Part 7 (1/2)

Did you over ask him why he drank more gruel on Tuesday night, August the 6th?--I believe I did not.

When did you make experiments on the powder delivered to you by Mr.

Norton?--I made some the next day; but many more some time afterwards.

How long afterwards?--I cannot just say; it might be a month or more.

How often had you powder given you?--Twice.

Did you make experiments with both parcels?--Yes; but I gave the greatest part of the first to Mr. King, an experienced chemist in Reading, and desired that he would examine it, which he did, and he told me that it was white a.r.s.enic. The second parcel was used in trials made by myself.

Who had the second parcel in keeping till you tried it?--I had it, and kept it either in my pocket or under lock and key.

Did you never show it to anybody?--Yes, to several persons; but trusted n.o.body with it out of my sight.

Why do you believe it to be white a.r.s.enic?--For the following reasons:--(1) This powder has a milky whiteness; so has white a.r.s.enic.

(2) This is gritty and almost insipid; so is white a.r.s.enic. (3) Part of it swims on the surface of cold water, like a pale sulphurous film, but the greatest part sinks to the bottom, and remains there undissolved; the same is true of white a.r.s.enic. (4) This thrown on red-hot iron does not flame, but rises entirely in thick white fumes, which have the stench of garlic, and cover cold iron held just over them with white flowers; white a.r.s.enic does the same. (5) I boiled 10 grains of this powder in 4 ounces of clean water, and then, pa.s.sing the decoction through a filter, divided it into five equal parts, which were put into as many gla.s.ses--into one gla.s.s I poured a few drops of spirit of sal ammoniac, into another some of the lixivium of tartar, into the third some strong spirit of vitriol, into the fourth some spirit of salt, and into the last some syrup of violets. The spirit of sal ammoniac threw down a few particles of pale sediment.

The lixivium of tartar gave a white cloud, which hung a little above the middle of the gla.s.s. The spirits of vitriol and salt made a considerable precipitation of lightish coloured substance, which, in the former hardened into glittering crystals, sticking to the sides and bottom of the gla.s.s. Syrup of violets produced a beautiful pale green tincture. Having washed the sauce pan, funnel, and gla.s.ses used in the foregoing experiments very clean, and provided a fresh filter, I boiled 10 grains of white a.r.s.enic, bought of Mr. Wilc.o.c.k, druggist in Reading, in 4 ounces of clean water, and, filtering and dividing it into five equal parts, proceeded with them just as I had done with the former decoctions. There was an exact similitude between the experiments made on the two decoctions. They corresponded so nicely in each trial that I declare I never saw any two things in Nature more alike the decoction made with the powder found in Mr. Blandy's gruel and that made with white a.r.s.enic. From these experiments, and others which I am ready to produce if desired, I believe that powder to be white a.r.s.enic.

Did any person make these experiments with you?--No, but Mr. Wilc.o.c.k, the druggist, was present while I made them; and he weighed both the powder and the white a.r.s.enic.

When did Mr. Blandy first take medicines by your order?--As soon as he could swallow, on Sat.u.r.day night, the 10th August. Before that time he was under the care of Mr. Norton.

[Sidenote: B. Norton]

BENJAMIN NORTON, examined--I live at Henley; I remember being sent for to Mrs. Mounteney's, in Henley, on Thursday, the 8th August, in order to show me the powder. There was with her Susan Gunnell, the servant maid. She brought in a pan. I looked at it and endeavoured to take it out that I might give a better account of it, for as it lay it was not possible to see what it was; then I laid it on white paper and delivered it to Mrs. Mounteney to take care of till it dried. She kept it till Sunday morning, then I had it to show to Dr. Addington. I saw the doctor try it once at my house upon a red-hot poker, upon which I did imagine it was of the a.r.s.enic kind.

Did you attend the deceased while he was ill?--I did. I went on the 6th of August. He told me he was ill, as he imagined, of a fit of the colic. He complained of a violent pain in his stomach, attended with great reachings, and swelled, and a great purging. I carried him physic, which he took on the Wednesday morning; he was then better. On the Thursday morning, as I was going, I met the maid. She told me he was not up, so I went about twelve. He was then with a client in the study. He told me the physic had done him a great deal of service, and desired more. I sent him some to take on Friday morning; I was not with him after Thursday.[9]

Had you used to attend him?--I had for several years. The last illness he had before was in July, 1750. I used to attend him.

Did you ever hear Miss Blandy talk of music?--I did. She said she had heard it in the house, and she feared something would happen in the family. She did not say anything particular, because I made very light of it.

Did she say anything of apparitions?--She said Mr. Cranstoun saw her father's apparition one night.

How long before his death was it that she talked about music?--It might be about three or four months before.

Was the powder you delivered to Dr. Addington the self-same powder you received of Mrs. Mounteney?--It was the very same; it had not been out of my custody.

Should you know it again?--I have some of the same now in my pocket.

[He produces a paper sealed up with the Earl of Macclesfield's and Lord Cadogan's seals upon it.] This is some of the same that I delivered to Dr. Addington.

Cross-examined--Who sent for you to the house?--I cannot tell that.

When you came, did you see Miss Blandy?--I did. She and Mr. Blandy were both together.

What conversation had you then?--I asked Mr. Blandy whether or no he had eaten anything that he thought disagreed with him? Miss Blandy made answer, and said her papa had had nothing that she knew of except some peas on the Sat.u.r.day night before.

Did you hear anything of water gruel?--I knew nothing of that till it was brought to me.