MURDER CHARGE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 247, 1 August 1935, Page 6

MURDER CHARGE

POISONED CHOCOLATE CASE.

SEQUEL TO BLACKBALL TRAGEDY THE CASE FOR THE CROWN. (Per Press Association). GREYMOUTH, This Hay. In the Magistrate’s Court to-day, Mr H. Morgan, S.M., continued the hearing of the case in which John Skibelthcrpe Page, a miner, aged 36, single, a nativ.e of England, is charged that on September 24, at Blackball, he did murder Margaret May Smith; also that on September 22, at Blackball, he attempted to murder Jean Kennedy Clark and Tthel Annie Bragg. Pereival Henry McLean, a winchdriver, gave evidence that he had a hut at Moonlight. Accused was campfed in a hut five chains away. Witness saw accused on September 24 between 6 and 6.30 a.m. He saw no indications that accused was in the hut between the Friday afternoon and Monday mdrning. Witness fed Page’s horse during that week-end. Frederick Donovan, a farmer, of Oamptown, said he knew Page when the latter was working for Burr. Witness purchased strychnine, three or four years ago, to poison dogs. He did not use- it all and put the remainder on a shelf in a barn. Detectives called upon him on October 4 and he gave them the strychnine. The barn was not locked. To Mr Paterson, witness * replied that it was hardly possible that the strychnine used in the chocolates came from his bottle, as the same quantity was in it, and the bottle was covered with dust when the police called. Alphonu3 Henry Lima, of Greymouth, gave evidence that- his shop was stocked with boxes of chocolates similar to that produced. Dulcie Lima corroborated the evidence of the previous witness. She knew accused by sight, but did not remember where she had seen him. Doreen Hanrahan, employed in Lima’s shop, gave evidence that she knew accused, but not to speak to. She could not remember where she had seen him, but thought it was in the shop. 1 Robert Mac Kay Patterson and Thomas O’Dea, storekeepers, gave evidence in regard to stocks of chocolates. Sergt. Austin, of Dunedin, gave evidence that on October 20 last he was District Clerk of Police Records at Greymouth. He cleared the mail on the evening of that date, receiving a letter addressed to the "Chief. of Police, Greymouth.” He handed it to Inspector Cameron. On July 26 last witness served a notice on accused, setting out the present charge. Accused made no reply. Inspector Cameron gave evidence that he received on September 24 a report respecting Miss Smith’s death.. On October 12 he received a telephone message from accused from Barrytown, requesting an appointment at the Police office on the following evening. Witness was at the office, hut the accused did not keep the appointment. It was a very wet night, and witness concluded that that was the reason Page, did not attend. On ' October 20 Sergeant Austin handed to witness the letter previously referred to. That was the only anonymous letter he received in connection with the Blackball inquiry. On November 11 Page called at witness’s office, and asked if witness could give him any information about the Blackball tragedy. Page said he had a suspicion of the postmaster. On November 19 Pago again called, and said that he was leaving the district, that he had a box at Ngahere, and that if the detectives wished to examine his effects he would gladly show them. Mrs Mary Dunn, of the All Nations Hotel, Barry town, said that Pago boarded there for the whole of October.

Reginald W. C. Stuart, engineer, stated that on October 10 he went to work at Barry town. Accused was employed on a gold claim there. Accused told him that detectives had called about the Blackball murder, and that he could give them useful information if he was approached in the right way. Accused was advised to communicate with the police. ■Charles Elwyn Griffiths, a lorry driver, said he shared a room with accused at Barry town. Accused said that after the police visit he thought someone had been forging his handwriting. Accused appeared to be worried and was not sleeping well. Witness had seen Page with a syringe, but not with a first-aid outfit.