Pahiatua Poisoning.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIII, Issue 18, 22 January 1892, Page 3

Pahiatua Poisoning.

Practical Jokes at a Wedding.

Playing With Epsom Salts.

Open Verdict Returned.

(BY TELEOEAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.)

WooDViLLE, this day.

The inquest on Peter Dickson, one of the victims of tho Boxing Day poisoning affair> ■was resumed at Pahiatua last evening before Mr Hall, district coroner. Inspector Thonison conducted the proceedings on behalf of the police, and Mr Toswell appeared for the relatives of tho deceased. Detective Herbert was also present.

Tha repoi'b of Mr Skey, Government analyst, was read. It was to the effect that from an analysis made of the stomach and other organs of the deceased he had come to the conclusion that deceased died from the effect of arsenical poison.

William Skey, Government analyst, gave evidence to tho effect that he found arsenic in sensible quantities in the deceasod's stomach, and traces of the same poison in th 9 liver- Hβ also examined the vomit, with similiar results. He had submitted articles of food taken from Naylor's house to exhaustive examination, bub he could not discover evidence of poison in any - oftho samples. One of the parcols forwarded to him, however, consisted of " Rough on EatSj" which , ia a purely arsenical production. A3 an experiment, witness rubbed 2h grains of arsenic into a slice of lamb, but it did not show perceptibly.

In reply to the jury, the witness said the ersenic had no flavour, so that t he docoased would not have tasted it. Arsenic sprinkled on slices of meat might possibly become absorbed through the moisture of the meat in the course of a few hours. Tho quantity of arsenic found in tho deceased's organs was sufficient to indicate that ha diod from the efiects of arsenical poisoning. The stomach was empty, so that ho was unable to find out in what form tho poison was taken, but in all probability it was the arsenic of commerce, that is araenious •acid.

Dr. Milne depose:! ho was called in on tho Sunday, his first visit being to Sedcolo Brothers and Landon. On seeing the patients he camo to tho conclusion they were suffering from the effects of some irritant poison. The tnedicino the local chemist had given them for indigestion would be useful in tha case of irritant poisoning, and he told the patients to continue taking the medicine. Ho also informed the sufferers that they hud taiien poison, but not in sufficient quantities io cause death. The first impression formed by witness wan that a small quantity of

ars(3ijic had beon used in colouring the bridal cake, and that was the reason he did nor order any of tho vomit to bo preserved for analysis,

Mvs Nnylor, in whose house Mie wedding party was held, stated that Mr and Mrs Dickson arrived by coaoh about 4 p.m. on Christinas Day. Deceased !md lunch in the house on arrival, and toa a sew hours afterwards. In tho evening an adjournment was mads t-o tha bride's house, where ft danca was held, tho Dicksone leaving bet' Teen cloven and twelve o'clock, and were invited to come a<4ain next day, which they promised to do. Mr and Mrs Dickson kept their appointment: for Boxing Dr,y and had dinner with witness and a number of others about) half-past twelve. The meal ccrsf.-ist.ofi oi' coal roast lamb, potatoes), French bean;* , , and plum pudding. So far as witness knew, all present partook of lamb. Some of it had been out into Siicos early the previous {Christmas) evening, Mr Naylor 'taking a littlo of it for supper aboub eleven o'clock the same night. After tea on Christmas night witness pub tho plate of lamb in the scullery on tho top of a disli containing two joints of lamb, and covered the whole with a cloth. Witness replaced the cloth after Mr Na'yldr had hid supper. The dishes were on a bench immediately inside the scullery door. When witness carao back irorn her daughter's house, about tweniy-

iivu minuteo to one o'clock on Boxing morning;, shity looked in at the scullery, and ncticod the cloth cm the lamb had boen disturbed, and was partly turned buck. The stfullory door had not been locked. It was only closed, and a candle was left burning on tho bench alongside tho lamb. /When witness was returning from her daughter's residence, and when about fcoven yards from the scullery door, she saw a man passing the side of tho Louse and going towards the main road. Witness poincod out the spot to the police and they measured tho distances. He had a hard hat on his head and woro a short coat. It was goui into the scullery after this incident that she found the dish of lamb uncovered. At first it occurred to her that one of the guests had been helping himself. She did not see the man corns cut of the deor. Ho appeared to be walking quickly. Witness gave the remainder of the lamb to the cat and -log on Sunday morning, the animals becrming very ill j shortly after eating it. During the Sunday all the guests were stricken down with severe internal pains, and accompanied by vomiting and excessive thirst. She was of opinion that the man she saw was coming from tho scullery door. The engagement between her daughter and Sedcole had existed for about five years, and so far as witness knew there was no other lover in the caso. It the poison was placed in the food wilfully, »he had no reason to believe there was a motive of jealousy on the part of anyone so far as her daughter was concerned. She did not know that either her husband or horeelt had any enemies in the place, and they had never been threatened in any way. There was reason to believe that some of the guests present had been threatened. She referred to Mrs Dickson. About three weeks before the wedding witness was in j Mr J. P. Clarke's hou.se in company will) Miss Clarke. The latter, who is Clarke's sister, was talking to witness about Mrs Dickson, and observed that if she had a chance she w.ould poison the old b Ii (meaning Mrs Dickson). Miss Clarke was telling witness about Mr Dickeon having i had her up before the Court at Masterton, , and this led to tho remark mentioned, j Miaa Clarke appeared to bs in a very angry mood. Mi=s Clarke was not at the wedding although she, as well as Mr and Mrs Clarke, received invitations to be present. Mr and Zvlrs Ciarko were also!

a':-. ; :::it, Mrs Clarke having told witness a i'tiW days before the marriage that she would nob come if the Dicksons Were there. Witness did not know of any threat having been uttered against any ether of the gueets besides the Dicksoos. Mr*' Dickson informed witness that Mr Clarke had eenfc Mr Dickeon-a threatening letter, but she did not tell Mer the nature of it. . ,

' Airs Moore, widow of Joseph 3\.'oore, the other victim, gave evidence to the efl'ect that the lamb partaken of at the Naylor'a came from her husband's place, and had beet* killed by him. Witness wrapped the whole lamb in a tablecloth and put it in a flour bag, and ib yvas then tal an to Naylor's houte. Arsenid was novel' '.nod &t deceasedY farm, norAvaa it.kept about the premises. No purscin could have gojjj "ear the lamb at vrkness' place. In reply to Mi TobSwjbll, witness said her brother hiui some of the lamb oiKOhrJetinau 'liflh'i., auj lio was taken ill .on Sunday liior.un:-;.

Edwawi Naylor, father cl Die bride, said flPVtirai of i.fi«i'f/uoHij wjiu wore nb dinner bu frkV-iy v.vvv, duo praseato ou Saturday,

but as far as ho was aware, not one of the number was fakon ill. He corroborated his wile's statement with regard 'to the suggested motive of jealousy or revenge. In _ reply to Mr Toeswell, witness , said that in conversation with Clarke a few weeks before tho wedding the latter referred to Mrs Dickson in very outrageous term?, and also expressed tho opinion that Mr Dickson was ad d scamp, or something of that sort.

In reply f. o tlie foreman of the jury, wit ness said it was true his daughters father-in-law was not invited to the wedding. He was nob aware that several of those who re ceivod invitations did nob attend.

In answer to further questions, Mr Naylor said he was quite ceriain tho poison was in the lamb. Ho admitted practical joking was going on at the time of the wedding festivities, as one of the guests named Sterling placed a packet of Epsom salts in the bug of the orticiating clergyman. IMr Clarko, one of the jurymen, asked the coroner how it was the Rev. Mr Saunders would not bo called to give evidence, as it had been originally stated that the gentleman had been drugged at the party. Inspector Thomson : This was the first the police had heard of the matter.

A. P. Williams, manager in Pahiafcua for the late Mr Dickson, gave unimportant evidence.

Constable Cooper deposed that he had conversations with the Rev. Mr Saunders since the occurrence, but that gentleman never made mention of having been drugged at Naylor's. Witness found a box of Rough on Rats in the cupboard underneath the staircase, and it had every appearance of having been there for a considerable time.

This was all tho evidence offered by fcho police.

Inspector Thomson mentioned that Detective Herbert had been engaged in the case since the beginning of tho month, and he had examined tho poison books of all Uie chemists in the Wairarapa district and in Wellington, but his eliorts to find out where tho poison was purchased had been unsuccessful.

One of the jurymen expressed regret that more evidence had not been brought out with regard to the practical joke in connection with the Epsom salts.

Detective Herbert said he thought Naylor had Hilly explained that incident.

Mr Thomson pointed out the circumstances had no bearing on tho death of Dickson, for it had been conclusively .shown that he diod from the etlecta oi arsenical poisoning.

Addressing the jury, the coroner said there could be no doubt the death of deceased was caused by arsenical poisoning, and as no trace of poison had been discovered in the various artioiea of food, as might bo expected had t L .io poison found its way into the food by chance, ho thought they should have no difficulty in arriving ab tho conclusion thut the poison was contained in the lamb and thau it had boon placed there wilfully by some psrson, which was tantamount to an act of wilful murder. If, on tho other hand, they agreed that tho sad occurrence was the outcome of n practical joke, and aracnrc had been put in the food by mistake for some other ingredient, such as Epsom salts, the act was an unlawful one, and tiie person responsible forit had laid himself open to a charge of manslaughter; but if the jury believed tho poison had found its way into ilie. food i:»y chance they should return a verdict of " Death by accidental poisoning." In conclusion, ho pointed out that tho jury could, if they thoughp fit, bring in a verdict of murder or manslaughter

against some person or persons unknown, The jury retired at 1.30 a.m., and in tori minutes returned with the following vurdict : — "That the jury are satisfied from tho evidence that tho deceased Peter Dickson was poisoned by arsenic, but how tho poison was auisiirnsfcered or by whom there is no evidence to show." INQUEST ON MOORE. The inquest on Joseph Moore, the other victim, was taken aftor tho Dickson case was disposed of. Only Mrs Moore was examined. After half-an-hour's retirement, the jury returned a similar verdict to that arrived at in the other case, but added the following rider :-■" The jury request the coroner to call the attention of the Minister of Justice to tho article in the ' Woodville Examiner,' of January 2nd, and tho article in the 'Now Zealand Times,' of January 21st, dealing with the poisoning casa horo in a manner prejudicial to the interests of justice."