CON WAY MURDER CASE.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 24 April 1901, Page 4

CON WAY MURDER CASE.

[by electric telegraph—copyright.]

(per press association)

received April 23 at 1 14 p.m. Sydney, April 23. Hamlet, the Government analyst, produced the actual crystals obtained from the stomach of Conway. He had recovered three-quarters of a grain, some of it being lost in the analytical tests. In cross-examination he said the man would retain consciousness until the last. After taking strychnine he knew of cases where no fatal results followed large doses, but these were nominal. He placed an unknown quantity of strychnine in a bottle of stout, and allowed it to stand for twenty minutes and then made an analysis, and found in that time one point or thirty-three grains had dissolved. Sydney, April 23. Passey, a Tdnno cook, said 1.0 was positive that Smith visittd the forepart of the ship every evening after leaving Wc!pington. h'di h IlU'ldlcstcn said that on the night she took ill acnuscd ixpr, ssed winder whether she had taken anything pjisonoiHtocau.se her.to become ill like C mvay.

Cross-examined : She could not remember Smith being out of the ca v ..in on Saturday night. S':c was sure she was not, but was not certain whether she left it on Sunday or tho succeeding evenings. Had stout occasionally for seasickness. Was under the impression that accused drank some en the night Conway died, though was not certain. She did not go to her cabin till S o'clock on Saturday night. Accused was then there Accused asked her to share her cabin with her when they lef s Wellington. Brook (chemist) said that accused did not specifically ask for strychnine. She said she wanted poison for cats. He suggested strychnine. Ernest Smith, assistant at Bonnington's, testified that accused was endeavoring to purchase strychine to kill cats. He suggested " vermin killer," but she replied—" Nothing but strychine will do."

Mary Hcsketh (Cbristehureh) said that she knew accused intimately for 11 years. Her name before she was married was Jane Hampden. She camo to witness's shop on February last, and said that she had received a present of £SOO for rescuing the child Smart from drowning, and was going to take a trip to Sydney and Melbourne with the friends of tho child. She asked witness's son whether a gentleman called. She said " Yes." Witness accompanied her to Boncington's (chemist) to obtain the use of tho telephone. Smith afterwards told her sho had rung up Conway. Accused then asked the assistant for a shilling's wcrth of strychine to kill cats. Tho assistant refused. When sho returned to witness in the shop Conway was thero, and then gave Conway a pound note, telling witness that she owed bim a butcher's bill and that Conway lost money in the business. Cross-examined, witness said that when Smith made tho remarks about Conway losing it, was in his presence, and he did not contradict it.