Saturday 31 May 1845 (p. 3, col. 4-5) Part 2 SECOND EDITION. ----- JOURNAL OFFICE, 2 o'Clock. ADJOURNED INQUEST. [continued] Benjamin MITCHELL-I live at Kirkandrews. I am a husbandman under Mr. BESWICK, the tenant of the Kirkandrews farm. I was servant with Mr. GRAHAM for two years and a quarter before that, and Mr. GRAHAM still lodges in the same house. I remember the Sunday before Mr. John GRAHAM died. I found a parcel in the turnip house at the fore end of last hay time. I discovered it myself. I was looking on the wall head, in the turnip house, for a scythe strickle (sharping stone). When I pulled it down a parcel fell down. It was a paper parcel, and there were directions on it about the size of the label on a lucifer match box lid. The bulk of the parcel was like a quarter of a pound of coffee. I did not read the words; they were dusty and dirty. I put it back again without opening it, and did not observe whether there was poison in it, but it struck my mind it was something to poison rats with. This was about last hay time. I put it back. Hearing some rumours on the Sunday night about poison, I went and took it down from about the same place where I had put it. I found it in the very same state as I had put it by. To the best of my knowledge it was. There was no thread about it, but it was tightly wapped [sic] up; it was like it was glued to, or fastened together by something. The paper was not loose, but one end was bulged by the fall it had got. I took it into the house before I opened it. My master and the housekeeper were in the kitchen. I sat down and opened it in their presence. I rather tore it, because it was stiff fastened up. I tore it up by the middle, and found there were three covers: on that next the powder, which was inside, the word "Poison" was written. There was another word I could not make out-it was not printed, but more like copperplate. There were also the letters A. S. I did not notice whether there was any space between them. I can read. I am sure "Poison" was on the inside paper. The powder was like ground brick, rather yellow, but like flour. It was betwixt yellow and white. There was about as much as a quarter pound of coffee. I took a small pinch and put in my mouth. I couldn't find any taste, but spat it out, and did not swallow any. While I had it in my hand the housekeeper said, "Give us hauld of it," and I gave her it, and she took it and threw it in the fire. We were tied to say it was poison, when "Poison" was set on't. Margaret ROBSON is the housekeeper. I have had some conversation with John GRAHAM about this poison yesterday, not before. He began the conversation. He was in a great fury-a great rage of passion. This was on a piece of waste common, on the road side, where I was working. He began saying "Oh! Ben, oh! Ben, what have you done to me?" I said I had done nothing. Nothing more was said at that time; he went away and left me. He went into a field adjoining the canal, where he met my master, John BESWICK. They both came back to me with a man of the name of BAINBRIDGE. CORONER-Well, what passed? Witness-I can't tell. CORONER-You have a good many secrets, you know you told the police officer. Witness-I am not bound to tell them. CORONER-But you are though, and you must tell all you know in reference to this matter that passed. Witness-Mrs. GRAHAM said, when he came back, that I had circulated a report that the parcel had been opened into. I said I never had said so. We went down the road all together to the house. I can't recollect what more was said, my memory's very bad. CORONER-You must try to refresh it; we want the whole of the conversation on the occasion. If you wont tell us, I must send you to another room and you must wait there till your memory is refreshed. Witness-We went into the house and sat down. Mr. GRAHAM began to scold me. I said I had some secrets to tell him if he would go out. He put his fist to my face, and said "you are a G--damned liar." The secrets were not concerning the poison. By Mr. MOSS-When he said "oh Ben, what have you done?" I knew what he alluded to. I heard of the poisoning. He wanted to know whom I had told that I had found the poison. I said to Miss BLAMIRE's working man. By the CORONER-He went to the door with me. He said the poison had been in the house several years, and that he had bought it from a man going about as a rat-catcher, and his wife would not allow it to remain in the house. He said nothing about it being opened; I can affirm myself it was never opened. I then left. I can't recollect anything more being said about the poison. I have not seen him since. CORONER-Has there been any difference in the behaviour of John GRAHAM lately? Witness-He has not been steady and settled in his habits as he used to be. CORONER-How long is it since you observed this change? Witness-All last summer he seemed to have a great deal of trouble about him. He was always uneasy; he couldn't sit, but was walking up and down the fold-yard. In the summer before he was engaged as a brewer's traveller. I was not at home when he dressed himself before he went to Newcastle. When he spoke to me on the side of the road, he said I had told the story about the parcel in different lights. I met Mr. GRAHAM on the road, with his carpet bag in his hand, on the day he went away. He was going towards Carlisle, but said nothing to me. I next saw him the day after the old man died. He did not speak to me at all. I have had no conversation with him since the old man's death before yesterday. CORONER-Now then, have you told us all you know about the matter? Witness-Yes, all I recollect. CORONER-Then what did you refer to when you told the policeman yesterday that you knew a good many secrets? Witness-They do not refer to this matter at all. The CORONER having read over part of the above evidence, when he came to that part which related to the colour of the poison, A JUROR asked-What kind of brick was that you alluded to when you said the powder resembled it? Witness-Ground brick, like that used for cleaning knives. A JUROR-That is nothing like white. The CORONER-I beg your pardon, it is often almost white. A JUROR-It does not matter much, it his words we want. The CORONER-What might be the weight of the parcel? Witness-It seemed very heavy for its bulk. The CORONER-Did the arsenic, when it was thrown into the fire, give out any smell. Witness-I don't know, I have not much smell in my nose. I have a polypus in it, and it prevents me. Witness then signed his evidence. Ann LITTLE-I live at Grinsdale, and am a widow. I received two cakes from John GRAHAM's house, on Saturday was a week. I had been there cleaning, and she gave me them when I left. I took them home, and put them into the clock case. I did not cut them, but took them back again on the Monday, and gave them to Esther HOWNAM. I also got the parings of the upper side of the cake. Two of my little girls ate it. They were both sick in consequence. One of them ate the piece of cake on the Saturday and she was taken ill immediately. She was very sick, and threw up; but she did not complain; she is only four years old. The other took it on the Sunday. I was from home that day. When Mrs. GRAHAM gave me the cakes she says, "I'll give you these cakes, if you'll venture to eat them; I don't know that anything ails them myself." I put them in the clock case to prevent the children getting them, because I knew Mary ANDREW had been ill. I was afraid there was something wrong in them, and that the children might get them. When I took them back I told her the girls had been poorly and I durst not keep them. This was on the Sunday evening. She told me to bring them back, and said she would put them with the others. I did not go to Mr. GRAHAM's house after he was ill, till the Friday morning, when I went, at seven o'clock, to seek my milk. I saw both John GRAHAM and his wife; they were very poorly and said they had been ill through the night. I said I was very sorry, but did not inquire what had been the matter. I did not stop, but went away, and did not see them again till the Saturday. They were still poorly, but I did not see them. I don't know anything more about the matter. The CORONER-Has any one been speaking to you as to what you should say when you came here? Has any one ever said take care and say nothing about my poor John? Witness-Never. The piece of cake they took was a very little bit, and it made them both very poorly. The larger girl had been worse of the two, but I was away and did not see her. I can't say whether she complained of a pain in the bowels. The evidence was read over to the witness, and she put her mark to it. The examination of the Medical witnesses, with other evidence, will be published in a THIRD EDITION.