TO-DAY'S PROCEEDINGS.

Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 128, 14 October 1886, Page 2

TO-DAY'S PROCEEDINGS.

> CURIBTCHURCH, THIS DAY. f PROBABLE DURATION OF THE TRIAL. 1 Some of the witnesses have been told that s their attendance in the present caso would ' not bo required till Saturday ; so tho case j for tho Crown will last at Jeast threo daj c - longer. INSPECTOR BROHAJI'S EVIDENCE. ' Inspector Broham was the first witness • called this morning. He said he went to • Hall's rosidenco on the ovening of August f 15th and told tho accused ho had come to " arrest them both on a charge of attempting to 3 murdorMrs.Hallbyadministcrmganlimony. ' Miss Houston said, "Oh, antimony, that's 1 what you got for your photography." Hall 3 turned towards her and said, "Keep quiet ; j you have nothing to do with tho case." Ad1 dressing witness, ho said, "I've used anti3 mony for a long timo. I use it with other 3 things for asthma. You know I suffer from 8 asthma." Ho tried to put his hands into 8 his trousers pockots, and beforo being > searched again forced his hands into his. s trqusors pockets. Witness repeated tho • evidence given in the Court below as to a Hall trying to take a phial out of his pocket, c and as to Miss Houston's efforts to assist him. 1 Tho phial and cork were subsequently sent 6 to Professor Black. Witnoss saw Deteotive !J Kirby take from his pocket a small packet 1 of tartar emetic. After searching him wit- ' ness Baid, " We'll now go and search your <• bedroom," and he replied, "You'll find a plonty of antimony thero." Approaching ¦ the dressing-table witness observed " Taylor B on Poisons," and Hall, taking it up, said— s "I suppose this will also tell against me." \ Hall said he used antimony in a preparation for cigarettes. Ho also said, " Whatever I did [ in connection with this mattor,"Brohani, I fc did alone ; there was no socond person oou3 cernod in it." Witness identified the various ¦ exhibits put in. In the rags found in tho ' garret and on the firewood kerosene had " been sprinkled. On 14th September witness ; received from Kirby a bottle containing • brandy, which he sent to Professor Black. L Witness had also given Dr. Black half a ' cigarette found in Hall's bedroom, ' To Mr. Joynt — Had frequently boen in 1 Hall's house before 15th August, but not j since Captain Cain's death. Miss Houston's ' words wero not " Don't yon use antimony j for photography?" Wheninformedatwho.se ' instance tho arrest was made Hall used > strong language concerning Dr. M'lntyre. T , THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL'S RIGHT OF REPLY. In the courso of witness's cross-examina-tion Mr. Joynt again raised the quet- \ tion of the Attorney - General's right of 1 reply. His Honour said he seemed to I have been mistaken in his remarks ou 1 Tuesday. What he said was that, as then , advised, the Attorney-General had a right 1 to reply, but whether he chose to use that 1 prerogative was another matter. The best time to determine that wonld be when all 1 the ovidenco had been given for the Crown, and if no witnesses were called for the dc- " fence, it could then be decided whether tho 3 Attorney-General should sum up or reply. " If Mr. Joynt thought ho was in a position to ' satisfy him on the point of law that the 1 Attorney-General had no right to reply, he ' (his Honour) was prepared to hear him. Mr. Joynt— l have cited English cases to 1 that end. His Honour— l do not consider we hay« had the arguments. [ Mr. Joynt— lf your Honour would bear J argument on the point, I should like it taken to-morrow morning, so that I might look np | authorities. I cannot imagine a more monstrous thing than the Attorney-General 1 claiming his prerogative to reply when no 1 witnesses are called for the defence. His Honour— You know you can make dexterous use of it to the jury. Mr. Joynt — But when the AttorneyGeneral follows me, he knows he can do away with my dexterous nse. (Laughter.) ' I should like to know at the earliest opportunity if the Attorney-General intends using 1 his prerogative to reply, because it may de- | termine whether I snail summon witnesses ' from Timartu J CROSS-EXAMINATION CONTINUED. Inspector Broham — Hall began to get • very weak after I informed him of the ¦ charge against him, but rallied directly Kirby loft the room. Before we left his %onse he had sonw brandy— genuine brandy —and not that which had beon found in the ' bottle and subsequently sent for analysis. To Mr. Hay— Both tho accused seemed very much surprised at our visit to Woodlands. We charged them instantly. Tho tone in which the wordß "Oh, antimony? that is used for photography," was used by Miss Houston, seemed to indicate that the idea had just struck her. It was when Hall attempted to put his hand in his pocket for the third time that Miss Houston interfered. She raised a cry and rushed between us ezeroising her full strength to separate us. Witne&s could not say whether she seized Hall or himself. The one thought in Ms mind was to prevent Hall getting 1113 hands free. Subsequent to the arrest he search oil Miss Hou-ton's room audtook away a good raanv Uiiagts. Noneol these were sent for anal vai-. While her box was being searched Miss Houston repeatedly said, " Mr. Broham, it's all a mistake and will be explained to<i.:ii>i wi 1— 1.U..1

Ellison to search her sho said, "But you an not going to tako mo away arc you .'" Oi. her way down sho asked that she might be allowed to Ktav with Mm. Brobam. Itu-examincd by Mr. Martin— Tho parrel •in very small— about 2}ft by 18in. TIJK INSPECTOR'S STTI.fc. Tho soldiorly, athletic Inspector from Tiinnru prcboutod a very fino appearance in tho witness box, and gavo his evidence in a clear, telling mannor. While admitting that he had not detailed all tho convcrHaI ions that took place at tho time of nrrc-l (if tho accused, ho was careful to explain Visit lie had not HoJotjtod tho mo-t damaging portions from a polico point of view. ANOTIIKIt I'Of.lCli WITNESS. Ucteotivo Kirby wat, called, and Court a'ljoiirnod for lunch.