STRYCHNINE IN MEAT WHAT FASCISM MEANS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 29 July 1932, Page 6

STRYCHNINE IN MEAT

WHAT FASCISM MEANS

MUSSOLINI'S DEFINITION “Signor Mussolini has given a final and authoritative definition of Fascism,” says the “Morning Post” correspondent at Rome. “In the last volume of the massive Italian Encyclopaedia, which is twice the size of the Encyclopaedia Britannica, Signor Mussolini has committed his doctrine to writing in a 2000-word article.

“He argues that Fascism is not in fact, a doctrine, but ‘a manner of living,’ and he asserts that ‘Fascism conceives life as a struggle in which it is the duty of the individual man first to conquer himself and so make himself a worthy instrument for service to himself, the nation, and humanity.’ “Signor Mussolini continues: ‘Life as conceived by Fascism is serious, austere and religious, and disdains ease and compromise. Fascism is against abstract individualism, materialism and utopias. “ ‘Politically Fascism is a realistic doctrine and aspires to solve on a practical basis all problems that arise. For the Fascist all is in the State, and nothing human or spiritual exists or has value outside the State.

“In this sense Fascism is totalitarian, and interprets the whole life of the nation. The people form the State as a people, and not as a majority of individuals. For this reason Fascism is against Demoeracry, which equalises people on the lower level of the majority and conceives people qualitatively and qualitatively. “ ‘Fascism trains the individual and the nation to higher levels, and, consequently, it considers more than politics the development of the sense of discipline, authority and spirit. For this reason the Fascist symbol is the bundle of lictor rods, emblem of unity, strength and justice.’ ”

A hacking cough strains throat and chest, Its victim knows no ease or rest. A raucous rattle comes to stay, And seldom ceases night or day. A hacking cough may chronic grow, And lay its anxious victim low; But such affliction none endure When taking Woods’ Great Peppermint Cure.

—— CANTERBURY POISONING CASE MEDBURY FAMILY’S ESCAPE FROM DEATH Strychnine rubbed into meat, from which a family were to make a meal, nearly caused the deaths of a brother and sister, Mr Charles Topp and Miss Mary Topp, residing on a lonely farm in the Med bury district, a few miles from HaAvarden (reports the Christchurch “Times”). They Avere violently ill after eating some of the meat, but fortunately for them tlie bitter taste stopped them from taking more than a small portion. Four dogs that ate'some of the meat all died.

The incident occurred on lltli July, and since then Detective J. Findlay has been making inquiries in the district. From tlie story told by the victims, and the circumstances of the poisoning, there seems little doubt that the poison Avas put in the meat by some unknown person Avith the intention that Mr and Miss Topp should eat it. The Topps live on a farm of 100 acres about tAvo and a half miles from the Medburv station and are Avellrespected by all their neighbours. Three brothers, William Alfred and George, avlio Avork in the forestry serA’ice, live in the same district.

From all the evidence it Avould seem that the person responsible Avent to the farm on tlio Sunday night, 10th July, and getting into the unlocked dairy some distance away from the house, rubbed powdered strychnine into the meat that Avas hanging there. The family had eaten meals from the same piece of beef for four days previously without effect.

Tlie police had the remainder of the meat —throe pieces—analysed, and it Avas found that all were impregnated Avith the poison. No other part of the carcase had any taint. There Avas no strychnine on the farm. MR C. TOPP’S STORY “There is very little doubt that some one has got a bad.grudge against us, and has tried by this method to get us out of the way,” said Mr Charlie Topp, when interviewed this Aveek. ‘ ‘There is a possibility of course, that the meat came in contact Avith something which had poison on it, but there seemed to be such a quantity in the meat, and it made ns so ill at once, that I don’t think that can be the explanation. “My brother Alfred and I helped to kill the bullock at Mr T. Weir’s place on Saturday, 2nd July, and my sister, Mary, brought home my portion of the meat on the folloAving Thursday. 1 Mr Weir, Avho is my brother Alfred’s father-in-law, had given a fore-quarter to ho divided among myself and tAvo brothers, Alfred and George. The meat Avas certainly all right at first. My piece Avas the only one on Avliich the detective said the analyst had found poison, later, though, after our experience George thought that the meat Avliich Alt', had was also affected. “We had some of tlie meat on Thursday evening, 7tli July, and again on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and noticed nothing 1 Avrong. On Monday evening, lltli July, my sister curried some of the beef, and we had it for tea. Neither of us liked the taste of it, and Ave did not- finish it, though Ave did not think at the time that there Avas anything wrong. My sister Avas the first to feel ill, hut she did not get tlie full effects until she tried to stand up. Then she seemed to lose the use of her legs, and half staggered and half fell into an armchair at the side of tlie fire.

“ ‘I think I am going to faint,’ ” she said. ‘Please get me a drink of water.’ I felt as right as I do now, but, as soon as I stood up and went to go to the scullery, I found that I could hardly use my legs and had to sort of fling myself out, holding myself up with my hand on the wall. We were both of .us shaking all over, and we could hardly drink the water when I got it, “Mary went to the bedroom and threw herself on the bed, and as I was feeling pretty bad I thought "I had better go and get help while I.could move at all. I could hardly stand, but, strangely enough, when I started i could do nothing except run. I went to Mr George Gray’s place down the road, and by the time I got there I could hardly move or speak. I managed to let them know what had happened, and some of them came over to Mary. George brought mo over in the car. “We were both very ill and they had to bring Dr. Hunter from Waikari. Ho came about an hour and a half later, and by that time I was pretty nearly better. Mary was also better but was still ill. The effect seemed to wear off very quickly.” DEATH OF DOGS Miss Topp said that Mrs Grey told her that when Mr Topp came to their place they did not think that he would leave there alive. He looked very ill and could hardly move. The curry, which was left over after the meal, was thrown out and four young dogs that ate it died. A little niece, Iris, who was living with Mr Topp, had an even more fortunate escape than the adults. She usually had tea with them and is very fond of curry. On the Monday night, luckily, she was in bed sleeping and so she did not parlake of the meal.

Mr Charles Topp and Miss Topp have had a bad shock, and for the present they are taking great care with everything they eat or drink. They are keeping all foodstuffs inside the house until such time as they can have the dairy, where the meat was tampered with, properly protected with locks. Detective Findlay has returned to the city, but the police investigation has not yet been completed.