SUPREME COURT

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXVII, Issue LXXVII, 22 May 1919, Page 7

SUPREME COURT

CHARGE OF SENDING DAN-

GEROUS LETTERS

(BY TEIiEGBAPH —PBESS ASSOCIATION.) WELLINGTON, May 22. At the Supreme Court a case is being heard in which Richard William Martin is charged with having sent -letters containing threats to kill Alexander Collins. With one letter was sent, a box of chocolates said to •'■ contain nitric acid. The letter extended best wishes to Collins, and -asked him to give some of the chocolates to his wife. Later,' it is alleged, ■detectives found.a bottle of nitric acid on a shelf in accused's office. Accused said that # the acid was for testing purposes. Collins, under cross-examination, said that he hoped the. accused were still employed by the same firm and that their relations were friendly. When v/itness received the last letter accused advised him to see the police. The condition and smell of the chocolates when received were such that no adult would think or eating them. Some of the letters had been posted; others left on the counter in the shop. Witness' wife had been ill for some time, and required special medicine, which accused used to get for him, -and therefore if accused wanted to do 'harm he coiild have done it in that. The case is proceeding.