Above photo, 1970s.

The Lewisham Poisoning Case.

Eugene Henry chemist's assistant, of 128, Hither-green-lane, Lewisham, was summoned by Superintendent Butt, of the P Division of police, at the Greenwich Police-court yesterday "for unlawfully selling a certain poison - to wit, strychnine. to one Malcolm Cowan, in a vessel, such vessel not being distinctly labelled with the name and address of the seller of the poison, and it to cause n entry to be made of the sale in a book kept for the purpose, contrary to the statute."

This was the case in which Malcolm Cowan, a medical student, of Ryecroft-road, Lewisham, went o a shop in Hither-green-land, and asked for five drops of liquor strychnine to be mixed in a Seidlitz powder, and was served by the defendant, who acted as assistant to his father with eight grains of the liquor strychnine — sufficient to kill 20 persons. This Mr. Cowan gave to Mr. Peter Brewster landlord of the "Sir David Brewster" beerhouse, Courthill-road Lewisham who thought his liver was out of order. Mr. Brewster swallowed the eight grains mixed with the Seidlitz powder, and died in a few minutes. This was the second time the case had been before the court, and the only additional evidence now was that Mr. Cowan, who deposed to purchasing the strychnine of the defendant and asking for five drops.

Mr. Fenwick told the defendant it was a serious case, and fined him £5 and 12s. costs.

Kentish Independent 18 June 1870.

BLACKHEATH PETTY SESSIONS.

Croom's Hill, Saturday, Before Colonel Farnall, C.B.; B. Cooke, B. Poulter, K. Routh, J. Penn, M. W. Adame, and J. H. Young, Esqs.

Transfer of Beerhouses. Applications were made for the following transfers of beer and wine licenses.

Lewisham.

The "Sir David Brewster," from Joseph Tilley, to Peter Brewater.