MURDEROUS INTENT

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 70, Issue 129, 16 March 1950, Page 6

MURDEROUS INTENT

STRYCHNINE MIXED WITH SALTS VERDICT AT INQUEST (P.A.) AUCKLAND, March 15, “Strychnine chloride mixed in fruit salts by some unknown person with murderous intent caused the death of Gordon James Pepper, aged 23, a British migrant, on October 1, 1949,” was the verdict of the Coroner (Mr A. Addison) at an inquest into Pepper’s death to-day.

“Pepper was the victim of one of the foulest murders in this country’s history,” said Mr Addison. “Police inquiries are not concluded in this case.” The Government Analyst, Mr K. M. Griffin, said that he had found strychnine distributed widely through Pepper’s body and came to the conclusion that a small fatal does of this poison had been taken. He had examined a bottle of fruit salts and found strychnine. By the distribution of the poison in the bottle it was evident that it had been mixed in after the bottle had been filled with the salts. John Moros, of Avondale, said that he had lived in the same boardinghouse with Pepper, which was run by his"sister. Some time last year he had found a parcel lying on the grass outside the house. There was no writing on it. He took the parcel to his sister who opened it and found some soap, razor blades, and a bottle of salts. Mrs Spineo Brothers, owner /of the boarding-house, said that Pepper was a very pleasant type of person and in good health. About 5 p.m. on October 1, he came into her kitchen and asked for a drink of fruit salts. She told him to take some from a new bottle in the medicine cupboard. He took off the wrappers around the bottle and mixed and drank the fruit salts.

“Pepper said T don’t like your salts. They taste bitter,’ ” said Mrs Brothers. ‘I told him not to be silly.” Another boarder in the room tasted Die remainder of the salts in the glass, and said they were bitter. Pepper went outside and got his washing, and was doing some ironing when he complained of feeling giddy, said Mrs Brothers. Then he said his legs were stiff and he could not walk. Mrs Brothers helped him to his 1 bedroom where he lay down on the bed. Pepper asked if the salts could have upset him. Doctor Called About 6 p.m. Mrs Brothers telephoned Dr. Dawson, who said over the telephone that he thought that Pepper had influenza, as it was going around at the time, and prescribed a hot drink and some asprin. Mrs Brothers said she telephoned the doctor again later, but before he could arrived Pepper had a convulsion and died. The salts had been in the house for several months and had not been opened. To Mrs Brothers’ knowledge the salts had been found in the parcel discovered by her brother. Detective Ward, of Auckland, said he went to the boarding-house after the death had been reported and examined the bottle of fruit salts.

“I have examined several unopened bottles of the same brand of fruit salts and I am of the opinion that this bottle contained more than the usual amount of powder,” he said. The glass used by Pepper could not be found as all the dishes had been washed up, continued witness. The distributors of the salts had informed him that the bottle of salts used by Pepper had been one of a bulk order of 13 h gross. Nothing wrong had been reported with the other bottles.

“Pepper came from Stoke-on-Trent, England, and during the war was in the Army. He left England in 1948 and came to Auckland in January, 1949. He had recently become engaged to a girl here,” added Detective Ward. “The evidence clearly shows that the cause of this unfortunate man’s death was strychnine poisoning,” said the Coroner. “It seems idle to consider the possibility of self-destruction and the whole of the evidence points to the fact that Pepper took what he thought was a harmless drink. “The arrival of the fruit salts was mysterious, but of a highly feasible nature. The leaving of the parcel was a deliberate act toward carrying out a dastardly and fiendish purpose. The community will be appalled to have to realise that there should be a person who could contemplate let alone out—this fiendish crime.”