[190]. Medico-Chirurgical Transactions, vol. iv.
[191]. 1. “The trial of Charles Angus, Esq. for the murder of Margaret Burns, taken in short hand by William Jones, jun. 8vo.” Liverpool, pp. 1808, 288. Also
2. “A vindication of the opinions delivered in evidence by the medical witnesses for the crown, on a late trial at Lancaster for murder, 8vo.” 1803.
3. “Remarks on a late publication, entitled “A Vindication of the Opinions delivered in Evidence by the Medical witnesses for the Crown, on a late trial at Lancaster.” By James Carson, M.D.”
4. “An Exposure of some of the false statements contained in Dr. Carson’s pamphlet, entitled “Remarks, &c.” in a letter to that gentleman, by James Dawson, Surgeon.”
The suspicion against the prisoner, Charles Angus, was, that he had endeavoured to procure a premature delivery, or abortion, by means of an instrument resembling a long trochar, and that he had administered, or been privy to the administration of certain drugs, which had occasioned such effects upon the stomach of the deceased, as in the end produced her death. The prisoner was a retired merchant, with two or three children, with whom the deceased had lived as housekeeper and governess. It appeared in evidence that improper familiarities had been noticed between them, and that Miss Burns had, for some time, appeared out of health, and that her abdomen was much increased in size at the period when she was attacked with the symptoms which preceded her death, and which, as we learn from the witnesses on the trial, presented the following history.
The deceased was seen by the servants of the family at about six o’clock, on Wednesday morning, the 23d of March, 1808, at which time she was in her usual state of health; but replied to one of them, who remarked her having risen earlier than usual, that she could not sleep. She was next seen by the servants at a quarter before nine, sitting at breakfast with Mr. Angus, but apparently very ill; after breakfast she was lying on a sofa complaining of a pain in her bowels, but she was not then sick. On moving about afterwards, she held by the chair, as if from pain, and about an hour and a half after breakfast, she ordered some water gruel, of which she drank nearly three quarts in the course of the day, being very thirsty, and in considerable pain, and so sick as to reject the gruel almost as soon as it was taken. The matter vomited was described by the house-maid as being, at first, very black, but becoming, towards the last, of a green colour; the kitchen maid, however, described it as being in the first instance of a green colour, with yellow pieces in it resembling the inside of an orange, or the yolk of an egg, and as turning blacker after it ceased to be green. While thus retching, Miss Burns observed to the house-maid, “Oh, Betty, what bile comes off my stomach! I wish I had taken an emetic long since.” On the servants going to bed that night, she seemed very poorly, but did not complain to them.
On Thursday morning, at six o’clock, she was lying, as she had been left the night before, on the sofa, with pillows under her head; she complained that she was very thirsty; said she was tired of gruel, and had some water posset, and a little warm beer. She also complained that she was badly hurt to make water; but was relieved by sitting on a sliced onion, with some boiling water poured over it. Her vomiting was now of a blacker colour, and she continued sick and vomiting all day, till towards evening, when the sickness went off, and she appeared better, and could stir more about.
On Friday morning, at four o’clock, the house-maid went into the room, and thought her much worse, as she breathed quicker than before. She was seen again at six in much the same state, and lying in the same posture on the sofa; she asked for some warm beer, which settled on her stomach, and she also took about a pint of gruel; she said that the pain had left her. Her vomiting had ceased, but was succeeded by a “lax,” which continued all the morning. A little before ten, the house-maid was sent out for some Madeira, Miss Burns having expressed a wish for some. Between the hours of ten and eleven, the kitchen maid was in the room, and received orders about dinner; and Miss Burns said she would have some barley water. On the return of the house-maid, about eleven, she went straight into the parlour, where Miss Burns was found lying dead in the corner, by the door, with her face against the wall, “cowered of a lump,” her elbows upon her knees, and one foot “crudled” under her; Mr. Angus, who had nursed her throughout, sitting in an arm chair, apparently so fast asleep that he was not roused without difficulty. During the whole course of her illness, she did not go to bed, but remained in the parlour, generally lying on a sofa. She refused to have medical assistance; but Mr. Angus said that he had given her seven drops of laudanum on one night, and ten on another, and that on the morning of her death he had given her some castor oil, in spirit, but that it came up immediately.
REPORT OF THE DISSECTION.