CHRISTCHURCH CHLOROFORM SENSATION ''

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3160, 11 August 1917, Page 7

CHRISTCHURCH CHLOROFORM SENSATION

.MEN SENTENCED TO THKJEE YEARS' .IMPRISONMENT. By Telegraph-Press Association. Christchurch, August 10. At tho Supreme Court William Kinnaird and Robert Erwin Meachlem, who were not represented by counsel, were charged on various counts that on July 5 at Christchurch, with intent to commit a crime, they caused Andrew Hollo Guild and Enid Guild to bo affected by chloroform. The Crown Prosecutor said accused had taken a room at the Clarendon Hotel under false names, going out Jate at night in n taxi-cab and returning early in the morning. 31 r. and Mrs. Guild, who slept in the room opposite tho room of accused, were awakened early in tho morning, and found on ■their pillow a handkerchief soaked in chloroform. Accused on their arrests, to have in their posession certain papers that Mr. Guild had left in his •clothes overnight. A bottle found elsewhere was identified as one in which Kinnaird had purchased chloroform. The Prosecutor read signed statements by accused, that they had merely soaked the handkerchief with chloroform and thrown it.into the room to test. it. Kinnaird, on arrest, said: "I suppose we will get seven years for this." The case is proceeding. The accused were each sentenced to three, years' imprisonment. Both men 'had lists-of nrevious convictions against then:. Mr. justice Denniston said they were dangerous 'characters, who went about with lethal weapons like automatic revolvers.