How long ago?--For some time before her father"s death; I believe for three-quarters of a year.
How long did she continue talking in this manner?--She did till his death. I have often heard her say he would die before October.
What reasons did she give for that?--By the music, saying she had been informed that music foretells deaths within a twelvemonth.
Who did she say had informed her so?--She said Mr. Cranstoun had been to some famous woman who had informed him so, and named one Mrs.
Morgan, who lived either in Scotland or London, I cannot say which.
Did she express herself glad or sorry?--Glad, for that then she should soon be released from all her fatigues, and soon be happy.
Did she talk of the state of health in which he was?--Sometimes she has said he has been very well, sometimes ill. I remember I heard her say that my master complained of a ball of fire in his guts. I believe it was before the Monday he ate the water gruel. I cannot particularly say. I believe a fortnight before he died, then she said, Mr.
Cranstoun had told her of that famous woman"s opinion about music.
Do you remember the first time one Ann Emmet was taken ill?--It was about a month or six weeks before.
Do you know what Miss Blandy ordered her in that illness?--I do. She ordered her some white wine whey, and broth several times. I made it two or three times, two quarts at a time.
Do you remember a paper being taken out of the fire?--I do. It was on the Sat.u.r.day before my master died. I took it out myself.
Should you know it again if you see it?--I believe I should. (She is shown a paper.) I really believe this is it, which I took out of the fire and delivered it to Susan Gunnell, after which I had it again from her, and I delivered it to Dr. Addington and Mr. Norton.
Do you remember Miss Blandy"s saying anything about Susan Gunnel"s eating the water gruel?--I do. When Susan was ill she asked me how Susan did. I said, "Very ill." Said she, "Do you remember her ever drinking her master"s water gruel?" I said, "Not as I know of." She said, "If she does she may do for herself, may I tell you."
Did she bid you tell Susan so?--She did not bid me tell Susan, but I did tell her.
What time was this?--It might be about a month or six weeks before Mr.
Blandy"s death.
Do you remember any expressions she made use of about her father?--I heard her say, "Who would grudge to send an old father to h.e.l.l for 10,000?" Exactly them words.
When was this?--It was about a month before his death, or it may be more; I cannot justly tell.
How was this conversation introduced?--She was speaking of young girls being kept out of their fortunes.
Who was with you at this time?--It was to me, and n.o.body else.
Have you heard her abuse him with bad language?--I have heard her curse him, call him rascal and villain.
What was she so angry with her father about?--Mr. Cranstoun was at our house about three-quarters of a year before Mr. Blandy"s death. He came in August, 1750, and stayed there till near Christmas. It was not agreeable to my master. We used to think by his temper that he did not approve of his being so much with his daughter, but I do not believe he debarred his daughter from keeping his company.
Did you ever hear him say anything to her of his having been once like to be poisoned?--I was in the kitchen when my master came in to be shaved. I stayed there till he went out again. Miss Blandy was there, and he said that once he had like to have been poisoned.
When was it that he said so?--It was on the 10th of August, saying he was once at the coffee-house or the Lion, and he and two other gentlemen had like to have been poisoned by what they had drank. Miss Blandy said, "Sir, I remember it very well." She said it was at one of those places, and he said no, it was the other. He said, "One of the gentlemen died immediately, the other is dead now, and I have survived them both; but it is my fortune to be poisoned at last." He looked very hard at her during the time he was talking.
What did he say was put into the wine?--I remember he said it was white a.r.s.enic.
When he looked hard at her how did she look?--She looked in great confusion and all in a tremble.
Did you sit up with Miss Blandy the night after her father died?--I did till three o"clock. She went to bed about one. She said to me, "Betty, will you go away with me? If you will go to the Lion or the Bell and hire a post-chaise I will give you fifteen guineas when you get into it and ten guineas more when we came to London." I said, "Where will you go then? Into the north?" She said, "I shall go into the west of England." I said, "Shall you go by sea?" She said, "I believe some part of the way." I said, "I will not go." Then she burst into laughter, and said, "I was only in a joke. Did you think I was in earnest?" "Yes," said I. "No," said she, "I was only joking."
Did you ever hear Miss Blandy tell Dr. Addington that she had given your master some of that powder?--I heard Miss Blandy tell the doctor she had given my master some of that powder before in a dish of tea, which, she said, he did not drink, and she threw it into the street out of the window, fearing she should be discovered, and filled the cup again, and that Susan Gunnell drank it, and was ill for a week after.
When was this?--This was on the Monday before my master died.
Do you remember what happened on Monday, the 5th of August?--Yes. On that day I and two washerwomen were in the wash-house. Miss Blandy came in, and said, "Betty, I have been in the pantry eating some of the oatmeal out of your master"s water gruel." I took no notice of it, but the same day, in the afternoon, I went into the pantry, and Miss Blandy followed me, and took a spoon and stirred the water gruel, and, taking some up in the spoon, put it between her fingers and rubbed it.
What was it in?--It was in a pan. When my master was taken ill on the Tuesday in the afternoon Miss Blandy came into the kitchen, and said, "Betty, if one thing should happen, will you go with me to Scotland?"
I said, "Madam, I do not know." "What," says she, "you are unwilling to leave your friends?" Said I, "If I should go there, and not like it, it will be expensive travelling back again."
Did she say, "If one thing should happen"? What thing?--I took no further notice of it then, but those were the words. On the Monday morning before he died she said to me, "Betty, go up to your master and give my duty to him, and tell him I beg to speak one word with him." I did. She went up. I met her when she came out of the room from him. She clasped me round the neck, and burst out a-crying, and said, "Susan and you are the two honestest servants in the world; you ought to be imaged in gold for your honesty; half my fortune will not make you amends for your honesty to my father."
Cross-examined--Had Mr. Blandy at any time, and when, previous to the 5th of August been ill?--About a twelvemonth before he had been ill some time, but I cannot tell how long.
What was his illness?--He had a great cold.
Did he take any physic?--I believe he did once or twice.
Can you tell the time?--I believe it was the latter end of July or beginning of August.
Who made the whey and broth that were sent to the washerwoman?--My fellow-servant made the whey; I made the broth.
Was she a kind mistress to the washerwoman?--She was. She had a greater regard for her than any other woman that came about the house.
About this music, who did she say heard it?--She mostly mentioned herself hearing that.
Was this talk when Cranstoun was there?--I heard her talk so when he was there and in his absence.
Was it when she was in an angry temper only that she used those words to her father?--I have heard her in the best of times curse her father.
Was Susan Gunnell very ill after drinking that tea?--She was, and continued so for a week.
KING"S COUNSEL--Was it at the time Susan was ill from drinking of the tea that Miss Blandy asked you about her taking the gruel and said it would do for her? And did she say anything else?--Miss Blandy said she poured it out for my master, but he went to church and left it.
PRISONER"S COUNSEL--Have you had any ill-will against her?--I always told her I wished her very well.
Did you ever say, "d.a.m.n her for a black b.i.t.c.h; I should be glad to see her go up the ladder and be hanged"?--No, sir, I never did in my life.
KING"S COUNSEL--Did you and the rest of the family observe that Mr.
Blandy"s looks were as well the last six months as before?--Miss Blandy has said to me, "Don"t you think my father looks faint?"
Sometimes I have said, "He is," sometimes not. I never observed any alteration at all.
[Here Dr. Addington is appealed to by the counsel for the prisoner.]
PRISONER"S COUNSEL--Do you, Dr. Addington, remember Miss Blandy telling you on Monday night, the 12th August, that she had on a Sunday morning, about six weeks before, when her father was absent from the parlour, mixed a powder with his tea, and that Susan Gunnell had drank that tea?--I remember her telling me that Monday night that she had on a Sunday morning, about six weeks before, when her father was absent from the parlour, mixed a powder with his tea, but do not remember her saying that Susan Gunnell had drank that tea. I have several times heard Susan Gunnell say that she was sure she had been poisoned by drinking tea out of Mr. Blandy"s cup that Sunday morning.
Did not Miss Blandy declare to you that she had always thought the powder innocent?--Yes.
Did she not always declare the same?--Yes.