A Labrador retriever recently helped uncover a mysterious item believed to be linked to a historic murder case from about 160 years ago, the British Daily Mail reported.
The dog, Stanley, was digging in the garden of his home in the village of Clyst Honiton, in Devon, England, when he unearthed a small blue bottle from the Victorian era. His owner, Paul Phillips, 49, said he initially thought it was an old pipe, but realized it was unusual when he noticed the warning label “Not To Be Taken.”
Further examination indicated the bottle matches containers used to store poisons in the 19th century. Phillips connected the find to a well-known 1865 murder case involving Mary Ann Ashford, who once lived near what is now his home. According to reports, she poisoned her husband, William, with arsenic she placed in his tea, allegedly to inherit his money and be with her younger lover, who worked for him.
Ashford was executed by hanging in 1866 before a crowd of about 20,000 people. The execution was described as partly botched and is said to have influenced shifting public attitudes toward public executions in Britain.
Phillips said his dog had been digging in the same spot for about a year and continued even after the family tried to cover it. He said the fact that the bottle was buried, rather than discarded, raises questions. “If it was for innocent use, why bury it?” he said.
He added that he is uncomfortable keeping the bottle inside the house and has moved it to the garage. The family now hopes to consult a local historian to learn more about the possible connection between the find and the case.
The unusual discovery has drawn widespread attention and was reported extensively by the Daily Mail and other British media outlets.