The Proceedings of the Old Bailey

 

408.   WILLIAM KINGSTON VANCE (24), and   ELLEN SNEE (29), were indicted for unlawfully conspiring to kill and murder the said   Ellen Snee. Second Count—To murder a person unknown. Other Counts vary. ing the form of charging the conspiracy.

THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL, The Solicitor-General, with Messrs. Poland and BOWEN conducted the Prosecution; MESSRS. COLLINS and McCALL appeared for Vance; and MR. FRANCIS, with MR. HORACE AVORY for Snee.

  GEORGE CLARKE . I am chief inspector of the Police Detective Department—on 21st April last I went to 59, Euston Road, and there saw the prisoner Vance—I said "Mr. Vance"—he said "Yes"—I said "I am an inspector of police and I hold a warrant for your arrest;" I read the warrant to him, the warrant mentioned the name of Quarll—he said "Quite right, I have been in communication with a person of that name, I am a medical student, but I did not intend to murder anyone, come up to my room," and he asked me to speak quietly—I went up and said "I shall search here for letters"—he opened a box with a key that he took from his pocket and handed me this letter (produced) and said "This is the only one I have left." (Read: marked E, 20/2/76.—"Dear Sir, I make no question you could be of service to me, the question is, will you? The solatium I offer is 100l. The conditions these. I am tired of my life. I could do a great deal of good to a person I am interested in by leaving the world just now, and one way or another I am resolved to do so, but, if possible, I should prefer not to wound the feelings of the person who will gain most by my death by allowing it to be supposed voluntary. Besides, the most merciful verdict of a coroner's jury will he sufficient to invalidate my will Now, although I have some acquaintance with medicine and chemistry, I know of no drug or combination of drugs which would do this for me with out risk of discovery. It is possible you may.' It is not absolutely essential that the supposed means should be painless or even very quick in their results. If some artery could be hurt with any plausible appearance of accident, assistance summoned too late, etc. I am willing to allow time for experiments, have no objection to a personal interview, and will give any any assurance of bondfides that may be thought necessary; I only request that this communication be considered strictly private. Yours faithfully, M. Q. Address to these initials, at the P.O., Junction Road, Kentish Town, N.W.") There were several large boxes there—I found one containing a large quantity of drugs, which I took possession of—they were all locked—he unlocked more than one—the first box contained a large quantity of letters—I took him into custody and took him to the station, he there gave the name of William Kingston Vance—I took the box containing the drugs to  Dr. Bond, of Parliament Street—among other bottles I found one, a chloral bottle empty, with Corbyn's label on it—this is it (produced)—I then went with Sergeant Butcher to 48, Crowndale Road, Canden Town—the door was opened by the female prisoner—I said "Mrs. Snee"—she

said "Yes"—I said "I wish to speak to you"—she said "You had better come upstairs to my room"—I went up—I said "I am an inspector of police and I hold a warrant to arrest you"—I read it to her—she expressed some surprise and said "I have not harmed any one." (The warrant was for conspiring with Vance to murder a person unknown.) The other warrant has the name of Quarll in it—I read both the warrants to her—I have three warrants, they are worded in a different way—I am not sure which of these two I read to her—after reading them she said "I have not harmed any one, and did not intend to harm or murder any person; I have been very weak and ill and I meant the drugs for myself, and I intended to have them by me in case I was ill again, but the powder I received smelt so horrible I could not use it, the other in the bottle I poured away, and broke the bottle. I sent the powder back the same day as I sent the post-office order, and that I intended for the trouble I had given the person who answered the advertisement I had put in the newspaper"—I am not quite sure whether she said the "Daily Telegraph" or not—she said "I have never seen the person"—I said "I must search for letters"—she said "You will not find any, I have destroyed them all, even the blotting paper"—I saw this diary on the table—I turned to look at it, and she said "That is my diary," and she called my attention to one or two entries that she had made in it—she said that she had been very lonely after her husband left, and if it had not been for the sister-in-law who had been stopping with her she should not have known what she should have done—I do not remember which were the entries she pointed out; they did not appear to me to be of any consequence at the time—several leaves of the diary are turned down—on two of the leaves I found the impression of. the name of William Quarll, it is very plain on one; they are about the dates of 31st January and 9th February—I only see one now—I took (her to the station and she there gave the name of Ellen Snee—I produce a copy of the "Daily Telegraph" of Friday, 18th February, also some letters which I received from the post-office authorities upon the Secretary of State's warrant—I opened them in the presence of the Solicitor to the Treasury—there are six altogether, but one envelope contains several—I also received a "Globe" newspaper.

Cross-examined by MR. COLLINS. 59, Euston Road is a private boarding-house called the Bell Hotel—when I read the warrant to Vance he said that he did not intend to harm or murder anybody—he also said "I will give you every facility, but you will find no other letters of the person I have corresponded with"—he did not say that he had only kept this letter as a curiosity, or any words to that effect—when he handed me the letter, he said "This is the only letter I have kept, you will find the others are private letters from friends—he did not use the word "curiosity" or "as a curious affair"—I should have recollected if he had said anything of the sort, and I am positive he did not, not at any time—Butcher and Manton were with me, they were in and about the room, not all the time—I believe they heard pretty much all that was said—he could not have said anything to the other officers that I did not hear.

Cross-examined by MR. FRANCIS. Before I read the warrant to Mrs. Snee I told her I had come to arrest her—she appeared startled and. a good deal alarmed and surprised—the letter marked A I received a day or two before 20th April—there is no date to it—the envelope is 23rd February

—all the other letters came into my possession at the same time, two or three days after they were in custody.

  JOHN GORDON MANNERING . I am a surgeon, of 49, Brady Street, Bethnal Green—I know the prisoner Vance—I first became acquainted with him at the latter part of August last, I engaged him to assist me as my locum tenens, to take my practice while I was away for a few days—I understood that he had completed his curriculum and that he was preparing to go up for his M.D. examination some time early in the year—he was introduced to me through a medical agency—he acted for me very satisfactorily for ten days in August—he came to me again for a week at Christmas, he then acted as my assistant—he returned again on 22nd February for two days, on the 22nd and 23rd—I knew his address, 59, Euston Road—while he was with me he had access to my surgery and to the drugs in it, in the ordinary way—I have frequently seen him write—to the best of my belief this envelope marked B and the letter contained in it marked A are in his handwriting—my house was formerly No. 53, Brady Street, it is no 49. (Letter A read; "59, Euston Road, N.W., Wednesday. My dear Sir,—It occurs to me I may not have very clearly explained my suggested modus operandi; one thinks of many things pertinent after closing the letter for post. Referring to your note of 20th, I must say there is risk of discovery with whatever mode of death; for the registrar requires notice of 'cause of death' from medical attendant. Should this be not forthcoming, an inquest, and in all cases of sudden decease, an inquest. If a person die under unnatural or suspicious conditions and the matter hushed up and no inquest, this implies the distinct connivance of friends. But you desire to have your friend or friends ignorant of any premeditated design and no doctor called in attendance, under these circumstances there must ensue a coroner's inquiry. My plan is this: Sudden death allowed, or apparently suspicious death acknowledged, still a favourable verdict may be returned which in no way can invalidate a will made antecedent to death, probably many weeks. The peculiarity of my suggestion is that although the actual cause of death is found out, and that a narcotic, yet the verdict will be the most lenient, viz., 'By misadventure, or as it is phrased sometimes more specifically' The deceased was in the habit of taking chloral, and died from an overdose incautiously adminstered by himself.' I can arrange details to 'square' with this and submit them to you at our meeting, or on paper. If you like, chloral might be administered to a dog or cat or you might try yourself an ordinary dose, and be thereby cognisant of the bond fides of the agent. Upon mature consideration, I know of no more feasible method. The cases of the poisoners, Pritchard and Palmer, both doctors were ingenous, yet they were detected. They lived before these chloral times. As an anatomist and medical jurist, I altogether frown on any attempt to excite arterial rupture, &c., and am willing to adduce reasons. I would desire this for several reasons (a) to get rid of the affair, have it off my mind, which is natural and necessary; (b) I am expecting to be summoned to Liverpool any of these days to meet my brother-in-law, returning in a sailing vessel from San Francisco; (c) a cousin of mine, en route for Hamburg, is coming to 59, Euston Road, to stay a few days, and if I be not at Liverpool next Tuesday I want to be at his service. I write this letter at 53, Brady Street, Bethnal Green, E., where I am since yesterday doing full duty for Surgeon Mannering. We have a surgery here and I have access to the drugs, bottles, and labels, &c. I return to Euston Road to-night and will have a supply of the drug. If you adopt my

theory we might arrange to meet, and then take leave of the subject. You can select your own fit time. Expecting a reply.—Believe me, Sir, in confidence, yrs., W. K. V.—M. Q." I also believe this letter of 12th April, 1876, with the initials W. K. V. to be in Vance's writing, also this letter of Thursday, 12.30 at noon, in the same envelope marked F. (These letters were read as follows: Envelope addressed"To be called for, M. V., 149, Kentish Town Road, Post-office, N.W. April 9. Dear Sir,—I cannot thank you enough for the admirable way in which you have managed everything. My niece knows nothing of your being a medical man. I have given her to understand you are something of a virtuoso, and that the box contained impressions from antique seals, also that I owe you a great deal of money. I am inclined to think that the chloral will be perfectly satisfactory. I should like to know if there is any likelihood of its strength evaporating, especially in the corked bottle It is possible that this may get somewhat wasted with sniffing and experimenting, and that a further supply may be necessary, but I will, try not. Supposing I do not give the dog his, a portion of it diluted would, I suppose, do for me in every sense of the term. Is a portion of it equal to six teaspoons full of the labelled bottle quite certain in its effect? If you can assure me of this I shall not want any other me-diam, except, perhaps, a drop or two of prussic acid in a tiny phial in case of failure with the dog-; but that I can let you-know. I think I had better get a little oil of peppermint at any ordinary chemist's. Tell me what quantity will suffice. I shall be in the City early to-morrow, and will post your fee whole, after drawing it out. I do not think there is any danger, and you will want it for your holiday, perhaps. Don't forget the bill. I can trust my niece to see it paid, but you may have to wait six months after the event. This lovely weather has given me great desire to see one particular spot of country in the North for the last time. I think I shall start on Tuesday afternoon and give myself a week's holiday. This may defer the event till Easter Tuesday or Wednesday, but cannot make much difference to you. Tell me in your next if the Euston Road address is good for six months.—Yours most faithfully, Wm. Quarll. In what way is alcohol a poison? I have somewhere met with the following passage: 'Arsenic will not destroy life so quickly asalcohol, for the former has to decompose the structure of the stomach, whereas alcohol directly assails the principle of life in the nervous system." "59, Euston Road, N.W., 12/4/76. Dear Sir,—I notified to P.O., K. T. Rd. (149), that I received your letter, Monday. But I feared to reply to the old place lest you thought of changing your address. I hope this may not cause unpleasant delay. The prussie acid is quite ready for post, and as for the essence of peppermint, you will find some three or four drops suffice to flavour, and neutralise odour. Alcohol kills like chloral—both are narcotic, they induce sleep and simulate apoplexy. Sometimes apoplectic folks lying in the street are taken for dead drunk. My full name is William Kingston Vance. Let my address remain, 59, Euston Road, N.W. If you keep the solutions corked carefully they evaporate little. The dog's portion would do you, the full half of it is sure to be effectual. Your own share is diluted, and doubly so, for having found that the fluid rushed about in the bottle (filled more than half) and made a noise when the packet for your niece was shaken, I filled up the bottle with water. Let the label remain, but (should you use your own solution) take two good tablespoons. It might be a good plan, having abstracted your dose, before swallowing, to pour in some clear water, but not to the extent of filling, for if the solution were found very strong and

undiluted, suspicion were aroused. You understand you may employ either bottle. If the smaller, abstract a full half, and then pour in a little water. If the larger, abstract two tablespoonfuls, then pour in a little water, Whichever bottle you use. throw the other away, and let the bottle you employ be left on the mantelpiece or table, not hard by the bed. Let no specimen of my writing, save that relating to debt, be found; and let all around you remain in usual condition, to imply absence of design. The entire affair is to show prima facie accident." "April 13th, 1876. Dear Sir,—The vile weather on Monday, and a sharp attack of rheumatism prevented my visit to the City, or to K. T. until this morning. There I found your card. Please reply to, and return last letter (also this) to M. V. 149, K. T. Road. I have deferred my week's visit to my native place until the weather is more propitious. The remittance only awaits your further advice. Do you wish it sent to Euston Road? I missed your letters much, Can't you tell me about the alcohol, and draw out the bill I spoke of to you?—Yours faithfully, William Quarll." "Thursday, 12.30 o'clock, noon. Yours received. I will go with this to Kentish Town Road, 149, and drop it in immediately. I am anxious to have remittance to-day. Bank holiday to-morrow. Can you send by some trusty person to me at this address I You might wire if you think proper. I should so like the money directly. I shall write again and enclose bill, and send the prussic acid—Very truly, W. K, V.") This envelope marked G and the letter contained in it I also believe to be in Vance's writing. (Read: "Will be called for." Envelope addressed M. V, Post-office, 149, Kentish Town Road, 59.13/4/76. My dear Sir,—I had expected you would have received with the card written Monday my little letter penned last evening. This last, as the former, simply explains delay on my part. You did not renew address, so I feared to risk any more letters, left at a post-office 'to be called for,' after the history of the first batch. You will agree this is a natural scruple. I thought I had given you to understand that my address remains as now. If better I can make my address, Care of  Dr. Fuller, Oswestry, Co. Salop, or Dublin. For I only came to England three years ago, and only came to town six months back. If any hubbub were excited about my 70l. it would be unpleasant if I made out a bill dated five years back, and if it turned out I but lately came to England, and that I'm so young in the profession. Why not let it stand so; the 70l. is a loan from me to you. The sum lent, say in 1874, when I was in Oswestry, or 1875, when I was in Guernsey. You might in your will, and the body of it, direct the loan of 70l. to be returned without interest as soon as executors have paid immediate debts, or within six months. I might hold in your own writing a promissory note, and a letter alluding to the transaction, and among your papers a letter of mine might appear showing evidence of a loan. I fancy this plan is better than the bill. A 70l. medical bill would imply attendance on a long and tedious illness, of which there would be no evidence, and no evidence certainly to connect me with you as attendant. I presume you mean a medical bill. If you mean a trader's account—well, I have never had any trade association. But I might appear as a private lender. Will you think over this, and say what you consider advisable. I might hold a receipt of payment of some 10l. of the assured loan, or the loan might stand at 100l., of which 30l. have been paid, and of which the remaining 70l. is to be paid with all other various claims. As you defer holiday (and I regret this unpropitious weather, and your consequent rheumatism), there is space to communicate on this matter. On

receipt of yours this morning I forthwith replied, and enclosed your last two letters. I asked you to oblige by remitting your favour as soon as convenient. Indeed, I should have been off again to-day but for the delay in this matter. I returned from the Black Country on Wednesday morning, to be on the spot, and give the affair earnest consideration. I shall be off as soon as I again hear from you. Kindly return all entire, and believe me very sincerely, W. K. V.") This envelope marked H, and the letter enclosed are also I believe in the handwriting of Vance. (Read: Envelope endorsed "M. V., 149, P. 0., Kentish Town Road." Letter"59, Euston Road, N.W. Sabbath. My dear Sir,—When you go to 149 for your letters (if you have not gone already), you Trill find I have been diligent in explanation since receiving your last, which assured me of your address. I hope you are satisfied with my reply. I trust your attack of rheumatism is fully passed over, and that you can now enjoy a holiday. I have spent only a fraction of a holiday. I had an agreeable evening in the Black Country Tuesday, but returned to town principally at the instance of our mutual affair. I could hardly enjoy a trip with this matter hanging over me. I had hoped for a letter Saturday. I suppose there will be no delivery to-morrow (Monday) morning. But surely I shall have an answer by early Tuesday morning. I think the 50l. note carefully addressed to 59 is quite safe, we can trust to the theory of probabilities. If you reply Tuesday early, I might get off to Wales Tuesday afternoon. I, of course, will furnish you with my address there, and be happy still to answer any letters from you. I expect to be absent six or seven days, then to return to this private hotel, where I remain. It seems to me, should you desire to change place of letter receiving, there is the poste restante General Post Office and at Charing Cross. You could have an assumed name on the envelope I send you, and on giving name and place and where from expected, you immediately are handed a letter. I have the prussic acid packet ready, and will send it immediately on. Receipt of your next. What a pleasing change the weather has assumed.—Believe me, my dear sir, very cordially, W. K. V.") The address on the "Globe" newspaper of the 18th, is in the same writing, also this writing in the fold of the paper "V. Very anxious to hear from M. V., will not leave till he hears and has letters returned. The address on the envelope was "N. V., Postoffice, 149; Kentish Town Road, N.W."—some parts of this memorandum (produced) are like Vance's writing, some parts are not—the word "chloral" is very like it, I believe it to be his—the signature to this post-office order. is his.

Cross-examined by MR. COLLINS. I have considerable doubt as to the writing of this memorandum; if the word "chloral" had been put before me alone I should have said it was Vance's handwriting—I do believe it to be his—while he was with me he conducted himself entirely to my satisfaction on every occasion—I formed a very high opinion of him, if he thought of starting in practice and saw an opportunity of purchasing drugs cheaply he might do so—I think that would be a consideration with a man.

  MARY JANE HAYES . I live at the Post-office, Junction Road, Kentish Town—my husband is the receiver—I know Mrs. Snee by sight—I have seen her at the post-office—she called about the commencement of March, for letters for M. Q.—I gave her some; I could not say how many—I do not remember this envelope (B), I saw it at Bow Street, not anywhere else to my knowledge—there were several envelopes remaining at the office for

some time at the beginning of the year—I cannot remember one in particular; I sent an envelope to the Dead letter office, about the end of March—we always keep letters a month—I remember its being returned from the Dead letter office, and sent back again—after that Mrs. Snee came for a letter—I don't know whether it was that one, but it was one that had been returned to the Dead letter office—she asked if there were any more letters and a letter was given to her; I don't know which letter it was—I don't know when it was; she said something about what the initials were, but not to me; I was busy at the time—she said the letter would be addressed "M. Q," or "W. Quarll"—I remember her coming to the office on 1st April, she inquired for letters that had been returned to the General Post Office—there were none for her at that time and she left—she came on the Monday or Tuesday and asked if the letters had been returned from the General Post Office, that she had written for them—I said they had not been returned yet—she said she would come again; she came again on Wednesday, the 5th—there was one letter for her then and that was given to her—she opened and read it—she said it was from the General Post Office, and it was all right, the letters were destroyed; she said on each occasion that her letters might be addressed M. Q., or W. Quarll—that was the last time I saw her; I think a post-card was—returned with the rest of the letters to the General Post Office.

Cross-examined by MR. FRANCIS. Our rule is to keep letters for a month, and then if they are not called for, send them to the Dead letter office—in pursuance of that rule I returned a letter about the end of March; I don't remember the day—I think Mrs. Snee first called at our office at the commencement of March; I don't remember the date, we have so many—she inquired if there were any letters addressed "M.Q."—if there had been any I should have given them to her—on two occasions she said the letters might be addressed "M.Q." or "W. Quarll"—on the last occasion but one the conversation was with my husband—I heard her ask for the letters; I am sure of that, because I was at the desk, and he was obliged to come to the desk to get the letter for her.

  EMMA BROAD . I am a clerk in the post-office at Eversholt Street, Camden Town—I know the female prisoner; I believe I first saw her on 6th April—she came to the office and asked me for a money order—I gave her a requisition form; this is it (produced)—she asked me for the name of some place where it might be paid; I referred, and found there was no pay office there—she then said "It must be Welwyn, then"—I referred, and found there was a pay office there—she said "Oh, I am sure there is an office there, because my friend is doctor to the parish," or "doctor to the union," I can't remember which—she then filled up this form; I saw her write it—it is dated 6th April; it is "No. 4,817, for 2l. 2s., payable at Welwyn, Herts, to William K. Vance; sent by W. Quarll, of 20, Denbigh Street, Pimlico"—she wrote that out and left it with me—I then prepared this post-office order in accordance with the requisition form, and gave it to her—I made out the ordinary advice note and sent it down to Welwyn. (The post-office order bore the signature "William K. Vance" as the payee.) After she left with the post-office order, Manton the police-officer came in and spoke to me about what had occurred—I saw her leave the office one day after that, but I could not tell if I served her.

  WILLIAM JENKINS . I am clerk at the post-office receiving house, 149, Kentish Town Road—I know Mrs. Snee; I have seen her at our post-office

from twelve to twenty times—she first came about the first part of February for letters addressed to "'Q.W."—I do not remember whether she got any on the first occasion—she came again, and asked-for letters addressed "Q.W." or "M. V.;" she did not ask for both, but sometimes she would ask for "M.V." and sometimes "Q.W."—I could not say how many letters she had—I gave her letters from time to time so addressed—the last time she called was about five weeks ago, about a fortnight before I went before the Magistrate—these three envelopes (produced) were delivered at our office in the ordinary course; I kept them about a fortnight, and then gave them up to a Post Office official who called for them, I believe on the Saturday before I was examined before the Magistrate—I remember Mr. Payne, the solicitor, calling for them on that Saturday; I refused to give them up to him.

Cross-examined by MR. FRANCIS. The last time Mrs. Snee called was about six days before these letters came to the office.

  JOHN ROBINSON MANTON (Detective Sergeant). I received instructions to watch the post-office in the Junction Road—on 1st April I saw the female prisoner go there—when she left I followed her to the post-office, 149, Kentish Town Road; she went in there and received several letters—she afterwards went to 48, Crowndale Road—I next saw her on 5th April leave 48, Crowndale Road and go by tram to the Junction Road, Kentish Town—she went into the post-office there and received a letter; she then went to 149, Kentish Town Road and received three letters, and then went home to 48, Crowndale Road—next morning, the 6th, I again saw her leave that house and go to the post-office in Eversholt Street, Camden Town—I saw her come out—I went in at once and spoke to Miss Broad, who showed me the post-office form that had been filled up.

Cross-examined by MR. FRANCIS. All these post-offices are open shops into which customers go—it was daylight on each occasion—there were people about, but I could see distinctly what she received by looking through the window—there were people in the shops who I imagine might hear what she inquired for.

  ELIZABETH BRAND . I am assistant postmistress—at Welwyn, Herts—I know the prisoner Vance—last month he was assistant to  Dr. Kyte, of Welwyn—he came to the post-office and presented this post-office order—I asked him who the remitter was; he said Quarll—he brought the order ready signed—I paid him the two guineas and stamped the order "7th April, 1876."

  WILLIAM JAMES . I am assistant to Messrs. Corbyn, chemists, of 300, High Holborn—on 8th April last I remember a person coming to our shop—I could not say whether Vance is the person or not—he wrote out this memorandum in my presence, and I supplied him with an ounce bottle of liquid chloral—this bottle produced is a retail bottle with a wholesale label upon it—we never supply things of this sort in the retail; it was a wholesale transaction supplied in a retail bottle—that was not on account of supposing him to be a medical man, but on account of the wholesale department being closed on Saturday afternoons—I charged medical price for it—this is the bottle I supplied.

Cross-examined by MR. COLLINS. We should hare 2,000 bottles of this sort, I should think, in our establishment—we have a great many assistants—it is a usual retail bottle, but it has the wholesale label upon it—we have some thousands of the same sort of labels—to the belt of my belief

this is the bottle I supplied—we do not supply it over the retail counter at all—the gentleman had been accustomed to get things from the wholesale department and that was the reason I supplied him, by his giving the written order—I should not have supplied him unless he was a medical man—I should not always supply a medical man with a similar bottle and label if the wholesale establishment was closed; there would be some little difficulty perhaps in finding a label, I had to go to the wholesale department for it—the retail assistants do not know the wholesale department; I did on this occasion—I have been two years with Messrs. Corbyn; there are other assistants who have been there longer—they know as much of the wholesale department as I do.

Re-examined. This bottle with the description upon it corresponds with the order produced; there is no writing on it, it is a printed label—the memorandum is "Please supply one oz. liquid choloral, I grain equal to 1 minim. W. Bennett, Temple Gate, Leeds"—on the bottle is "Liquid chloral hydrate, each minim contains I grain of pure chloral hydrate. Dose, 10 to 60 minims. Corbyn and Co., 300, Holborn"—we do not sell this particular kind of chloral over the retail counter—it is generally supplied hi the form of syrup—we have a large consumption of chloral—it is never supplied in this form except to surgeons and medical men—it is commonly supplied to them; it is very convenient for their use; it saves them weighing the chloral salt—we supply it of a certain strength, so that they can use it when they want it.

  NEWTON SMITH . I am a clerk in the advertisement department of the "Daily Telegraph"—on the 16th February this draft advertisement was brought to the office for the purpose of being inserted—the price was 4s.—I have entry of it in this book—I do not remember who brought it—it appeared on the 18th.

  MARY KEELEY . I am the wife of Henry Keeley and keep the Bell Hotel, 59, Euston Road—it is a private hotel—the prisoner Vance lodged there—he came on 3rd August and stayed till 21st December, 1875—he came again on Saturday, 5th February, and stayed till 4th 'March, 1876, he came again on 9th April and stayed till he was taken into custody——I knew that he was a medical student—we have envelopes at our hotel for the use of our customers with a stamp on them, similar to that upon the envelopes produced, marked F and G.

Cross-examined by MR. COLLINS. We always had the highest opinion of him; he always behaved as a gentleman, and was most kind.

  MILDRED ALICE THORNTON . I am the wife of James Thornton, of 48, Crowndale Road, Camden Town—we let lodgings—Mrs. Snee and her husband came to lodge with us some time in November, 1875, and they have lodged there ever since—they have a little boy named Freddy; he is now at school—he was once at our house with his parents—Miss Elizabeth Mary Snee, a sister of Mr. Snee, used to come and visit them almost every day—she stayed in the house at one time for two or three nights, I think—Mr. Snee was a traveller, and used to go away a good deal—about 15th February last he left to go on one of his journeys, and Mrs. Snee continued to lodge with me—he came home a few days after she was arrested—after Mr. Snee went on his journey Miss Snee came to stay at the house some short time; three or four days, I think; but she called almost every day—she and Mrs. Snee were very friendly for aught I know; they used to go out together—I have not seen the little boy since a little after

Christmas—there was no one living at our house of the name of Quarll; I know nothing of any such person—the Snees had the second floor—I don't know whether Mrs. Snee read a good deal—she appeared to go out every day almost—I believe she was fond of music—I don't know whether she wrote much; I never posted any letters for her—I have not seen her write; I don't know her writing—she has written one letter to me; I have not got it—I heard that she kept a diary; I did not see it—I know nothing of Vance—Mrs. Snee had three cats, no dog—I gave her a cat; that was one of the three—they were all alive when she was arrested—I heard that one of them was not well; I did not see it—Mrs. Snee told me it was not well; I think she said it had been sick—I don't know how long that was after her husband had gone away—it was quite a young cat, a kitten—I can't tell how long she had had that kitten before she said it had been sick—she brought it home with her one day; she did not tell me where she had got it—it was not the kitten I had given to her—at the time her husband, went away she had one cat; that was the one I gave her, a kitten—after the. husband left she-got two other kittens; it was one of those two she said had been ill—I think she sometimes suffered a good deal of pain; I don't know where; she complained of feeling poorly; I don't think it lasted long—they had one bed-room and two sitting-rooms, and their own furniture.

Cross-examined by MR. FRANCIS. The three kittens were very young—I think I gave her one somewhere about Christmas time—I had rather an objection to so many kittens being kept—I don't know when she had the second one, or the third—we both thought the kitten was sick in consequence of its being brought away from the mother so young—that kitten is alive now—she was very fond of it—one was lost on one occasion, and she showed a good deal of distress about it—her husband came back in consequence of her being arrested—I did not make inquiries about them when they took the lodging—he travels abroad for Bass & Co. the great brewers.

Re-examined. I think it was about a month before her husband came home that the kitten was ill.

  MATTHEW HARE . Last April I lived at 20, Denbigh Place, Pimlico—the landlady of the house had been away some time, and I had the management of it—I know of no person named William Quarll living there—I do not know either of the prisoners.

  THOMAS BOND . I practice at 50, Parliament Street, I am a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons and Lecturer on Forensic Medicine at the Westminster Hospital—on 25th April, I received from Inspector Clarke, a quantity of drugs, amongst them a bottle of Corbyn's that has been produced—I could tell by the smell that it had contained chloral—liquid chloral, if taken in a strong dose is destructive to life—I should say a full ounce was quite certain to destroy life—this bottle would contain equivalent to I oz. of solid chloral—to the best of my judgment and knowledge the half of it would cause death—the effect of a fatal dose of chloral is that the patient passes away and leave no trace of having been poisoned, beyond the symptoms of. coma and great sleep; we should not find anything upon a post-mortem examination to communicate the precise nature of the thing which had caused death, except by an analysis of the" contents of the stomach, then it would be possible, if we analysed recently, by distillation to get the volatile particles of chloral which would be the same were it, either chloral or chloroform; it is very quickly absorbed, it would be impossible to find it except upon a very complete examination,. shortly

after death—in the box that was brought to me I found some prussic acid in these two bottles—here is 1oz. sold in a wholesale condition, and 6 drachms in an unlabelled bottle—I have tested it, this is the dilute prussic acid of the British Pharmacopoeia, from four or five minims to a drachm of that would cause death—here are 8 drachms and 6 drachms, fourteen altogether—a smaller quantity than a drachm might produce death, but a drachm might certainly—there is enough in these two bottles to kill fourteen people—I found no chloral except the empty bottle—there were 46 grains of strychnine—from half a grain to a grain of strychnine is poisonous, a grain certainly would be fatal—it would not be sold to the public in this form, the medical preparations of strychnine are made from that—I also found 2 drachms 25 grains of bi-chloride of mercury, corrosive sublimate, that is a deadly poison; from 2 or 3 to 5 grains would cause death, even less, say from 2 to 5 or 10 grains—I also found a large quantity of laudanum, a bottle of powdered opium, morphia and tincture of bella donna, those are all poisonous, more or less.

Cross-examined by MR. COLLINS. I have no list of the drugs that were given to me; I have them at my house, they are ordinary common drugs, a large quantity—I picked out the poisons from a very large quantity of drugs—each of these poisons carefully and properly administered are such as medical men employ continually—there were forty or fifty different kinds of drugs in quantities, varying from a few grains to a considerable quantity—it would fill three or four sheets of foolscap to enumerate them, they were simple kinds of drugs.

  JOHN PATNE . I am acting as Mrs. Snee's attorney—I went to the postoffice, 149, Kentish Town Road, to call for some letters—I was instructed on her behalf on the Saturday morn ing after the first remand—I went for the letters immediately afterwards—I have known her a good many years—I believe this (the advertisement) is her handwriting. (Read: "To medical men in need of money, or students well up in chemistry and anatomy. A gentleman engaged in an interesting experiment is willing to give liberal remuneration for professional assistance, Q. W., Post Office, Junction Road, Kentish Town, N.W." I believe this letter marked E to be her writing. (This was dated 30th March, signed William Quarll, addressed to the postmaster requesting that any letters addressed to M. Q. might be returned to the Post Office, Kentish Town.) This letter (D) I believe to be her writing. (This was dated April 4th, 1876, signed William Quarll, addressed to the Postmaster-General requesting the return of letters addressed to "Q. W." or "M. Q") Two extracts from the diary were read as follows: "Tuesday, 25th January, Fred has conducted himself most grossly in company with Charley and Ben Pearson—compelled to retaliate; I made a vow, I mean to keep it, he made a promise, will he keep it? time will show." "15th February. Fred went to Rottermam."

MR. FRANCIS submitted that the counts charging the statutable misdemeanour of conspiring to kill and murder Ellen Snee could not be supported; the section of the statute (24 and 25 Vic, c. 100, sec. 4) evidently being intended to apply to a conspiracy to murder a third person, and not one of the parties charged, and there being no sufficient evidence to justify such a finding. He further urged (on the authority of "Reg. v. Burgess," Lee and Cave, p. 258) that an attempt to commit suicide was not an attempt to commit murder, and would only be a common law misdemeanour. As to the fifth count, charging a conspiracy that Ellen Snee should murder herself, and that Vance should said,

abet, and assist her; in order to constitute a principal in the second degree, it was necessary that there should be an actual or constructive presence; that there was no such evidence here, and, therefore, that count must fail. MR. HORACE AVORY referred to a passage in" East's Pleas of the Crown," where a distinction appeared to be drawn between suicide and murder. THE SOLICITOR-GENERAL admitted that if the indictment were not for conspiracy he might be induced to yield to the argument advanced; but, in looking at the peculiar language of the section, the first branch of it was absolute and unqualified, "All. persons who shall conspire to murder any person? It was only in the second branch that the word "other" occurred. With respect to the other objection, it was for the fury to say what the real nature of the conspiracy was; the evidence was sufficient to warrant a general finding, which might apply to the intent to murder a person unknown, and the sixth count charged the offence in thai form. Referring to" Hale's Pleas of the CROWN" and" Jervis on Coroners" as an answer to the distinction attempted to be drawn between suicide and murder, he drew attention to" Reg. v. Burgees " as a case decided under a different section (the 15th), and the decision there was that that section did not apply to an attempt to commit self-murder. Mr. JUSTICE MELLOR (after consulting MR. BARON CLEASRY) was of opinion that the 4th section applied to a conspiracy to murder a third person, and not one of the parties charged. As to the—seamd count, charging the common law offence, he should hold, for the purpose of to-day, that it sufficiently alleged the offenee. The other objections were on the record, and, if necessary, might be taken before a Court of Error.

Vance received an excellent character.

VANCE— GUILTY — Eighteen Months' Imprisonment.

SNEE— GUILTY — Six Months' Imprisonment.

The Jury recommended both prisoners to mercy, Vance on account of his good character, and Snee on account of her frequent illness and the absence of her husband.