ALLEGED MURDER

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 247, 1 August 1935, Page 3

ALLEGED MURDER

POISONED CHOCOLATE CASE.

MANY ANONYMOUS LETTERS.

(Per Press Association). GREYMOUTH, July 31

The Blackball, poisoned chocolates case was resumed in the Magistrate’s Court this afternoon before Br H. Morgan, S.M. John Skikelthorp Page, a native of England, was charged that on September 24, at Blackball, he did murder Margaret May Smith, and also that on September 22, at Black, ball, he attempted to murder Jean ■Kennedy Clark and Ethel Annie Bragg. Mrs Jean Clark, Moonlight Road, Blackball (mother of the witness, Jean Kennedy Clark) said) that some time before the death of Miss Smith, she received an anonymous letter by post. She kept it for a while and then burned it. She kept the envelope and handed it to the police. She identified it as an exhibit. The letter was in very bad handwriting. She thought it might be disguised. It referred mostly to her daughter, Jean, and Ron Neilsen, advising her to stop her daughter going out with Neilson, but it did not give any real reason. Other letters of a similar nature were received by her daughter. Witness had read one and there was a lot of disgusting talk in it, referring particularly to Neilson. Mrs Bertha Neilson, Main Road, Blackball, stated that Ron Neilson was her husband’s brother, but had been brought up by her since his childhood. From December, 1933, he had been walking out with Jean Clark, with witness’s approval. She had received an anonymous letter referring to Miss Clark. The language in the letter caused witness and Miss Clark to cry. She burned the letter and the envelope. * George Seymour Pattison, a schoolmaster, of Atarau, said he received an anonymous letter on September 24. He burned it because it was disgusting. He did not notice the postmark. The ■letter made unfavourable remarks about Mrs Chjristie, postmistress of Atarau, and advised witness not to visit her house. The letter was written in rough block print, which resembled the printing on the envelope produced. The writer of the letter stated: “I have •written Mrs Christjie a stiff letter.” Witness know accused. He had had a difference with him. He had never spoken to witness in derogatory terms about Mrs Christie. Statement by Postmistress. Mrs Annie Dorothy Christie, postmistress at Atarau, said she noticed a letter in the posting box on. September 24 addressed to the postmaster at Blackball. It was forwarded to .Blackball that afternoon. Witness had known accused for one or two years, when he lived in the Atarau area. In September be was living at Thompson’s Mill, about-a mile from the post office. She had bad discussions with him, but not about his work. Before the death of Miss Smith, witness received an anonymous letter through the post, written in block letters. She burned it. It referred to her hi unfavourable terms. If accused stated that she had disclosed to someone that he was interested in a mining right, it would, not be true; neither ' would it be true if he said that she bad opened some of his correspondence and disclosed the contents. , Harry Joseph Swann, a miner, of Atarau, said that he met Page about February, 1934. He lived with witness alter that in a hut at Thompson’s Mill. Later witness moved to Blackball and went backwards and forwards to Otarau, but Page continued to live at the mill. % At the week-end immediately before Miss Smith’s death, witness again left Page on Friday and saw him again fit tho hut* on tho Monday fo - lowing. On September 26 witness went to work at 7.30 a.m. and saw Page in the hut. Witness told him that a £ !l | had been sent poisoned chocolates and that she was dead. He did not think he liad told Page who it was. Page was having breakfast at the time. He made no reply but bushed his breakfast aside. He .appeared dumbfounded and sat back in his chair. After a few minutes accused said lie would go down to Blackball to the funeral and would draw liis wages at the same time. Then he cleaned himself and went to Blacfib£On Friday, September 28, accused told witness that he had another job. The following night witness saw accused catch the train at Blackball foi Greymouth. That was the last witness saw of him. Witness showed detectives Page’s two camps at Atarau They turned the hut at the mill almost inside out. The detectives found papers and empty bottles, but witness did not remember the label on any ol the bottles. Detectives took some brown paper, which witness identified as that produced. He handed some ot tho paper which had writing on it to the detectives. 'He thought it was accused’s writing on it. Accused had a first-aid set in the hut. Witness bad never seen any strychnine about the place, nor any chocolates. Witness had heard of a “peeping Tom about Blackball, but Page bad never mentioned it to him, Witness Cross-examined. Cross-examined by Mr Paterson lor accused, witness said that lie certainly told the full tragedy when lie got to the hut. Accused pushed Ins food away and listened to him. Accused sat back as if he had got a shock and did not finish his food. He told accused in tho course of the conversation that the wrong party bad been poisoned. He thought accused knew Pickens, a labourer of Fitzgerald *" Avenue, Christchurch, said that he lived with Page and Swann at Atarau from June, 1934, to the # end ot July l , 1934. Swann was only there for the' first two weeks. Witness did not possess anv bottle marked poison, but two bottles of medicine and a lotion from Dr. Hutson. Sometimes accused used to leave the hut at nigljt, going to Wallsend, Brunner, and Greymouth. He had a butterfly rain cape and a haversack. He had told witness that he slept in dug-outs along the road. Page told witness that rats and opossums got into his camp, known as

Roaring Meg> but be never said anything about getting rid of them. Witness said that the writing exhibited Avas not his. Page wrote tAvo or. three letters about employment for witness. Witness read of the death of Miss Smith six months ago. In September last Avitness Avas in Canterbury and had been there since July, 1934. The case Avas then adjourned till tomorrow morning. There are 25 Avitnesses for the CroAvn still to be heard.