The Gisborne Poisoning Case.

Hastings Standard, Issue 190, 7 December 1896, Page 2

The Gisborne Poisoning Case.

Gisboenk, Sunday. At an inquest on the man Charles Fisher, who was killed on Friday by drinking pci son from a bottle which he thought contained beer, it was stated that Avith two other prohibited persons Fisher went to the house of a boatbuilder named Frederick Steele, and, according to one of his companions he got the key of the boatshed, saying'hewanted a drink and he would have one, and went in himself. After a minute or so the witness heard him call out " I'm poisoned," and on witness asking him what he had taken he said that he had swallowed some carbolic acid. Witness seeing him dying went for Dr Hughes, but despite the doctor's treatment the man died. When witness went into the shed he saw Fisher with a bottle in his hand. The bottle was labelled "Peppermint." There was another bottle there (labelled 17/; <h> (Juiniur) like the bottle produced, and he pointed out to Dr Hughes the bottle from which Fisher said he had drank. Fisher appeared to be under the influence of drink befare he went into the shed. Fisher's other companion turned up at the inquest the worse for drink and the Coroner refused to hear him. It then transpired from a Maori witness that two beer bottles containing carbolic acid for disinfecting purposes at Mr Harding's residence had been left in the boatshed by him whilst he went another message. Strange to say no questions was asked as to what made Fisher think he would get a drink in the boatshed, and that portion of the case remains unsatisfactory. After a brief deliberation the jury returned a verdict of death from poisoning by misadventure, and added the following rider : —" The jury would point out the great danger of people putting carbolic acid into bottles, and not labelling them poison." —H.I3. Herald.