EXTRAORDINARY POISONING CASE IN SYDNEY. The Victim a Well-known City Merchant.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 182, 11 December 1886, Page 3

EXTRAORDINARY POISONING CASE IN SYDNEY. The Victim a Well-known City Merchant.

The business circles of the city, says the "Sydney Globe," were startled this morning by the announcement that a gen fcleman well-known both to mercantile people and to those moving in the highest social -circles of the capital, had met with his death by poisoning under circumstance? of a peculiarly tragic nature. The victim of this deplorable e^eut is Mr Frederick Berndt, a merchant and importer, having a very large Continental connection, and who has been carrying on business for a considerable time past in Jamieson-street. Mr Berndt, who was, so far as is known, unmarried, resided at Uhde's Grand Hotel, Wynyard Square, where he had takeD up his quarters some ten months ago. On Monday last, which, it will be remembered, was extremely stormy, a number of gentle, men who. like Mr B;rndt, were boarders inthe hotel, finding it impossible to keep their outdoor engagements during the continuance of the storm, resolved to pass the time by playing dominoes in the coffee-

room. The party were engaged in the game when Mr Uhde, the proprietor of the establishment, entered the room. That gentleman had been informed by Madame Majeroni, the eminent tragedienne, now playing in Sydney, that her resc had been disturbed for several coneecutive nights by the noiee of rats in the corridor adjacent to the apartments occupied by ter in the hotel. He had accordingly determined to lay poison for the vermin, and came into the coffee-room for the purpose of preparing the bait. He cut several thin slices of bread and butter, spreading on each the poisonous compound known as "Rough on Rate. Before leaving the room he drew the attention of the " boots," who was in attendance at the time, to the poisoned bread, and also informed the gentlemen in the room of the object for which it was intended, cautioning them against touching it themselves or letting any of their doga — several of the boarders keep their canine pets at the hotel— have access to it. All the gentlemen present clearly understood that the sandwiches had been poisoned — at least it was so thought for the time. Mr Berndht himßelf had evidently heard Mr Uhde'a remarks for he ejaculated after the latter bad left the room, "Bah ! poison rats, and then let them stink in their holes !" Notwithstanding this, however, and incredible as it may seem, the unfortunate gentleman, immediately the landlord had clojed the door, jumped up seized one of the sandwiches, and commenced to eat it, at the same time remarking to a gentleman near him, " What la this, it ta«tes like sand?" The gentleman referred to instantly became alarmed, and hurriedly told him to spit it out, as it was poison. Mr Berndt did so, and in reply to anxious interrogations said that he had not swallowed any portion of the bread. He even laughed at his apparently narrow eecape "from being," to use hia own words, " poisoned like a rat ;" and so little was thought of the matter that all the other occupants of the room joined in the laughter, with the exception of Captain Sutton, of the s.s, Alameda. That gentleman, one of several maritime officers included in the party, was greatly concerned. He related that he had -beard of the death of two persons from the same poison just before his vessel left San Francisco, and fully realising the deadlynature of the compound, immediately re commended that an emetic should be taken. A large quantity of salt and water was accordingly mixed, of which Mr Berndt reluctantly partook. The emetic acted at once, and produced violent retching and vomiting, the latter continuing nearly the whole of the night. Tho next morning Mr Berndt appeared much relieved. Shortly after 7 o'clock he went to the bedroom of a fellow-lodger, ■where he again vomited. He said he felt exhausted and weak, and this was attributed to the violent action of the emetic. t^ to this time, he positively -declined to see any doctor, treating the matter as trivial. However, persuaded by hi? friends, he sent for his usual medical attendant at 9 o'clock yesterday morning, but, unfortunately, that gentleman was from h ime. At two o'clock yesterday afternoon, Mrs Uhde, landlady of the establishment, insisted on a doctor being °ent for, and Dr. Wright was then called in. That gentleman found Mr Berndt exceadingly weak, and presenting such pymptorns a* at once made it apparent that the poi?on had insidiously worked its way into the pyatem of the unfortunate victim to his own heedlessness. The remedial measures applied by Dr. Wright procuring only temporary relief, Dr. McLauren, the Government Medical Officer, was sent for. At this stage, however, it was apparent that medical skill could avail nothing. The remainder of the day and last night were passed by the sufferer ia inconceivable agony, which was not alleviated in any degree by a merciful unconsciousness Early this morning Mr Berndt signified tlrat he knew his end was approaching, as in answer to an interrogation irorn Mrs Uhde — who had been unremitting 1 in her attention t j him — as to whether she could do anything for him, Mr Berndt replied, "Iso Mrs Uhde, you can do nothing for me, nor can anyone else in the world." About half past 9 o'clock this morning Mr Berndt sent for his solicitor, and adjusted his worldly affairs His brother, aleo a resident of Sydney, who was sent for as soon as the hopelessness of the case was understood, arrived shortly afterwards, and was thus enabled to have the wonderful consolation of being present during the last sad moments. These arrived all too soon, as at 10 minutes past 10 this forenoon, ju&t 36 houra after the occurrence of the thoughtless act which cut him off in the prime of life, the un/ortunate gentleman expired The Rev. Rabbi Davis was present with Mr and Mrs TJhde and the deceased's brother when he died. The last words of Mr Berndt were *'I took that, thinking it was—" The body was removed this afternoon to. the Devonshire street mortuary belonging to the Jewish denomination, of which the deceased was a member. It is eurmised that the unfortunate gentleman mistook the sandwiches for the supper which was usually brought in about that hour.