POISONED PIE ALLEGATIONS

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 August 1936, Page 2

POISONED PIE ALLEGATIONS

HOTEL CHEF ACCUSED.

LONDON, June 26

It was suggested at Leicester Police Court yesterday that an hotel chef had ,put weed-killer in blackberry and apple pie. The chef. Frank Thornton Edwartts. 23, was committed for trial. He was accused of causing poison to be administered to his employer, Mr Cedric James Bone. . Mr H. J. Parham, for the Director of Public Prosecutions, said that many more people besides Mr Bone had poison administered to them. Mr Bone owned two hotels only a few yards apart—the Stoneycioft and the Elmfield-avenue. On June 9 Mr Bone gave Edwards, who was employed at the Elmfield-avenue Hotel, a week’s notice to leave.

Next day Edwards was noticed to be in rather a bad' temper. Blackberry and apple pie was on the menu at both hotels that day. Blackberries in tins were kept in the loft at the Elmfieldavenue hotel, where there was also a tin of weed-killer. Edwards, said Mr Parham, opened a tin of blackberries and proceeded to make the pie. Later in the afternoon a number of guests were taken ill. Those who had not had the pie were not affected.

An analysis showed that the blackberries contained 9J grains per pound of arsenic.

Mr Parham then read a statement alleged to have been made to the police by Edwards. It ran: “I put just over a teaspoonful of the weed-killer into the blackberries when I opened the tin. . . . “I don’t know why I did it.

“I was fed up with myself and everything else. My wife is expecting a baby, and I was wondering where the money was to come from. “It was not done with intent. I have no grievance against Mr Bone or anyone else. It was just a foolish escapade.” Evidence was given by a number of guests who were taken ill after eating blackberry and apple pie. Supt. Ashburner said that when charged, Edward's said he could definitely say it was not malicious, adding: “I did not know exactly what I was doing at the time. I cannot realise it.”

Edwards was allowed bail in £2O and another surety of £2O. He was granted legal aid.