Saturday 14 Jun 1845 (p. 2, col. 8 - p. 3, col. 3) Part 5 SUSPECTED CASES OF POISONING. ----- APPREHENSION OF MR. JOHN GRAHAM. - IMPORTANT INVESTIGATION. [continued] Do you remember meeting him at Candlemas hiring?-Yes, that was the day he said he would pay me the remainder of my wages. Do you remember his coming and snapping his fingers, and your going to him?-No. That didn't take place either then or on any other occasion?-No, never. You positively deny it?-Yes I deny that. You were not with him at all, were you?-Yes, I saw him. Was there ever any improper intimacy between Mr. GRAHAM and you?-Mr. GRAHAM and me?-Nothing improper whatever. Has he not had connection with you?-No, not in that respect. You understand me?-Yes. Has he or has he not?-He has not. Do you remember a certain Sunday when you had goose for dinner, and Mrs. GRAHAM said she thought you had been sparing of the gravy?-I cannot recollect about it. The CORONER having read Benjamin MITCHELL's deposition as to the conversation at dinner on the Sunday, witness said-I swear I never said that. Do you swear you never said that, or that you don't remember?-I mean I don't remember. Do you swear distinctly you have never seen Mr. GRAHAM since you came from Haltwhistle with him?-Yes, I'll take my oath I have not. Do you remember a quarrel between Mrs. GRAHAM and you as to who should go to Carlisle with some butter and fruit?-No. Do you remember her becoming suddenly ill one Monday night, about a week or so before Martinmas?-Yes, she had been washing I think. That was the day before Martinmas?-It was the Tuesday before Martinmas. Was she ill?-Yes, she complained all day. Was she sick?-Not that I ever remember her saying. You went to Haltwhistle with John-where did you meet?-At the Railway Station. Where did you meet that morning? (A long pause.) I ask you again, where did you meet?-We were both together at the Grapes all night. You and he were there together-is that the fact?-That's the fact. Was that on a Wednesday night?-Yes. Did you not sleep with him that night?-I did not. Did you and he go to the Grapes that night together?-He was there when I went. Were you with him when he asked for lodgings that night?-I was in the room. What accommodation did he ask for?-I don't recollect. Did he not ask for a double-bedded room?-I cannot remember whether he did or he didn't. Did they give you a single bedded-room?-Yes. And did you not tell the people of the house that you were going by the early train in the morning?-I didn't. Was it not said by Mr. GRAHAM in your presence?-I believe it was. Did not Mr. GRAHAM and you meet at the Grapes by previous appointment?-I said I was going to stay all night in Carlisle and was going to Haltwhistle next day. He said the Grapes was a respectable house, and he and I would go there. Is that the fact?-I think them were the words that passed. Had you and he supper together that night?-No. Had you breakfast in the morning?-We got breakfast in Haltwhistle. Do you take upon you to swear that you were not in bed together that night?-I swear we were not. Were you in the same bed-room?-Yes, he came and asked me how I was, at night, as he was going to bed. The girl who showed me to bed was there. How many times have you been in his company between Martinmas and Whitsuntide?-I don't know, I am sure, but I was never in his company but on account of my wages. Ten times?-No, not that number of times,-I was only in Carlisle about once in three weeks. Did you generally meet him?-Not always. At what house did you meet him?-At none in particular; I have been in the Coffee House, the Angel, and the White Horse. I never had any appointed place. Had you ever been at the Grapes before?-Never. Do you remember, last winter, Mr. GRAHAM sending his wife to bed, he sitting up with you afterwards?-Not that I recollect of. Do you recollect that, and your coming to market next day?-I don't remember it. How many times may you and he have been in the Angel together?-I don't know; I think not more than three times. In which room were you in the habit of meeting?-Down stairs and up,-both, we've been. How long used you to stay together?-Sometimes half an hour, sometimes longer. What were you and Mr. GRAHAM doing on these occasions?-I wanted my wages. Had you to call all these times for them?-I have not got them yet. The Coroner here read over the witness's depositions, which she signed with a steady hand. Jane HETHERINGTON-I live at Kirkandrews, and am the wife of Edward HETHERINGTON. I saw John GRAHAM on Sunday night, in bed, in his own lodgings. There was nothing said about his wife to my knowledge. Did he not say on the Thursday night that if they lifted Peggy he was done for?-He said he would rather be shot than that she should be lifted. He just came into my house the time the superintendent came to say Mrs. GRAHAM was to be lifted. He said he never could stand that, he would rather be shot. I saw him no more till Sunday. Did he not say if they lifted Peggy he was done for?-No, he did not say that to me. Were you present during his wife's last illness?-I called to see her and would have stopped all night, but I heard her say she would have no one, and I did not stop. I was in the kitchen, and saw Mrs. GRAHAM's mother and her sister. I did not see deceased until she was dead, and then I helped to lay her out. I did not speak to John GRAHAM on Tuesday last that I can remember. Catharine BURTON-I am the wife of William BURTON, and live at Kirkandrews. I remember the time of Mrs. GRAHAM's death. She was not very well on the Saturday; I saw her go up to see her mother on the Sunday; and on the Monday she was a good deal worse, in bed. I was in, backward and forward, being a near neighbour, but I never saw anything given to her. I can't say I ever heard John say anything particular; he still appeared very dutiful for any thing I know. I had not heard him say any thing about lifting Mrs. GRAHAM. Last Sunday I was called into his house after dinner; they thought he was going to die. Nothing was said about his wife. He was in a weak, low way, and did not speak for near an hour. We sent for the doctor, and he said it was just for want of victuals. John SEWELL-I am a surgeon at Burgh. I was called to Mrs. GRAHAM on Monday, the 25th of November. I was sent for in the forenoon, and went before dinner-immediately. I saw her first about nine or ten o'clock. She had frequent and violent vomitings and a bowel complaint. She complained of a good deal of pain in her stomach, and slight tenderness in her bowels. Her pulse was weak and quick; her skin nothing particular. She took an anodyne in the first place, and I made her a stimulating cordial and sedative. I did nothing more that day. She appeared to be dangerously ill-very. I saw her next morning about eight or nine o'clock. She was worse decidedly, suffering under the same symptoms, but more severe, not abated at all events, and she was much weaker. I was surprised to find her so much worse. I took her complaint for English Cholera. I saw John on Sunday evening at Longburgh. She was sinking on the Tuesday. I had a consultation with Dr. OLIVER on that day. The symptoms were then much the same as before. We prescribed another anodyne, and a mixture. She was still complaining of pain in her stomach and bowels. I did not examine what she had vomited. On the Wednesday she was weaker still-the symptoms much the same. It appeared to me then that she would not recover. She vomited almost every thing she took. She did not tell me when she first became ill. These symptoms were all such as are found from irritant poison-no doubt of it. I had seen John GRAHAM on the Sunday evening; he said his wife had not been well for a few days and that he had a wish that I should see her. He did not wish me to come the next day. As far as I could learn, when he spoke to me on Sunday, he did not describe any of the symptoms which I found, but I understood from him that she was labouring under dispepsia. I had not seen her professionally for six months before. I had previous to that visited her twice or thrice. Her complaint then was dispepsia and debility principally. It never occurred to me that she might have taken poison. The CORONER here read over the symptoms deposed to by Mrs. HIND, in the presence of the medical gentlemen who made the post mortem examination. Thomas ELLIOT recalled-These are precisely the symptoms produced by an irritant poison-such as arsenic. From the post mortem appearances and the result of the analysis, the remarkable state of preservation of the body, and the symptoms described, I have no doubt whatever that deceased died from the effects of arsenic. Dr. JAMES, Dr. CARTMELL, and Dr. TINNISWOOD being recalled, gave the same opinion. The inquest was then adjourned till Friday, (this day) at ten o'clock; the evidence adduced at which we will publish in a second edition.