Trial of Robert Sawle Donnall, on suspicion of poisoning Mrs. Downing, his mother in law, tried at Launceston, March 31, 1817, at the Lent Assize, for the county of Cornwall, before the Hon. Sir Charles Abbott, Knt.

  • Donnall, Robert Sawle
Date:
[1817]
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Trial of Robert Sawle Donnall, on suspicion of poisoning Mrs. Downing, his mother in law, tried at Launceston, March 31, 1817, at the Lent Assize, for the county of Cornwall, before the Hon. Sir Charles Abbott, Knt. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Arthur Williams, constable of Falmouth, he went to appre* prebend the prisoner, and going to and fro to his house many t'mes, at length on the night of the 14th of November, about 12 o'clock, he apprehended him, at his house. Mrs. Downing, the wife of J. Downing, on Thursday the 24th of October the deceased drank tea with her, and went away just before 7, she made no comolaint to her. On the 14th of November, she was at Donnald s, Mrs. D. was unwell, in about an hour and half, the prisoner entered, he appeared greatly agitated, and saidc they were come to take him/ Mrs. Donnall asked him why he was so dirty, he began to cry, and said he had made several attempts to escape, but that now he would give himself up. [Here the evidence for the Prosecution closed.] Evidence for the Prisoner. Mary Coomhe% servant to the prisoner. Her mistress wag in the habit of taking cocoa mornings and afternoons; it was usually kept in the kitchen. Witness made the cocoa on the 3d of Nov. and carried it into the room; she took the remains away after Mrs. Downing was gone ; there was some left in the pot, and some in the tea cup with a piece of bread and butter ; that in the pot she carried into the kitchen ; she drank what was in the cup, and that in the pot was warmed again next morning, and her mistress drank part of it herself, and the washerwoman drank the rest. The time before this, Mrs. Downing took coffee, and she and he boy drank what was left. W. H. Thomasi was the boy who on the former occasion took part of the coffee. He recollects on the 3d of Nov. while his master was at tea, some one came in to have a tooth drawn, he let her in, called his master, who went with the person into the Surgery, and staid there about a quarter of an hour. Sarah Weeks went to Mr. Donnall's on the 3d of Nov. ; to have a tooth drawn, the operation was performed, and she was there about a quarter of an hour. Dr. Neate, of the Close, Exeter. He has often attend- ed cases of Cholera morbus,—it generally arises from putrid bile in the intestines,—it is a disorder the most acute and most dangerous of any known in England—frequently kills the patient in 24 hours, and if neglected, or improperly treated, does it in less time. The sign of the complaint in a person of 60 years, would be constant reaching, vomitting,