Transcribed by Susan Bergeron. Geo. Carlisle Journal Friday, December 8th, 1899 Death by Misadventure at Southwaite Dr. MITCHELL'S Housekeeper Poisoned, An inquest was held at Southwaite on Saturday, before Mr. Arthur LEE, deputy Coroner, on the body of Ann ELLIOTT, aged 67, housekeeper for over thirty years for Dr. MITCHELL, Southwaite. Dr. MITCHELL deposed that latterly the deceased had not been in good health, and especially during the last week she had been ill and affected in her mind. On Wednesday she was so very strange, imagining that people were calling and trying to get into the house, that witness went for her husband to come to her, but he did not do so. On Wednesday night witness was twice disturbed, hearing her shouting and wandering about in her bedroom, and he gave her a sleeping draught. On Thursday witness was away all day and did not arrive home from a journey til after one o'clock on Friday morning. Jane ARMSTRONG, charwoman to DR. MITCHELL, deposed that deceased was very strange at night, and about eleven o'clock witness persuaded her to go to bed. The deceased replied that she would go if she had a sleeping draught, and witness could sleep with her. Deceased went to the surgery to get a sleeping draught, and as she was accustomed to all the bottles and everything in the surgery, witness did not try to prevent her doing so. Deceased looked at some bottles on a shelf, but saying "It's not there," she went to a cupboard, which she opened, and took from it a small blue bottle, which, however, was empty. She then took out another bottle similar, and poured out of it some liquid into a measure glass, which she nearly filled. She then added some water. Witness told her to be careful, but deceased replied that she knew what she was doing, and only wanted a sleeping draught. Deceased swallowed the contents, replaced the bottle, and then went upstairs. Witness followed, and deceased lay down on her bed and went to sleep fully dressed. Witness became alarmed and summoned James WILSON, groom to Dr. MITCHELL, and a neighbour, but hey could not rouse deceased, who died about an hour and a half afterwards. The bottles, which were produced, had contained prussic acid, of which deceased had taken more than three drachms. The jury returned a verdict that "deceased died from taking a dose of prussic acid in mistake for a sleeping draught." .....