This early misadventure concerns another 19th Century crime involving this notorious easily obtainable poison. To Germany then with the story, as the 5th October 1861 Kent Times, Tonbridge and Sevenoaks Examiner explained.
It is stated that the case had received popular interest to that rivalling that of Oskar Becker who had recently been tried for attempting to assassinate the then King of Prussia, and later First German Emperor William 1st.
The attempt on the life of another Nobleman, The Baron de Baumbach , not the frog from Dangermouse, was the talk of the town after his wife, the baroness had been charged and was in court for poisoning him.
The story goes that two servants alleged they had found a piece of phosphorus in beer that the baroness had sweetened.
What is odd is that one of these two had put some poison down for rats and claimed that he had thrown the rest away in a glass. Sounds a bit fishy to me. 😕
It is further claimed that both the baron and his wife had drank some of the beer without being affected.
The servants were also arrested but released as witnesses, with the baroness also being bailed before the trial.
The baron it is stated did not believe the charge and defended his wife, despite the fact it seems that he was having a bit of “how’s your father” with another woman of high class. (I bet he was probably shagging the servants as well). 😆
The jury took less than five minutes to find the baroness not guilty. One can see from this how people with money are always innocent and yet no one appears to have been found guilty of this crime.
