MOANA MYSTERY

Evening Post, Volume XCVII, Issue 24, 28 January 1919, Page 7

MOANA MYSTERY

CYANIDE IN SODAWATER

ANALYST FINDS NO TRACE OF OXALIC ACID

The mystery surrounding the death* on the Moana of Dr. Grimm (ship's surgeon) and Miss Ingsay M. Isbister, a Christchurch lady, were further enquired into at the Magistrate's Court to-day., xMr. W. G. Riddell, S.M., presided. Mr. P. S. K. Macassey appeared for the Crown, Mr. Douglas Jackson for a. relative of Miss Isbister, Mr. P. Levi for the Union Steam Ship Company, and Mr.. R. Kennedy for Messrs. Thomson, Lewis, and Co., cordial manufacturers. Chief-Detective Boddam exhibited a, photograph of the bar on the Moana, showing where the sodawater, oxalic acid, and sugar were kept. Witness alsoexhibited the various bottles and glasses. i concerned, and explained how each,.receptacle had been sealed by Captain BarI low soon after the tragedy. He stated that he had made a close search of the i quarters on board Bhip of all those who had given evidence. He found nothing that would throw any light oh" tho tragedy. He had no reason to suspect anybody on the boat. Belshaw, second steward, had informed witness that Dr. | Grimm's conduct towards Miss Isbister was exactly the same as his conduct towards the other passengers. There, was nothing to justify a suspicion that /Dr. Grimm and Miss Isbister were even.. on familiar terms... '■"'■' '"' \!1 Mr. Macassey explained that the.latter portion of Chief Detective Boddam's statement was not really evidence,' but in fairness he thought it should be made public. Mr. Macassey : You have made a very careful search of Dr. Grimm's personal effects?— Yes; Particularly his correspondence.?— Yes. Did you find anything in ~the' correspondence relating to Miss Isbister.' jLNothing whatever. RESULT OF AN ANALYSIS. Willie Donovan, public analyst, "employed, at the Dominion Laboratory, stated that he analysed the bottle of sugar and tested the contents for pyanide or oxalic acid. He found .neither. In one of the glasses there was a faint trace of cyanide, but no trace of oxalic acid. In. one of the,soda-water bottles which had been handed to him he found 1.2 cubic centimetres, or 24 drops, of a clear alkaline liquid. He tested this liquid for cyanide, and found the equivalent to one-fifth of a grain of cyanide of potassium. If the bottle had been filled; with that liquid it would have contained thirty grains, and the fatal dose, according to his authority, was 2£ grains. In the other soda-water; bottle there were only five drops of liquid,, but there was a similar proportion of cyanide. Witness also examined, what remained of the drinks partaken, of by Dr. Grimm and Miss Isbister. He - found one bottle to contain slightly over 7oz of a liquid, presumably lemon squash. He tested it for cyanide and also for>oxalic acid. He found cyanide equivalent to 15 grains per pint, but no trace of oxalia acid. In the other bottle the contents were the same, but the cyanide ; was slightly less-—about 14£ grains to the pint. Again, there was no oxalic- acid. There was no trace of oxalic acid in the lemon squeezer. . . MEDICAL EVIDENCE. Dr; Kington Fyffe stated that he had heard certain evidence relating to thesymp. Toms exhibited by Dr. Grimm and Miss Isbister after they had partaken of the drmk. The symptoms were consistent with cyanide poisoning, but not with oxalic acid poisoning. The shortness of the time between the taking of the dose and death could only be accounted for by poisoning with cyanidte. Witness said he knew Dr. Grimm personally. He was a very highly cultivated, charming gentleman, who took a great interest m his profession. "He was a man I.had .the highest respect for, and he Was a very fine specimen of his profession.'' Mr. Macassey stated that he had no further evidence to offer. Of course, now it had been proved that there was cyanide in the soda water further inquiries might be necessary. Mr. Kennedy stated that Thomson Lewis and Co. desired to submit evidence which would show not only the improbability, but the sheer impossibility, that there was prussic acid, or any poison whatsoever, in the, soda water supplied by them to the Union Steam Ship Company. They would show that not only did they not use any cyanide in their manufacture of soda water, or any poison, but that they used no material in which it had ever been known or might occur as an impurity, and that there wa& no process, of manufacture in theit business whatsoever by which it could by any possibility be produced. The Coroner inquired what had become of the remainder of the six dozen ..bottles taken from the store to the .-bar, and which included the two bottles from which the fatal drinks were made. The second steward stated that he understood these had been kept by the chief steward. He would make inquiries. The Coroner "I think those. bottles should be analysed also." Mr. Riddell agreed that Thomson, Lewis, and Co. should be given an opportunity of submitting evidence. He was prepared to adjourn the inquiry until Friday morning, at 10.30 o'clock.