THE MURDER CHARGE AGAINST PAGE

Grey River Argus, 31 July 1935, Page 6

THE MURDER CHARGE AGAINST PAGE

KOW THE POISONED CHOCOLATES ARRIVED

EFFECTS DETAILED BY WITNESSES

Strange Behaviour of Accused in Court

b **►•<**.» nf M- charge of mnr i* a"d in o t’hu T gcs nf ntfnni’-fpd mu’’d?r. against John SkikeHbo’-u P- g n . wns eonrinued in the Mag's t’ a*'?’s Court Croy mouth, before Mr IT. ATo-gan S.M The in' cr.pcjr pro"??d'ngs are being "?ken >nl‘viWv Y.*‘e-d<iv’s pvMi'nm. gv n bv fou r, *e n n witnesses de.-t’’’ tv ‘ h the cir 'ums‘■■ re- s bv vh pb Dr' 'Len'ed AT r g‘ r ’ Mav Smith tn nartako of* «*' vdnine perenned chomlntes -'c use.’L b n, rr.’invr In ‘bn u-’ng f’’e m n rpi- g epecinn wa q inns’ P“*’’Pinr. Who;? W"*!! n m Orrirr. p<»-»i master. Black! a'l, was giving '-r. ee ar used bognh miimh’ing nniu | *nlligib]v ‘'money.” "??■ e'nnn ” ’*■ I did”: bn* quietened ’own when spoken tn hr his ci-un q ?l Mr A. H Paterson. During th? hep rilin' of the |rioxt witness* Page in*evui>ted. sav ing, "I declare the f’nn-f c’<"-'ed '» and addressing Tnsree”'r (Mmereri, "S’ 4 down. Sir.’’ T,a''e«r bn bmd up his rght hand. resisting: the of the po’ice officers in ’he .Inch n bring ii down. Liter he threw his vnd out <'■ the dock. After this display of fp?Ting he sat down quietly tn the dock, holding his hand '’o his fane. During *'ho hearfnn- of fhe evidence of Miss J<*an (’lark, the accused stood ho’t up right in the dock and in a loud voice stated: ‘'The Court wi’l adjourn ar five to twelve. AH stock exchange movements will cease. Court wilt tp flume nt I p.m. Ordinary people at 1.15.” While Miss Bragg was giving her evidence, the accused mumbled. ‘'Queen Alexandra, King Edward the Seven'll,. R.J. stand-by and time gun.” A litt’e later, in a louder vo ce, ho called. "Rex speaking, Greymouth Courthouse. N.Z. Dover Casth*—Royal sahute 21 guns.” He then began tear ing up his note pad and giving the pieces to the constables in ’be dock. After the luncheon adjournment, Ui.behaviour was much more da'iona! and as on Monday ho sat and stood quietly in the dock, wn‘ing on his pad almost incossentlv through-ut the after noon. Keen public interest was again .displayed in t’ie case, there bring a . largo gallery in the back of tic CouG I throughout ’bo day The highlight r " |yesterday’s was the evi I donee of Miss Jean Carl- and Miss E’hel Bragg, to whom th?. poisoned chocolates were sent, describing how Ihe deceased accidentally partook of ’be fata! sweets. Page is charged that, at Black ball, on September 24, 1934, he tnu» di'red Margaret May Smith, and also I that at Blackbail, on September 21, j 1934, he attempted to murder Jean Krnnrdy Clark and Ethol Annie Bragg. I’ourtoei. witnesses wore he-artf ves terday and five on Monday, leaving 39 still to be heard, eighteen of whom wili bo hoard to day. William Shore Ogier, Postmaster, Blackball, said that be was at the Post Office on Saturday afternoon, September 22, 1934, when the afternoon mail from Greymouth arrived at 4.45 p.m., and he assisted to sort the mail. He noticed a package addressed "Misses Clark and Bragg, Blackball.” The parcel was sorted and a’lowed to remain in the Post Office until the following Monday morning. It was despatched I for delivery about 9 a.m. that morn ' ing. About midday Miss Clark brought I i to witness a brown paper wrapper, ad I dressed to Misses Clark and Bragg i There was a cancellation stamp on the | paper by the place of original postage. I Witness had a good look at the wrap per and thought its original posting I place was Greymouth. Two keys were held to the Blackball Post Office, one by witness and the other by Mr. Hogg. i bis assistant. So far as witness’s keys were concerned there was no chance of the package being interfer i ed with. On the same day witness i' received an envelope addressed to i! "Postmaster, Blackball, to post ' please” in the Atarau mail, and it bore

■ the Atarau cancellation stamp. The envelope contained another letter, adI dressed to Mr I). Pattison, SchoolI master, Atarau, Witness posted the ■ letter, first of all rance ling it with I the Blackball cancellation stamp ami I the letter went forward with the Ata ran mail that. day. Witness retained the envelope apd when inquiries were ■i'ia<l-‘ witness handed the envelope over to the detectives. Witness had not at any time received accused’s unem ployment levy book. Witness knew the accused. On the day of Miss Smith’s funeral accused called at the Post Office and spoke to witness. Accused said he was going to the fuuera and would like to see the verson caught I who had done this. No obscene ex pression was u>3d by witness or arcus I o-l on that occasion. Witness knew Mrs. Christie was postmistress at Ataran. Witness had received no corn plaint from the accused about Mrs Christie. Witness could remember re reiving a letter from accused contain ing money or any other matter. / Mr Paterson raised oh lection to the T n sport or asking leading questions. The Magistrate said the objection would hr noted. It was not intentional, the Inspector no doubt trying to assist the Court and expedite the hear ing, and by so doing had led the wit nesses too far

Herbert Ambrose Hogg, clerk, Post Office, Blackball; said that he was on duty at the post office on September 22, when the mail arirved from Greymouth. Witness held a key of the Post Office. It was in his possession over that week end. Witness was not in the Post Office over the week end. coming on duty at 8.30 a.m. on Monday, Mr Hansen also being on duty at that time. Witness handed the parcel addressed to Misses C}ark and Bragg to Mr. Hansen for delivery. Witness identified the wrapper in Court as the one he saw passing through the Post Office. The package was in the same ■audition when he handed it to Han- -’•» as 1‘ was ".hen he took it from ■ s' recc} aclo in the Post Office. Wi’li'r Forbes Hansen, a letter car "r, employed by the Post and Tele- . h Departm nt. at Christchurch, said that in September last he was employed as a letter carrier at Blackball. He remembered a package addressed

i Misses Clark and Bragg, on Monday, September 24. He picked it up and passed a remark that it contained < bo olato. He eou d tell by the rat t o of the box and the size. He put it in his bag for delivery and deliver'■l to McGregor’s shop just after 9.15 ’.■■cing if on the counter in the shop Wi-ness ■ ould not say for su e if there anyo-ie present at the time. The prekage ua-- in the same condition when he delivered it as when lie first q aw it. Th?, wrarver on the box was . later brought into ‘he Post Office by Miss Clark. Witness identified th-w-'Y-poi in G i rf as the same one. J nos Thouia Mpi’ov, messenger, a' ■’’o Greyn-juth pn t office, said that h- wa- on dut\ a: the Grcyrnouth post ■ -•f'-e on I’f‘d.ay, September 21, and D- following -’hy. Witness was one three boys who cleared the mail 1 - t .\-es i-nd h<* cleared ‘hem on the Friday and Saturday, stacking all the m.G' irnt'.-r un on the sorting table, from where it is sorted into the various bars for the svrround'ng districts. I' wn- part of witness's duty to see tha f all packages wore marked with the I cancellation stamp. Witness identified the stamp in Court as the one in n < at that tirno. Witness could not rtu-a’l -oebig an address as on the wrapper in Court va-sing through his hands on that dav. There would bp another ocson handling the nnckots-nn the Sit-n-.’av mo'-rin". Mr. AVal’ar'O. To reach p>., 4 15 n on Saturday, a naekafre won A have to be pos'e.i at f'.t-O n.m. in the genera! Post Office racket con'd pass through Ids hands • thont hint noticing ’he address. ■lean Kennedv Clark. domestic, Moonlii-lit Road, near Blackball, em oloyed bv Mrs. MeGreffor. Hilton Road. Blackball, said that about 9.45 a.m. ’ on September 2-1. her attention was attracted bv Miss Blast;; to a parcel, v hi h had arrived by post, ami which W-'S addressed to Miss Brasrc and "’lli’?ss. Witness recognised the brown was around the package. Witness took off the wrapper and found a box of uhoeolates. n box o f which description produced, she recognised. The box wi); wrapped in red eel ophane paver, whilst there was a so a red rib 1 1: around the box. Witness opened u ' the box. ■which contained chocolates eoverc I with packing. There was a ’ note inside the box. which witness now recognised. The note was signed “Jim.” W’tness thought, it would bi her cousin Jim Clark, who lived at Moonlight Road, and worked next door at Kidd’s Butcher’s shop. Miss Bragp and witness each had a chocolate out of the box, whilst Mrs. McGregor who was also there, took a chocolate from the box. Mrs. McGregor said something. As a mult of what Mrs. McGregor said, witness threw the piece of chocolate she had left, on the ground. The. ehoco ates were dry and looked as ’ though they bad been kept a long time. Witness went down to Kidd’s Butch er’s Shop carrying the chocolates, and Miss Bragg followed shortly after--1 wards. Jim Clark, her cousin, came ’ out of the shop, and witness handed 1 hi’m the box of chocolates. He took one chocolate and then another out of the box, eating both of them. The deceased. Miss Smith, then came from the baker’s shop next to the butcher’s shop. She took two chocolates from the box. She went straight bark to the baker’s shop. She had not eaten the chocolates when she left. Miss Smith was quite friendlv with witness ami Mis- Bragg. Mr. Bransfield came along and accepted their invitation to have a ehoco ate. There was no further distribution of chocolates. Witness and Miss Bragg went back to McGregor’s shop. Witness took another chocolate from the box and ate it. The chocolate tasted alright when she was eating it but after she had swal 'owed it, she had a nasty taste in he 1 ’ mouth. The chocolates were placed in their bedroom. Witness was not present when the chocolates were hand ed to Constable Honey that night. At 10.30 or 11 o’clock that day wituess heard of Miss Smith’s death. The brown paper around the chocolates was ithrown on the floor of the shop and |]ater witness put it in the kitchen. Witness took the wrapper round the chocolates, to the post office in the afternoon, ami Air. Ogier saw it. He cou.d not tell witness where it came from and she took it back to the shop. Witness was interviewed by Constable Honey that evening, and she handed him over the wrapper, and also the note that was in the package. Some time before this happening her mother showed her an anonymous letter, the envelope of which she now identified as the one produced. Her mother burned the letter. The letter referred to herself and a friend of hers. The reference was unfavourable towards witness. About that time witness had received some other anonymous letters, all but one coming through the post. One of them was put on the fence outside AfeGregor’s shop. Witness burned these letters, which were all writ ten. ->he thought the letter her mother received was written. Witness knew a Airs. Nel son, who showed wit ness an anonymous letter she had re ceived. The .name of the friend referred to i"h the anonymous letter received by her mother was Ron Neilson. The same person was referred to in the letters received by witness. The references were favourable to Ron Neilson, but unfavourable to witness. Witness knew of no reason why these letters should have been sent to her mother, Airs. Neilson or witness regarding her character. Witness had attended dances at Ngahere, and there was usually a party went over from Blackball. They, usually went in Air. Turner’s car. He lived at Atarau. Witness knew no reason why she should have got the chocolates and had never ordered any. Witness did not know accused but had seen him in Blackball. Bhe had never spoken to him. She had passed him coming home from the pictures on the aerial track, which was a short cut up to Blackball from the Moonlight Road. Witness had not been alone but in company with Ron Neilson. It was usually after 10 o’clock when the pictures came out. The

aerial track was the shortest route to her home. The Court adjourned at 11.55, the Magistrate remarking that the Court , v,ould be adjourned for five minutes, 1 and that it might relieve the tension i on the accused. Ethel Annie Bragg, Hilton Street, Blackball, employed as a shop assistant , at the shop of her aunt, Airs. McGregor, j Blackbal’, said that on September 24 . Inst she was in the shop when the , postman delivered a packet addressed r to Miss Clark and herself. On receipt i of the parcel Miss Clark was called and ] came into the shop. Witness and , Miss Clark looked at the parcel thou. , Witness identified the wrapper and the , address. Miss Clark then opened the parcel, which contained a box of chocoates. Witness identified the box in Court. The box was covered with red cellophane paper, similar to the exhi . hit in Court. There was a note in the package, which witness identified. The note referred to "Johnny” or "Tommy,” which was her, she being known among her close friends as "Tommy” Bragg. A piece of red ribbon was tied round the package, s’mi'nr to the exhibit in Court. The bnv was opened and Miss Clark and she / wbness') each took one. She ate one. Mrs. came into the shop immn’iateh- after and also took a choco'ate. passing a remark. As the result I - f that remark, witness did not come ’■-) anv conclusion about the chocolates. • Th? note was sb-ned "Jim.” and witI r.cs q thought that it was Jim Clark I Afis-s Clark’s r.ovsin. who works in the ; I butcher’s shop next to McGregor's. 1 Miqr. (Nark took the box down to Jim I ; C •>rk and witness followed immeduVe 1 ' lv after. Witness did not notice wne- ! ther there was anv covering over th • | cbnunlates. Miss C’ark offered he’ien" ir the. box. and he took one an- 3 ’ 1 ate The deceased came out of th*' 5 1-aker’s shop and witness asked he’ho come and have a chocolate. Shtool- two and went back 5 -n‘o the shop. Mr. Dransfield came i r-lon”- then, was offered a chocolate. } tool/one and ate it. C9ark ear- ' vied the clmcolntes. back to. Mrs. M<’i Gregor’s shon and witness accompan- ' | icd her. Witness had another chocoF I late when Diev got back to the shop J Witness noticed that both had rather •a bitter taste, and that the second one 1 Ihad a bnle bnred in the bottom nf it. i When witness noticed the hole in the Lecnnd chocolate, she put her tongue on it first. It had a bitter taste. I She did not have any il’ effects as a | tp adt nf eating the ehneo’ates. but the >- Inttor.lnsfp la'ftofi for abont an hour. ■ 'or so nfter-wnrcls. She hnd never seen ■ , tho neensefl prior to the receipt of the - I ho x - of chocolates. She <li4 not know '■ of nnv reason why tho ’-ox of chocolates l.i. nl ld I nvo Leon sent to her or Miss - I ' R„l>ser,uent to tho happening, n p,-'t pe tiv P .Sorgoar.t TTohnes hnfi shown >f , p There was no truth in >-‘.i. p ..onienfs of the note, nnfi she know e I >• ..... .....won wliv .nnvono shoulfi send Jo'nnto n f tW desc-iption tn the Chief ■* | of Ft ,; CP wpness -lid net know the d ihandwriting -•> it. WiGiCS* had n< - • ten'b-r] a dance at Ngahere with Miss ;i I (-p n ..p nnr l others, usuallv going over <s m,. Turner’s ear. Witness was ‘I nope friend v wit l ' <leeeasc<l If Miss 'e. Smit], had not come out and seen tho lt J chocolates it was not likely that she >r ! would have got any of the chocolates. :g There was no arrnng , '-m?nt -v :-ug '* gpstion that she should get. any of 10 ; them.

m ! Afrs. Ethel McGregor, Hilton Street, e* ■ Blackball, said that, her husband and e-j Mii-solf had a drapery business and •f thev resided on the premises. The two previous witnesses were employed bv witness. At about 9.30 a.m. on 3. September 24 last there was some v little excitement in the shop on receipt d of a parcel addressed tn Misses Clark f' and Bragg and wrapped in brown papo er. Afiss Clark opened up the parcel which contained a box of chocolates. The note signed "Jim” was inside the >f brown paper wrapper. Witness took ■ e a chocolate from the box and ate it. n Witness ate part of a second chocolate and threw the remainder away. She ai t.lfpuoht it had cascara in it at the, o | Ume. It tasted like it. She could n see the chocolates had been scratched underneath and had a bit of a hole in : s them. Witness had her second chocoe late when Miss Clark brought the o chocolates back from the butcher’s r- shop. Witness later that morning r I heard Afiss Smith was ill, and she went :■ flown to the bakehouse. She saw 'r Miss Smith, the deceased girl. The t. deceased’s brother was ho ding her « un. She was in his arms. Deceased i was lying back and stiff as if she had taken a fit. Witness said she d 'h tight the bakehouse was too hot, and t that they should get her out into the I fresh air. Afiss Dumpleton (now Mrs. ,t Lowery) assited. Afiss Smith said it s hurt her when she was being assisted, e Smith was unable to walk. Wit „s ness did not think Miss Smith was J able to move her legs. She did not L think they went to the ground at all. They just seemed to be limp. Decease ed was placed on the chesterfield. Dee ceased spoke and was given a drink e of waler. Dr. Hutson was there, ari. riving soon after deceased was taken e fn the house. Deceased was quite 1 still for a while. She was lying very e stiff and a’l of a sudden jumped an’d R crouched her knees up. The doctor r then treated deceased who was afterB wards removed from the couch on to [ a bed in another room. Witness r thought deceased was getting on al--1 right and went back to her shop. Afiss r Smith was conscious at this time. Airs. s Dumpleton shortly afterwards called ] witness again as Afiss Smith’s condition had become worse. Deceased ap peared to be in convulsions and was . asking for water. Dr. Hutson went . • • his home for medicine for deceased. Afiss Smith had very bad convulsions . before she died. Witness was later s interviewed by Constables Honey and Hendrickson, and was present when the box of chocolates, wrapper and . packing was handed over. The Court adojurned at this stage till 2.15 p.m. ! Continuing her evidence when the i Court resumed, Afrs. McGregor said i that Misses Smith, Clark and Bragg were friendly. Witness did not know any reason why a box of poisoned r chocolates should be sent to Afiss Bragg or Afiss Clark. Witness had seen the letter and envelope adress3 ed to Chief of Police, Greymouth. She i had no idea who wrote the letter, and she had no idea of any reason why it shon’d have been written. The con1 tents of the letter were untrue. Witr ness knew the accused by sight. Witr ness once spoke to accused. Witness . was in the garden one day when ac--3 cused came along and asked her for ( 3 some roofing iron. Witness did not 1 3 know who he was, but Detective Hol- ■ 3 mes told her. Witness told accused l to see her husband about the iron. 1 - He gave accused the iron. Witness i ; saw accused on another occasion on i > the Moonlight Tennis Court at Atarau. £

Janies Murdoch Spence Clark, butcher, of Blackball, employed at Kidd Brothers’ shop said that he knew the deceased, Jean Clark and Ethel Bragg. They were friendly towards each other On Monday, September 24tli witness spoke to Jean (his cousin), and Afiss Bragg. Miss Clark had a box of -■lioeolntes and offered them to wit - ness. He took one from the box an<l ate it, and a so ate another one later on. One was a nut chocolate and the other a raisin. They were both hard, but he did not. know that until he commenced to eat them. Both seemed quite ordinary chocolates. While he was eating the chocolates he was shown a note, which he identified as Hie exhibit in Court. The note was not in his handwriting and he had never seen it prior to Afiss Clark show ing it tn him. He had never sent any chocolates to Misses Clark and Bragg. He did not know who sent t 1 em. Air. Dransfield also was ouri!:? the shop and had one chocolate. Miss Smith was asked by Miss Bragg • ' have a chocolate, and took more than one. She did not eat them while ■•he was out on the footpath. Never a’ any time had witness been in the ''<-s-osriou of strychnine, nor had he '\or seen it. He knew the accused by sight. He had seen him in the ■Mvtime. George William Dransfield, licensee ■ r tho Club Hotel, Blackball, said Ir’t he was in Hilton Street on in? "n-onoon of September 24, 1934. He ’ ”i"v deceased who was quite a popugirl in Blackball. He saw Miss ' -rl<. Miss Smith (on the footpath), I'a G'ark (in the butcher’s shop). r ' -n C ark asked witness to have , t 'hocolate. which were contained in a ■w. Witness helped himself to a ’■ "’-date and ate it. Witness was ■ Me time going to the butcher’s shop. '"i‘ went back to the hotel. The t-'ocolafe did not affect him until ■out. half an hour afterwards, when ' ? went to write a cheque out, but •ould not do so. as it had affected his '••‘(vos. Witness when he went in for 'un -1) could not move his jaw. He nnlv h.s-l soup, not being able to work h's jaw to eat anything. The choco■'i*e tasted alright, until the 'ast bit ’vhm it tested bitter. Witness had •'njnvpd good health and had never had simib'ir attack. Witness knew ac--•ii-od. meeting him out in the street •'* Blackball and in witness’s hotel. Somebody came to the hotel for 2 *>r*h nf brandy. Tie could not say if Hi'S Dumpleton came for it. It was for Miss Smith. Witness supplied the brandy from a bottle off tho shelf. It was draught brandy and part of his ordinary stock. The bottle from which he supp’ied the brandy was in general use in the bar. Robert Francis Smith, linker, in the nmolov of Mr. Dumpleton. Blackball. - r -’d that the deceased was h's slstei. about four years prior to her death 'he had been employed at Dumpleton’s bakery shop. On the morning of Sep,'ember 24. witness was at work in •he bakerv ITis sister camo to work about H o’clock, her usual time. She enjoyed good health, and as far as he con’d sf* p she was in her usual state

of health that morning. At about 10 witness had been out of the ' : k--house for breakfast, and returned about 10.15. Tlis sister wns then leaning over the dough machine, c inching the mixing arm. At first witness thought she was : ust trying to move the arm, but when he walked over to her, he could see that something was wrong. Tie spoke to her. but she did not answer. Witness cither sent his asisstant for a chair or the doctor. Witness tried 1o take her away at first, but she would not move, saying to leave her there. Just after that > she let go of the arm, and witness was supporting her. Her limbs were then quite rigid, and she had roughly four spasms of twitching. Up until the [ time she left the bakehouse she had not sat down. She said that it hurt > 'on much. She asked for some salt and water, because she wanted to be sick. She said that she had been > given some chocolates by the butcher’s , with cascara in them. Afrs. Lowery , gave her some salt and water, but she d'd not vomit. She was also given some brandy. She was then removed to Dumpleton’s house and witness did not again see her alive. On the ‘blowing day witness identified the body of his sister a f the public Aforgue, Grevmo-uth. and gave evidence of : fl O’itification before the Coroner on that date. Witness had been empl >v “d at Dumpleton’s just over eleven years. Tie had never used any strvehn'm? about the, bakehouse, and be had never se?n it. From his own n-'":-onn’ knowledge his sister was a Wealthy girl. She was friendly with Afiss Clark and Aliss Bragg. He did not know of anv ill-feeling or jealousy towards his sister bv anyone. There was no suggestion of her becoming engaged about that. time, and as far as v.’i'ress knew she did not have a suitor. Witness identified the wrapper, and ’h'- note exhibits. Tie had no know l**dge ns to who wrote them. He knew the accused by sight and had spoken to him in the bakehouse once, and twice in fhp shop. Mrs. Afabol Lowery (nee Dumpleton''. Hilton Street, Blackball, su'd that on Rnnfppihpr 24 last, she was living with her parents and deceased was in th? employ nf her parents at the shop. Witness was called to the bakehouse i and saw Afiss Smith, being assisted by v 'or brother. Deceased appeared tn he quite stiff and was holding on tn the arm nf ♦he dough machine. Her hands were trembling. Tn consequence of what deceased said, witness got her some salt and water, but it did no* mpVp her sink. Her brother held the glass whist deceased drank the contents. Deceased was later supplied with some brandy, by the doctor, procured from Afr. Dransfield. When Iving on the chesterfield deceased appeared to ho in great pain and she drew her logs un. Deceased was unable to make u c ? of her legs. Her font did not touch the ground. Thev wore dangling. Deceased lived about half-an-hour after she was taken in from th? bakehouse the house. Wif,ness saw the glasses used, the smaller one being used for the salt and water and the ’arger one for the brandy. They were glasses in regular use at, the household. Witness said she had served accused some time with bread tn the shop. Witness had also seen accused in the street about Blackball. Witness had not known of anv strychnine being used about the house and had never seen strychnine. Afrs. DnrTs Daphne Tunstell, Stafford Street. Blackball, said that she was friendly with the deceased. Un September 24 last, witness heard of her death, and later witness asisted m lay ing her body out at her home. There ■was difficu’tv in straightening the limbs. Witness knew the accused, having first mot him at Waiuta about 10 or 12 years ago. She had seen him occasionally about Blackball, and at night going home to Moonlight, along the ;

i aerial track, after the talkies, about 10 s 0 'clock. Occasionally she had >eeu ’ him outside the baker's snop. 3 Constable Oswald Hugo Hendricki son, of Blackba 1, said that at 1.45 p.m. on September 24, he received a coin ; munication from Dr. Hutson, of Black • ball reporting the death of Miss Smith. - Witness was joined by Constable Honey, of Ahaura, and together they ! went to the Smith residence, where ’he,' viewed the body. Witness later called at Airs. McGregor’s shop and ilMis. AfcGregor handed him the box oT . | eiiocolrtes and found that some of them ; hud b.-'ii tampered with, in that a hole i I tiaP b' l’n made in the bottom of some /of them. That evening Constable Ik.uev handed to him the brown paper wrap]!er, and the note (identified as I p ch;bits), and he in turn later handed j then- to Senior Sergeant Quayle. Wit- ’ ness was present when the post mortem ■.as held by Drs. Bird and Tiutson There were no marks of violence apparent on the body. Tie was also pre sent when the Doctors removed cer tain portions from the body and sea c-1 them in jars and receptacles. Con "table Hay and the Senior Sergeant were also present, and with witness, took the exhibits to the police station. All the receptacles were sealed by the doctors before they came into the officers’ custody. They were locked away ’bat night in th? safe, by the Senior Sergeant. Witness knew th? accused having seen him about Blackball, for about six months before Afiss Smith’s death. He did not remain about the district long after she died. Constable Arthur William Honey, stationed at Ahaura. stated that on September 24, 1934. he accompanied Constable Hendrickson to B ackl-all about 6 p.m.. and visited Afr. Smith’s home, there viewing the body of deceased. He also went tn McGregor’s where he saw the chocolates. Afrs. Ale Gregor drew his attention to the holes ruder the chocolates which were in •irper cups. Witness reported the facts Io the Inspector and Coroner and obtained authority tn remove the body to th? Greymouth morgue. Constable Hendrickson accompanied the undertaker and body, witness remaining to •"ake further enquiries at Blackball. Witness received the brown paper wrapping and note found in the chocolates., from Miss Clark. Later that night in Greymouth, witness handed the exhibits to Constable Hendrickson. Wit ness had lived for ten years in the district and knew Miss Smith and her parents. Deceased was a popular and highly respected girl and was not a girl ’ikelv to harbour any enemies. Witness also knew Afiss Jean Clark well, and she wns a girl well respected and was popular in the district. Witness did not know Afiss Bragg, but knew nothing against her character. Proceedings were adjourned until M o’clock this morning.