Saturday 14 Jun 1845 (p. 2, col. 8 - p. 3, col. 3) Part 3 SUSPECTED CASES OF POISONING. ----- APPREHENSION OF MR. JOHN GRAHAM. - IMPORTANT INVESTIGATION. [continued] Joseph HIND-I live at Kirkandrews, and am a husbandman. Deceased was my sister. I first knew of her illness on Monday, the 25th of November, and I went down as soon as I got my dinner. She was in bed, very ill. She complained of vomiting and purging, and, laying her hand upon her stomach, said she had great pain there. I remained with her five or ten minutes. John came into the room while I was there. My sister and I were talking about sending for a doctor. John said Mr. SEWELL had been sent for, and I proposed that Dr. OLIVER should be sent for, as he had done her good before. John made some answer which I did not hear, and then went into the kitchen. After he had gone, my sister said I had better say nothing more about Dr. OLIVER, as John did not seem pleased. She said she became ill sometime through Sunday night, but did not say whether she had been eating or drinking anything. I then left her and returned in the evening. Nothing particular transpired. I asked how she was, and she said she thought a little better, not much. I saw her again on Tuesday morning, and she was much about the same. Both she and John were in bed. It would be near six o'clock. I saw her in the evening again, and told her I thought she was worse; but she said no, she was much the same. I did not see anything prepared for her. I was present when Dr. OLIVER came in the evening. I sat in the kitchen, while he was in the bed room. When he came out he said some one had best sit up with her, and that a good fire had to be kept on. I proposed that our servant girl and John should sit up; this was in the presence of Dr. OLIVER. To the best of my recollection, John made no reply. After Dr. OLIVER had left, we were talking about sitting up, and John was not willing. I told him some one should sit up. We were like to get to angry words, when deceased begged of me to go home and let John have his own way. He said he could wait on her as well as any woman he could get. Both his mother and his sister had proposed to sit with her, and he objected to both. I did not see her that night again. On Wednesday morning she was weaker a good deal. My sister said nothing about the cause of her illness. She had not been well for three weeks before. I have had no conversation with John lately-none. Benjamin MITCHELL-I live at Kirkandrews, and am a husbandman. I was servant with Mr. John GRAHAM for two years and quarter-up to Candlemas last. I remember his wife's death. She began to be poorly a week before Martinmas-up to that time she was in good spirits, but was a delicate woman. She got cold about that time after a washing. I don't remember the day when she took ill, but it was in the evening when she was amongst some clothes. Her speech was taken very much from her; she had lost part of the roof of her mouth, and it was difficult to understand her at any time. Her speech became worse that evening. I can't tell any other way she was affected-she went to bed. She said herself that she had got cold. I don't remember whether she was sick that evening. She got up next morning, and took her breakfast. She remained up all day, and was the same as on the preceding day. Her speech continued to fail, until the Sunday evening, before she took so very ill at last. On that evening I had some conversation with her before she went to bed. She was well, and talked very sensibly to me at the fire-side; I observed no change in her. I had been over at home, and she asked after my family. Nothing else was said. I left her sitting up, as near as I can tell, at nine o'clock. Her husband was not at home. I did not let him in when he came, but I heard him speaking to his wife when he returned. It might be ten o'clock, perhaps, but I am not confident. I don't know whether they had supper that night. I think Betsey ROBINSON had gone to bed. Mrs. GRAHAM did not get up next morning. I did not see her again till Tuesday, the day before she died. I never saw John prepare anything for her. On the Monday morning he came to me at the byer-door and said Peggy had had a very bad night, the worst she had ever had. I said you had best have a doctor, and he said, "Yes, I will, I would have had one long since, but my wife was never willing." My son was sent for a doctor. I saw him going through the yard. I had no more conversation with John. I remember on the Tuesday that he told me I was to go down and say to Dr. OLIVER that Peggy was a good deal easier, and was to leave it to his option whether he would come or not. He had been there in the afternoon, and had arranged to come at nine or ten o'clock. I called at W. HIND's, and delivered the same message to him that I was to have given to the doctor. I did not know where Dr. OLIVER lived. Mr. HIND desired him to go. I saw Mrs. GRAHAM that day. John GRAHAM was not willing that any one should sit up at night; it had been proposed that I and the two girls should sit up. John said Peggy was willing that he should sleep with her himself, and he insisted on us all going to bed. He sent HIND's servant home. I know a girl named Margaret RICKERBY. She left Mr. GRAHAM's service last Martinmas. She was there when I went. CORONER-What terms were John and she on? Witness-What do you mean? CORONER-Were they familiar or otherwise? Now don't let us have any more equivocation. Witness-They never had any difference. CORONER-Did you not know there was an improper intimacy between John GRAHAM and Margaret RICKERBY? Just answer the question. Witness-Yes. CORONER-Have you not been witness of very improper behaviour on the part of Margaret RICKERBY to your mistress? Witness-I have. Was that ever in the presence of John GRAHAM?-Yes. Did he reprove Margaret RICKERBY for it?-No, sir, no further than saying "hold your tongue." Do you remember a certain Sunday when you had a goose for dinner?-I do. Some of you had been to church,-who was it?-My mistress. Had you sat down to dinner before she came home?-No, we all sat down together. We might be sitting, but we had not begun dinner when she returned. Do you remember anything being said as to some gravy?-Yes. What was it?-Must I say it in the same vulgar way? CORONER-Exactly; tell us the words she used? Witness-Deceased said Margaret, I think you have pinched us of gravy. Mistress said is there no more, and RICKERBY went and provided some more. It was gravy and water mixed together. CORONER-What next?-She set it on the table and said "Damn her, that'll grease her guts." The mistress seemed to be very nervous at that time; she was all in a shake. RICKERBY then began to talk about religion and said "you have no more religion than an old cow." My mistress took her plate away from the table, and went into another room, leaving John, RICKERBY, and myself. John made no remark, but RICKERBY said after she had gone into the parlour that deceased was the laughing stock of the whole village. John made no remark whatever. Have you witnessed many scenes of this kind?-Sometimes I have seen the same improper conduct at dinner, but I can't recollect the words exactly. Do you know why RICKERBY left at Martinmas?-No, I can't state the reason. Are you aware that RICKERBY and John GRAHAM have been keeping company up to this time?-I have heard it, but I don't know. Did you ever see them?-Yes, once, in the market at Carlisle, at Candlemas hiring. He saw her among some servants, and he went across the street to her and snapped his fingers. She then joined him, and they went away together. In reference to this part of the case, will you tell us what was said the day before the inquest last week, when BAINBRIDGE was present. Was there not something said?-Yes, when we were going down the road together, about RICKERBY. What was it?-He said, did you not say to George JOHNSTONE that you never saw anything improper between RICKERBY and me? I said yes I did. I am a kind of an ignorant man, and meant I had never caught them in the act. What did he say to you on Saturday?-He acknowledged that he had said things about me that were not true. I said I can look you in the face and say you know Margaret behaved ill with Peggy. He said he always wished to make peace with the servants. I had often told him that Margaret behaved very ill to Peggy, and he said Margaret had a very bad temper. Was anything more said?-I was told about Margaret calling Peggy a d--d r--n b--h. Did you ever observe any ill treatment from John to his wife?-No, never. Was anything said about the time of her death to excite your suspicions?-I can't remember-he seemed to take her death very ill, I thought. Will you repeat to the Jury all you know of the parcel you found on the wall top?-I found it in the beginning of last hay time, in the turnip house, on a wall, when I was looking for a scythe strickle (sharping stone.) It was about the size of a quarter of a pound of coffee. I did not open it out. It was folded in a blue paper. It fell to the ground, and received rather a bulge in the fall. The paper was merely pressed in, not torn. There was printing on the paper, but it was partly rubbed out. I made out "Composition," and did not make any further examination of it at that time. It struck me at the time that it was poison for rats. I have seen men go about with sec lyke parcels, for farmers-the same size. I can't remember seeing the word composition on any but the one I found. Thomas THOMLINSON told me he had once laid by a parcel that he could never find again. I laid the parcel back, and removed it the Sunday before the old man's death at Grinsdale. I had previously told my master, John BESWICK, there was something of the kind there, and he told me to bring it in. I tore the papers off separately, first one and then the other. Each paper was secured at the ends with glue, or something like it. There were three covers, to the best of my knowledge. The stuff inside was like flour or brick dust. I felt it; it felt like flour; I did not feel any sand. On the paper nearest the powder there was "Poison" printed. There was the word "Rats" also. When I was examining it in the house, Margaret ROBSON said give us hold of it, and took it out of my hand. On Thursday week John GRAHAM mentioned it to me. He said, "Oh Ben, oh Ben, what have you done to me; you have told the finding of the parcel in different lights." He said he had got it several years ago to poison rats with, of a man who was going about, and that his wife would not allow it to remain in the house. He would hardly believe there was poison on it. By a JURYMAN-Did you not say that the poison had lain on the shelf ever since you went to Mr. GRAHAM-No, never. By a JURYMAN-The servant says you did. Witness-Then it's a lie. I always said I found it at hay time. Another JURYMAN-Could you see it on the shelf?-Yes. The CORONER-Have you noticed the conduct of John GRAHAM since the disinterment of his wife?-I have not seen him much. Do you recollect Sunday night week?-Yes. He called out from his bed room for some one to go and seek the Rev. Mr. DODGSON. Was that all you heard him say?-I met John BESWICK-I had been looking after the boy on the horse-and he told me I was wanted in the house. I went, and John came into the kitchen about ten o'clock, out of his bed room, and asked me what were the secrets I had to tell him. I said I had offered to tell him before, and he would not hear them, so I would not tell him now. He then said he was going to Carlisle, and bid me good night. He went up the road fifty yards, towards Carlisle, and meeting Mr. DODGSON and Mr. PEARSON, he came back with them immediately. They went into the kitchen, and I went to bed. I saw him in the yard when I got up. I don't know whether he left Kirkandrews on Sunday night after I went to bed. The disinterment of his wife was never mentioned by him, or in his presence. I was never present when he prepared anything for Mrs. GRAHAM. He seemed to pay her great attention. It being now half-past two, the Court was adjourned for three quarters of an hour. [to be continued]