FATAL DOSE OF POISON.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20620, 19 July 1930, Page 2 (Supplement)

FATAL DOSE OF POISON.

WOMAN FOUND BAREFOOTED. DEATH CAUSED BY COCAINE. UNRAVELLED MYSTERY. " Cocaine poisoning, with no evidwica to show by whom the poison was administered." Such was the dramatic verdict at the inquest, at Cheadle, England, on the " barefoot woman." There was no likelihood of suicide, said the coroner, nor evidence of death from misadventure. The jury were driven back to this point: was the woman murdered, ft and, if so, by whom ? Tho woman, Mrs. Carrie Whitehouse, was found lying dead, with bare feet, by the side of tho main road near Cheadle at the end of May. Passages from a ninepage letter—found in her room in Manchester —were read at the inquest. " This case is a very extraordinary, and in my opinion a difficult one," said tho coronor, Mr. J. K. Ferns, addressing the jury at the opening of the resumed inquest. "If in the course of the inquiry it should turn out a crime has been committed, it would lie yi/.ir duty to piesent a charge against any person, or, if they are unknown, against some person or persons unknown. In regard to Captain Bert Whitehouse—l do not want anything kept back—but he is living in the South of England, and he has not seen her for many years. . .a." Evidence of Police Inspector.

Defective-Inspector Piatt, of Cheshire County Constabulary, said information was received from New Scotland Yard that the woman's finger-prints were identical'with those. of a woman named Carrie Whitehouse, of whom the polico had records. She was also known as Clarice Wilson Scotland Yard also forwarded a list of previous convictions against the woman. The inspector produced a long list of articles found in deceased's room, including a library book, " The Rustle of Silk." He also produced a nine-page letter found in the room. The coroner said that the letter was written by the dead woman to a man of whom she was apparently very fond. It would clear the matter if he put his pen through one name in the letter which might give pain to someone not connected with the case. The other names in the letter seemed to be nicknames. " Champagne and Fancies." The letter, the coroner said, was dated on the day deceased disappeared, and it wa3 her intention apparently to fin'sti it later. The letter began" My own darlingest Norman, —I received your dear letter this morning, so I am writing a few, lines now and finishing it off to< morrow. ... I do not want to appear selfish, darling, but I do wish you would have some business to do which would bring you thi'3 way at times. I do miss you and under the present circumstances the doctoi says I must not dream of'going to London or even to Nottingham for a while. I am under treatment for this cold. . ."

The letter continued:—"ln fact I am not to go far away from my room for the next few days. . . The doctor gays there is nothing whatever to worry about if L keep like I an now. I am keeping" wonderfully well and looking well."-

The coroner said that there was then some reference to champagne and " expensive fancies" and a meal. The letter referred to a Mrs. Jimmie and to "Little Bell," and continued:— " It seems such a pity just at the time I want you rnoie, if it is possible to ever want you more than 1 do always, you should have to go away. ... " Sometimes 1 think, my dear, my love for you makes me a bit selfish, but you do understand, don't you! Doctor says you are not to worry about me. _ If the worst comes to the worst there is some way out.

Meeting on a Tramcar. The next witness called was Edward Norman Nicholson Gillet. The coroner told hirn that so far as he could see there was nothing that Gillet would say that would lead him into trouble. He only wanted Gillet to help the court. Witness: I am prepared to do all I can. By the coroner's permission Gillet-'s address was kept private. Gillet said he was a single man and lived in London. He had been employed as a commercial traveller for a firm oi chemical products manufacturers. He first met Mrs. Whitehouse on a tramcar. He received notice terminating his engagement with the firm on May 8, afier having worked for them for two and a-half vears. He wrote to Mrs. Whitehouse about it and it appeared to worry her that he might be leaving Manchester. Witness said he last saw deceased alive on May 13. They discussed the question of his discharge and decided to keep together. He had no idea who the "Doctor ' was. The letter read was the most amazing letter to him. He had told her there was nothing to woriy about. What the Pathologist Found.

Aftor the landlady of the bouse where Mrs. Whitehouse stayed had given evidence, Sir Bernard SpiLsbury, the expert pathologist who examined the body, was called.

" 1 found no natural disease in the body to account for death from natural causes," he said. . . "1 think it is clear from the presence of nearly two-thirds of a gram of cocaine in the stomach that itmust, have reached there by tho mouth and was not given by injection under tho skin or any other method." How much tocaino was taken it was impossible to say. said witness, but probably considerably more than the twothirds of a grain which was found. Witness said ho was of tho opinion that death was due to acute poisoning bv cocaine taken by the mouth.

" 1 think if. is probable," Sir Bernaul continued, " that cocaine was taken nft cr the lasl meal and that the poison probably proved fatal within an hour of being taken. With regard tu the quantity, it was certainly a poisonous amount, anJ may very well have I ecu round about ton grains."

The jury retired, and after nine minutes returned a verdict that " Death was dim to acute cocaine poisoning, l)>it there w:>s no evidence to show by whom it was administered.