Celebrated trials of all countries, and remarkable cases of criminal jurisprudence / Selected by a member of the Philadelphia bar [i.e. J.J. Smith].

  • John Jay Smith
Date:
1835
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Celebrated trials of all countries, and remarkable cases of criminal jurisprudence / Selected by a member of the Philadelphia bar [i.e. J.J. Smith]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    138/612 (page 128)
    Q. I asked your ladyship whether you disclosed before the coroner, that Mr. Donellan told Mrs. Donellan, in your hearing, that if he had not thought of saying that he did it to put his finger in to taste, he should not have known what to have done. Did you mention that circumstance before the coroner ? A. Yes. Q. And swear it? A. Yes. Q. I believe you was examined a second time; was it upon the first or second examination 1 A. I am not certain. Q. Was your examination read over to you before you signed itl A. Yes. Q. I wish to ask your ladyship again whether this circumstance was dis- closed in your evidence 1 A. I said he told me that he did it to taste. Q. Your examination was read. There is no such thing as that contained in it. Did you mention the circumstance of the coachman being sent for into the parlour, and Mr. Donellan's asking him if he did not remember his going out at the iron gates at seven o'clock in the morning 1 and upon the servant's an- swering in the affirmative, Mr. Donellan's saying, Will, now you are my evidence ? Was that mentioned by your ladyship before the coroner? A. I mentioned it to Mr. Caldicot, but whether I mentioned it before the coroner I cannot remember. Q. Tell me the analogy, if you can, between the conversation that Mr. Donellan had with Mrs. Donellan in your presence, and his immediately sending for the coachman to know if he was up at seven o'clock or no. Did any conversation pass that led to that? A. Not that I know. Q. You said something about Mr. Donellan's mare. One of the servants informed you that the mare was about the house. In point of fact, did not the servant go upon Mr. Donellan's mare to fetch Mr. Powell ] A. I was not in the yard to see. Q. Do you not know that as a fact 1 A. I did not see him go. Q. Did you see him return 1 A. No, I did not. Q. You told Mr. Howorth that Mr. Donellan put the bottle a second time into the hands of Sarah Blundell; was that circumstance disclosed in your evidence before the coroner ? A. I do not recollect. Q. Whether you don't know that sir Theodosius did amuse himself in lay- ing poison for fish ] A. Sir Theodosius did sometimes amuse himself in laying poison for fish. Q. Where was it he put those things that he used to amuse himself with 1 A. I won't mince the matter. Q. Don't you know of his baying large quantities of arsenic ? A. He sent for a pound, and after his death a quantity of arsenic Was found in his closet. Q. Where did he use to keep that ] A. In his inner closet. Q. WThich was sometimes locked 1 A. Mostly. Mr. Howorth. You have been asked of instances of friendship shown by Mr. Donellan to your son: what was Mr. Donellan's general behaviour for some months before he died ? did he treat sir Theodosius with respect, friendr ship, and tenderness, or otherwise 1 A. About a fortnight before my son's death I heard Court. Have you heard your son say any thing about Mr. Donellan's behaviour at the time when he gave you the relation mentioned by Mr. Newn- ham 1 A. They used to have words, to be angry with each other; they did not in general live in friendship and intimacy. Mr. Newnham. It was yOur ladyship's house 1 A. Yes. Q. I presume they had those sort of words that occasionally happen in all families, more or less 1 A. I paid no great attention to it. Court. At the time you mentioned when you came down into the par- lour, Mr. and Mrs. Donellan were both there ? A. Yes. Q. How long had Mr. Donellan been gone out of the room where sir