Age: 4 months
Sex: male
Date: 27 Mar 1903
Place: Inglemere Road, Tooting Junction
The body of a 4-month-old male child was found in Inglemere Road, Tooting Junction on the afternoon of 27 March 1903.
The body was found by a milk carrier wrapped up in brown paper and a portion of a tablecloth.
When the child's intestines were examined by the Home Office traces of strychnine were found, but not in sufficient amount to measure, but it was thought not probably more than 650th part of a grain. However, the doctor that examined the contents said that the small quantity he did find was quite consistent with death from strychnine poisoning.
When the doctor was questioned at the inquest, he said that a medical man might have given strychnine, but said that that would have only been in an extreme case.
He noted that the poison would not have been found in any form of domestic medicine.
After hearing the evidence the Coroner's Jury returned a verdict of wilful murder against some person or persons unknown.
see www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk
see Surrey Mirror - Friday 24 April 1903
see Dorking and Leatherhead Advertiser - Saturday 25 April 1903