A complete report of the trial of Dr. E. W. Pritchard, for the alleged poisoning of his wife and mother-in-law. Reprinted, by special permission, from the 'Scotsman' / Carefully revised by an eminent lawyer.

  • Eminent lawyer.
Date:
1865
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A complete report of the trial of Dr. E. W. Pritchard, for the alleged poisoning of his wife and mother-in-law. Reprinted, by special permission, from the 'Scotsman' / Carefully revised by an eminent lawyer. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

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    You were in the seiwice of Dr Pritchard in Glasgow, I believe ? Yes. When did you go there. In Whitsunday 1863. Were you housemaid and nurse? Yes You would be under fifteen when you went, were you ? Yes. You remember Catherine the cook, going to Carlisle to see her brother? Yes. Was Mrs Pritchard quite well when Catherine was away, or did she turn ill when she was away ? She had a little cold. She was well otherwise? Yes. And did her cold continue to distress her for sometime? Yes. You knew that she went to Edinburgh about the end of November to her father’s? Yes. Now, between the time that she first took ill, when Catherine was away and her going to her father’s, was her health generally good or bad ? She did not complain of anything in particular. Was she sometimes sick before she went to Edinburgh ? Yes. Did you see her sick yourself ? Yes. Was she vomiting? Yes. Was the sickness fre- quent or seldom ? She was often sick. Before she went to Edinburgh, was she often sick ? Not so often as she was after she returned, but still often. You had charge of attending her bed-room ? Yes. When was she generally sick—at what time of day? Sometimes in the afternoon. After dinner ? Sometimes after dinner, and sometimes before dinner. Before she went to Edinburgh, was she confined to bed for some time. do not mean immediately before, but some time before Catherine returned from Car- lisle ? Yes._ How long, according to your recollection? Not very long. Did she ever pass a day without being sick and vomiting ! Yes. Was that immediately before she went to Edinburgh, or further back ? I mean, did she get better for some time before she went to Edinburgh ? Before that, and when she was confined to bed, was she gene- rally sick every day ? Sometimes she was not sick every day. Then all you can say is that she was very often sick, but that she sometimes got better before she went to Edin- burgh ? Yes. Was there any doctor attending her besides her husband before she went to Edinburgh? No. Did she get any medicine, so far as you know? Yes. What medi- cine? I could not say what. What like was it—powder or liquid? Liquid. And what colour? White. Did you procure it for her? Yes. It was some white liquid in a doctor’s bottle? Yes. Was it clear hke water or white like milk? White like milk. What it was you don’t know ? No. Did she get anything else ? Yes; red powders. Where were these got, do you know ? Did you buy any of them ? No, I ordered them. W'^ho told you to get them ? The doctor gave me a line to go for them. The prisoner there ? Yes. The Lord Justice-Clerk—Did he give you a prescription to get them? Yes. The Solicitor-General—And some of these powders were in the house after the prisoner was apprehended? Yes. And I think you told where they were to be found? Yes. {Several powders were produced.] When did she return from Edinburgh ? Some time before Christmas. Was it a long time before Christmas or a short time before Christ- mas ? It was part of a week. And her mother came with her and remained a short time? Yes. And her eldest daughter ? Yes. How long did they remain ? Was it two or three days or longer? Longer than that. After she returned from Edinburgh had she any sickness ? Yes. Immediately after or sometime after ? Sometime after. How was she when she came back ? Did she appear to be better ? She seemed to have a little cold. But no sickness ? No. And no vomiting ? She was sick soon after she came back. How long after ? A few days. What w'as the sickness you saw a few days after she returned from Edinburgh ? She Was vomiting. Where ? In the pantry. That adjoins the dining-room ? Yes. At what time of day was it ? It was at night. By the Lord Justice-Clerk—At what hour of the night? About twelve o’clock at night. By the Solicitor-General—Did she leave the dining-room to go into the pantry ? Yes. Did she leave any one in the dining-room when she left it ? No. Had she been there alone ? Yes. How long had she been alone from the time the rest of the family had gone away ? Not long. Her mother was with her then ? Yes. Had they gone to bed? They had gone to their bed-rooms, but whether they had gone to bed or not I can’t say. You mean the mother and daughter? Yes. And Dr Pritchard, the prisoner, where was be? Upstairs. In his bed-room, too? Yes, Then was it just after the others had retired to rest that you heard her go into the pantry and become sick ? Yes. Where were you at the time ? I was downstairs. And you heard her retching ? Yes. Did you go to her? Yes. In the pantry? Yes. And how did you find her? She was vomiting. Was she very sick ? Yes. Did she say anything to you ? No. She did not speak? No. Did you not speak to her ? No; I gave her hot water. Did she ask for it? No. She said nothing to you or you to her? No. Did you see any more that night? Did you go up to her bed-room with her ? No. Well, when did you see her next ? I saw her next morning. In her bed-room ? Yes. And how was she ? She was a little better. Did she remain in her bed a part of the next day ? Yes. Till when ? Till be- tween twelve and one o’clock. She got up then ? \ es. Before that she had been get- ting up to breakfast at the usual time ? Yes. What was the usual time ? About nine.