A CLERGYMAN'S FAMIILY POISONED BY MALARIA.

Colonist, Issue 54, 27 April 1858, Page 3

A CLERGYMAN'S FAMIILY POISONED BY MALARIA.

Quite a gl.oam has been cast over the village of Box, Wiltshire, in consequence of the deaths, under singularly painful circumstances of Mrs. Elizabeth Horlock, the wife of the vicar, the Rev. Dr. Horlock, and Miss Alice Sudell, of Ashley House, her sister, and also of the narrow escape of several domestics of the, rev. doctor's household, who were likewise for some days ill, as is supposed, from the poison of malaria. To add .to the distress and suspicion which the painful circumstances attending the deaths naturally gave rise to, the rev. vicar and his family have been recently persecuted by a series of anonymous letters, some of which,containing diabolical threats, were left about the grounds of the jvicarage, much in the way.in which the insulting-missives were strewed about in the recent extraordinary case near Paris; while, in one letter addressed to a resident of the village, a distinct proposal to murder the two. unhappy ladies*.-, whose untimely deaths have now to be deplored, was made. The remarkable circumstances connected with the deaths rendered it desirable., that a communication should be ". matte.', to. the coroner, For the .district, Mr. IVhitemarsh; and upon all the facts being laid' before him, that officer 1 considered; it his duty tb' issue his precept for the holding-of an; inques^whicht was' accordingly, taken at the Northey Arms Inn. . '".'.

'; ■ Erom the-evidence adduced' it appeared that Mrs.. Horlock wag first taken ill on, the Sunday •after Christmas-day, her 'seizure being alike sudden and violent.i She was dining with the family, when she was suddenly attacked by voiniting, and her sickness continuing" throughout the evening, Dr. Bowie was called in to see her.. He found her in a very low condition,,1 and prescribed for and continued in attendance upon her. On the following Tuesday Miss Sudell paid her sick sister a .visit, for .the purpose of sitting with her, and discharging for her any sisterly office which it might have been in her power to perform. When she quitted her own residence, Ashley House, Miss Sudell was in her usual health, but in the course of the day she was seized with alarming illness, resembling in its character that from which Mrs. Horlock was herself suffering. " To add to the1 alarm which this circumstance produced in the reverend vicarV household, the • housemaid (Elizabeth Snell), the cook (Emily Horn), the footman (James Page), "and a woman named Sarah Watton, who was occasionally employed at. the vicarage to assist the regular servants, were all of them attacked with violent vomiting, accompanied by pains and prostration. The domestics, probably in consequence of their more robust habits of body,, gradually recovered from tiheir illoesses, but both Mrs. Horlock and Miss Sudell remained in such a state of complete prostration that they, were utterly unable to eat, and had chiefly to be sustained by the administration of small .quantities of brandy. Miss Sudell died., on "Saturday, night, the 2nd instant, and Mrs., Horlock on Sunday, the 3rd.; With reference to the cause of the deaths of the two ladies, Dr. Bowie and Mr. George Norman, of Bath (who during the case-was called in for consultation), were examined-. From their evidence it appeared that when Dr. Bowie was first called in, the patients were suffering from what appeared ip be the.English cholera, but -as 'the^ymptoni.sdeyeloped^tjiemselves it be<iame'evMent;that;their malady was a low gastric,.fever^^^oth'^itness^ assigned the deaths positively to that cause." ' ' v' ' '

; Amongst other evidence adduced was the following extraordinary'letter, whip]* had been addressed to Mr, Aust,.a carpenter, residing at some; short distance from the Rev. Dr. Horlock's residence. Jt was marked private, and signed H, Barrington, and, was; as follows:—" Mr. Aust, —I have a project in view, and knowing you will give you the first offer of assisting me in it.. If you reveal what I now propose to any one you shall be Tinned. 3>know a gentleman in Lancashire who had deeds of two wealthy families, and I mean to obtain this property for ourselves. The property amounts to nearly ■ £50,000, and you shall have a third of it, if you will assist us as I propose to. you. I take the'part of most danger,: and only ask your assistance against the family at Ashley House, who have been enemies.; to. you-and your family since the robbery at the.Hermitage. You must watch Mr. Horlock and -Miss Sudell to Ashley afternoon service on Sunday,- which you, can, easily. do without being observed. You must secrete some gunpowder in sacks near the house, and get it in : by night over the hedge near the green/ and set the house' on fire at different parts, beginning at the part facing the hedge, and if you make use of the gunpowder you will soon blow the house to pieces. lam placing great faith in you, but I candirlly tell you I must have Mr. IT. and Miss S. out of the way, or all will fail. You can, I know, accomplish

this, for you are clever, and I have done it myself previously^ ©K1 ff--and: the -young ones lcn-w nothing, about the property,,-and I want to' leave t'ne' vfle old doctor 'to work on in poverty. Wjien y..u;; .have "seen his wife, and siUer (Wd---stay -.about ri;l yo;u hear this —and, if you can, in the commotion, get hold of a few valuables, do so. Thi;n you can come to me at ■tlieiGrey.hound: law, riot Liter than six on Monday, and if the j i.b is done, you shall be a rich man, for I shall do:my part.' We shall hive to proceed immediately north, to Arnwoitti's confidential clark. ' If:they do not go to. Ashley; that night you cannot do; it; and you shall rer ceive further directions' frb^'me^forit will be a great loss to us when I hive'done up the bher family. I musf-uot burn them at the yici.rage. for, owing to ciroumstauces, I should be suspected: K-you s'l.ojw this letter, or re veal this to any one, I shall, .throiig't. one ofmy party, convict you, not only of robbing the.Hermitage, but of Other robberies and crimes, and either directly or indirectly yourjife shall pay for your treachery, and I will never fail. If you do .the thing well,.you^an4 your family shall baraade, and we will, consult where we will settle. Do not be late, and inquire for Mr. George Sin-, elair. Beware of making me your enemy. If you are;such afool as not to ..dare work in this transaction, at brace burn my letter, hut think twice. :-li-knpjr|you are not particular if money is to be bad."..* .- u> v-aj- •;• ~ v , V. ■; ;

,-..■ There^was^akq & postscript to the letter as •folJTbws :--^"ifiypu fioulii-. through any 'one;;" ti3ll Mr.Bus3ell:thattther&are^baUtulings.in^his holise : ;at Box, and get him tb.: spend 'Sunday tiiera.-s/V much, tha better"; biit 1; leave all the plans to: iyou. If you. cannot, do ;it nest Sunday,- try Sunday, week, arid then jneet my friend, Mr. :P,rice,,at the Greyhound'; but do it' next' Sunday,, if they are'at^Ashley .\ Shew this Litter, and you shall rio|; be alive in a week. I never fail, and I hate that family," - ' ■■.: ;. The letter raal^es mention of a burglary at the Hermitage, a : residence of Miss Sudell, and it is mentioned ;as a remarkable c'rcutmstance that some time ago that! place was, broken iv to, and was ransacEeid in such a way as to induce a belief at the time that the robbers wanted to possess themselves of deeds relating to the family property. < The jury interrogated/the witnesses in the effort to discover some cause leading t<t the febrile, attack on the household, and The housekeeper, Mrs: Phillips, stated that the water from :the parish graveyard' ran into the springs and'pool supplying the house. She further stated/that on the 20th December, a grave, in which a woman who had' died from fever was opened for the intciraent of her child, ihat a.very bad small was experienced for three days. ' ■■;:" "' •■•■' ■■'•■ ■' " The juryriturneda verdict in accordance with the hiedical evidence, but strongly recommended art investigation of the drains. A copy of Ithe evidence will be forwjrded to the -Secretary of^ State,,and it is thought that the contents of the stomach will be chemically examined; . ' f'f"' J ~ ' : ; ■< '