving the rest of her property in trust for two adopted children—a 'hoy and a girl—whom she was keeping, and this will cjvas signed three or four days before her death. Mr Seddon was appointed solo executor. Death was certified to he duo to enteritis, and Miss Barrow was removed to the undertaker’s, and from there buried quietly uat little expanse. A few weeks later a cousin who called to see her was 'surprised to learn, that she was dead. Later the body was 'exhumed; Mr Seddon was arrested, charged at the North /London Police Court with murder, and .remanded. \ Preparing the Food. > At the resumed inquest, Mrs Seddon declined to answer any questions, and Mrs Seddon, in reply to the coroner, stated that her daughter usually prepared Miss Barrow’s food. Where was it prepared?—Downstairs in the kitchen, except the meat juice, which was prepared in Miss Barrow’s own bedroom.

The servant, Elizabeth Ellen Chater, said that Miss Barrow’s food was prepared by Mrs Seddon or her daughter, chiefly in the upstairs kitchen, or sometime the witness did. not know that there was such a kitchen. The little hoy at one time used to take his meals with Miss Barrow. She never saw any funeral ■leave the house, hut she saw Mrs Seddon dressed in black, and supposed she, pms going to a funeral! Margaret, Seddon stated that her father went into Miss Barrow’s room twice during illness. The witness was there each time. She never saw her father, mother and grandfather in the .room all at the same time. Her Dying Hours. : ’ * ’ ' 1 1 I ■ The adopted hoy, Ernest Gpant, 10 years old, said ho slept -with Miss Barrow regularly. Ho did so part of the night before she died, hut she kept saying, “What shall I do?” and he could not sleep well, so Mr Seddon put him into another room. But Miss Barrow kept' calling him in. He , went in two or three times, and she kept asking him to got into bed with her. He did so, but Mr Sedclon sent him out again. MisS Barrow kept asking him to put something on her stomach to make it warm, and Mrs Seddon put on a hot flannel. ,Mr Seddon gave her medicine once or twice. On the following morning Mrs Seddon asked him if ho would like to go to Southend, and he said “Yes.” He did not go in to say goodbye to Miss Barrow hoc aif sc 'jMrr. Seddon said she was too ill. (She was then dead.) When Mrs Seddon came to Southend, he asked her how Miss Barrow, was hut she only smiled. Later on, while still at Southend, he was told by Mr Seddon that'Miss Barrow was dead. Mr Seddon then 'told ,him that ho would give him a watch when he was twenty-one yea to old. ,The hoy added that ho know the watch; it hod belonged to his father. Miss Barrow had shown' it to him.

The visit to Soutlhend, according to A.unie Henderson, of Rivcria. Drive, was unexpected. Ernie Grant .came down on September 14th with Frederick and Ada Seddon. They said they might stay a week or a fortnight. Maggie Seddon brought down the luggage the next afternoon. . The two Seddon children had stayed at her house in August. . Funeral for £4. William Nodes, , undertaker, of Stroud Green Road, stated that on September 14th Mr Seddon said either “an old lady’ ’or “an old girl” had died at ,his house, and ho wanted to make arrangements about the funeral. Seddon said, “It must not ho an expensive one,” explaining that lie had found £4 10s .in deceased’s room. Witness said he would provide a £4 funeral.

After evidence of previous transactions .with a building society which Seddon was alleged to have had, an official stated that on September 18th Seddon applied for three shares of £3O each, and he paid for them, jn cash. The next day he paid in notes for three more shares.

Dr. W. H. Wilcox, Office analyst, said ho found arsenic present in Ml the organs, the total amount being 2.01 grains.