Mexborough and Swinton Times September 13, 1889

Sad Case of Child Poisoning at Kilnhurst

On Saturday last name I Samuel Poynton, son of Samuel Poynton, pottery hand of Kilnhurst, age 1 year and 10 months, died from the effects of poison taken on the previous afternoon.

It appears that shortly before four on that date deceased sister, Susanna, was cleaning the cupboard and put a bottle containing ammonia on the table.

When her back was turned the child got hold of the bottle and drank part of its contents. The poison quickly took effect and he fell down insensible shortly afterwards.

Doctor Hill, of Conisbrough, was sent for, and that gentleman’s assistant, Mr Gibbs, attended  the unfortunate child, but death ensued as stated

The Inquest

whether the afternoon Mr D Wightman, coroner, held an inquest at Kilnhurst, on the body of the child, who died the circumstances stated above on Saturday.

Elizabeth Poynton, the mother of the deceased, was first called and said on the sixth instant, while she had gone to hand some clothes on the line, the accident happened. She heard the defendant fall, and run into the house. She found the child gasping for breath. A daughter Susanna, as a child in her hands. The town was not sensible, and she shook him on screen. The people came into the house. She Telegraph of Doctor Hills, and his assistant came and attended him until death which occurred next day. The girl I cleaned out the cupboard and a bottle containing a pennyworth of ammonia – which had been got to clean her husband’s clothes – was on the table.

The daughter said the child had taken the bottle off the table, whilst she was cleaning the cupboard.

The mother had told her daughter to remove the ammonia before she went into the yard; while the daughter was taking some mustard from the place, the little one lifted up the ammonia, and fell immediately. Some spirits of ammonia were spilt on the child’s clothes.

Susanna Poynton, aged 18, said she was told to clean out the cupboard on Friday, and she did so, putting some bottles in the middle of the table. The deceased took hold of the mustard tin, and she took it away. He then picked up the bottle of ammonia. She could scarcely shout “mother!” when she picked up the child because she had a difficulty in getting breath.

The local police office stated that the doctor told him the tissue of the child’s inside had been burnt away, and that ammonia was very liable to do that.

The Coroner said he could not see that the verdict could be other than accidental.

The little one appeared to have been a mysterious one, and it laid hold of anything within reach.

A juryman said the child was very mysterious.

The Coroner: That’s was the secret of it. He laid hold of the mustard, and afterwards of the ammonia, and managed to drink it.

Another juryman said he lived next door, and once recently saw the child pulling the close of the line.

A verdict was reached to the effect that the deceased was poisoned by inadvertently drinking spirits of ammonia.