CAPITAL CHARGE

Northern Advocate, 29 July 1935, Page 3

CAPITAL CHARGE

BLACKBALL EPISODE miner arraigned. POISONED CHOCOLATES CASE. IPer Press Association. — Copyright .3 GREYMOUTH," This Day. A charge of murder and two charges of attempted murder were preferred against John Skikelchrot Page, aged 36, a miner, in the Police Court this afternoon. The charges arise out of the chocolate poisoning case at Blackball in September last, when. Margaret May Smith died after eating chocolates from a box which two friends had received through the post. The Court hearing was the climax to nearly a year’s intensive investigation by Detective T. E. Holmes, of Christchurch, and Detective-Sergeant H. E. Knight, of Greymouth, during which well over a thousand people have been interviewed. , Sensational evidence is expected, and there are 58 witnesses from different narts of New Zealand between Auckland and Dunedin, The case is expected to last over a week. The inquest concerning the death of Miss Smith is being taken in conjunction with the hearing. Page is charged that on September 24, 1934, at Blackball, he did murder Margaret May Smith; that on or about •September 22, 1934, at Blackball, he did attempt to murder. Esther Annie Bragg; also that on or about September 22, at Blackball, he did attempt to murder Jean Kennedy Clark. Mr H. Morgan, S.M., is on the bench, and is acting as coroner. Inspector Donald Cameron is prosecuting and Mr A. H. Patei’son is appearing for the accused.

Accused was brought by express from the Seacliff Mental Hospital on Saturday and is in custody of the Seaview Mental Hospital, Hokitika, whence he will be taken to the court daily. Today’s evidence was concerned mainly with photographs, plans and fingerprints. Senior-Sergeant Dinnie, of Wellington, fingerprint expert, is here for the case.