MORE EVIDENCE IN SENSATIONAL LONDON INQUEST

Evening Star, Issue 26138, 27 June 1947, Page 5

MORE EVIDENCE IN SENSATIONAL LONDON INQUEST

(Rec. 11 a.m.) LONDON, June 26. At the resumption of the Clements inquest, Mrs Amy Stevens, recalled, told the coroner that she never suspected the fourth Mrs Clements of being a drug addict. When she asked Mrs Clements what she took for her headaches, Mrs Clements said: “Something my husband, gives me." Witness added that that was as good as saying: “ Don’t ask me any more questions. Just mind your own . business,”

Charles Ridsdale, manager of a firm of chemists at Southport, produced five prescriptions slips from Dr Clements, who, he said, frequently called at the shop. One dated January 29 was a prescription made out to himself for 20 half-grains of morphinesulphate tablets with the direction of one twice daily.

PRESCRIPTIONS FOR TABLETS. Continuing his evidence, Mr ltidsdale said another prescription from 'Dr Clements was for 20 half-grains of morphine-sulphate tablets “ for self in uso in practice, not to be repeated." Two other prescriptions were each for Mrs Proctor for 25 of the same tablets. Frank Brettelle, chemist employed by another Southport firm, said he supplied Dr Clements on March 19 with 20 half-grain morphine tablets on a prescription marked “ for self." He added that it did not sound sinister that Dr Clements got such tablets from more than one firm, as it was not unusual for doctors to deal with different firms. Dr William Jones, of Southport, said Mrs Proctor suffered no condition calling for the use of morphine in any form. He found in examining her no sign of the administration of morphine. “ NOT MUCH AFFECTION.” Miss Keefe, housekeeper at a flat in the same building' as the Clementses, said Mrs Clements was inclined to bo a “ bit of an actress and, the, doctor a good actor himself.” Witness added: “ I don’t think {here was much affection between them.” Joseph Millward, of Southport, said he knew the Clementses well. .At about 8.57 a.m. on May 27 Dr Clements telephoned that his wife had just died. The Coroner: Are you absolutely certain of the time? Millward: Yes. The Coroner: You heard the matron of the nursing home say that Mrs Clements died at 9.30 a.m. Millward: Yes. Millward said Mrs Clements was not the type to take drugs. She was a normal, healthy, and reasonably balanced women. He had never known a worse housewife, however. A FILTHY FLAT. Millward said he and his wife had found the Clements flat filthy. There were hundreds of medicine bottles in the bedroom and a pile of grocery rations about sft high and smelling rancid, also stacks of newspapers dating back seven years. Witness said the bed the doctor and Mrs Clements used was' horrible. The blankets were like the black of chimney coal, and twigs were strewn all over the kitchen and even stacked under the table. The polico produced a note found when Dr Clements was discovered unconscious on May 30. It said: “ I cannot stand this diabolical insult to me.” Mrs Louise May Houston said her husband told her on -Mav 28 that lie had made an error of judgment. She persuaded him to see the coroner. The Coroner intervened and said that when Dr Houston called on May 28 lie asked why there was to bo an inquiry into the death of Mrs Clements. The Coroner said that concerned the coroner only. . Dr Houston replied: “ I want to assure you that Mrs Clements died from natural causes.” That was the whole of the conversation, said the Coroner. The Coroner announced that he would address the jury to-morrow.