The remainder of the capsules were here produced.
Mr. Montagu Williams.—“I do not think they are all of one size.”
Mr. Poland.—“These are the original capsules.”
Witness continuing, said—“I swallowed an empty capsule, and it was very easy to swallow.”
The Witness continuing, said—“The prisoner took the lids off both of the boxes. While I was examining a capsule the prisoner was filling another with sugar, with a little spade spoon. He then, having apparently filled it with sugar, said, ‘If you shake it the medicine will come down to one end.’ He then handed the capsule to the boy Percy John, who was sitting on his right, about a yard from him. In doing so he said, ‘Here, Percy; you are a swell pill taker; take this, and show Mr. Bedbrook how easy it is to swallow.’ Percy John then put the capsule in his mouth as far back as he could, and at one gulp it was gone. I remarked to him, ‘That is soon gone, my boy.’ The prisoner then said, ‘I must be going now,’ and I then looked at the time-table to see the next train for London. It was then 7.20 or thereabouts, and I told him the next train left at 7.21, and advised him to go at once or he would miss his train. Previous to this I had asked him to remain a little longer, until the 7.50 train. He said, ‘I cannot, as I have to catch a train at eight o’clock at London Bridge, en route to the Continent.’ He said he was going to Florence, viâ Paris. Passing through the drawing-room I remarked to him that I thought the curvature of the spine of the deceased was getting worse. He observed on that occasion that he did not think the boy would last long. I did not make any reply to that. He then left the house at about 21 or 22 minutes past seven o’clock. He left behind the two boxes of capsules. I placed them on the dining-room waggon.”
Question.—“From the time Percy John had swallowed the capsule how many minutes elapsed before the prisoner said, ‘I must be going now’?”
Answer.—“He said it within five minutes. After the prisoner left the house I returned to the dining-room, where Percy John was. When I got back deceased said, ‘I feel as if I had an attack of heartburn.’ I think after that I returned to my guests. He was reading the newspapers.”
Mr. Montagu Williams objected to the statements of the deceased being put in evidence.
The Judge said that evidence as to symptoms could be received when made by the deceased.
Examination continued.—“I returned to him in five minutes. He said, ‘I feel as I felt when my brother-in-law had given me a quinine pill at Shanklin.’ He said he would like to go to bed. I gave orders that he should go to bed. Mr. Bell carried him upstairs.”