A FATAL DRINK

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23215, 8 December 1938, Page 20

A FATAL DRINK

TRAGEDY IN FLAT EX-SOLDIER'S DEATH EVIDENCE OF FRIENDS VERDICT OF SUICIDE "It is a very old. old story," said the city coroner, Mr. F. K. Hunt, at the conclusion of an inquest yesterday into the--death of Joseph Dodgson, a returned soldier pensioner, who died in n St. John ambulance while on the way to the Auckland Hospital on the night of November 22. The proceedings for the police were conducted bv De-tective-Sergeant J. Walsh and the relatives of the deceased were represented bv Mr. Brvce Hart.

Mary Glenn said sho was a married woman, aged 34, living apart from her husband. She resided in a flat with her son in an apartment house occupied by her mother in Queen Street, city. She knew deceased for about a year prior to his death. Ho was never in the best of health and was in receipt of a pension. ' .'Visits to Ilat "I felt 6orrv for him on account of his health and he used to visit mo regularly at ray flat after his discharge from hospital in 1937," said witness. "He used to drink a good deal and frequently brought bottles oC stout to my flat. He used to talk at times as though lm did not care what happened to him and I have heard him say that he would commit suicide. He also told me on one occasion that ho bad a bottle of poison. "It was deceased's custom to have tea with me at my flat nearly every night and I know that he was very fond of me. He had told me that he had fallen in love with me. He was of an exceedingly jealous disposition and used to take exception to anyone calling me by my first name. Wo used to have rows about this. I was introduced to a man named Cecil Francis Hunt by deceased about two months before his death. Deceased and Mr. Hunt were on friendly terms." "Very Jealous"

Mrs. Glenn added that she had visited Mr. Hunt's shop on several occasions with deceased. She was inter-

ested in a patent wire soap container and Mr. Hunt was going to make them for her. On November 21 she and deceased had visited Mr. Hunt and she told deceased that evening that if ho continued acting as'lie was doing sho did not want to see him again. Ho was very jealous. Mr. Hunt was at her flat on November 22 at about 7.30 p.m.

■when deceased came in. He went out again apd returned a little later with witness- sister, Mrs. Beacham. "Deceased said something to m.v sister," added witness. "I heard her say that Mr. Hunt and I were only friends. Deceased left the flat and returned at about 8 o'clock that flight with a small bottle in his hand. He

Eaid it contained strychnine and that be was going to drink it. I did not believe him. He went to the bathroom and returned with a glass which contained a white liquid mixture. Ho then drank the contents of the glass." A Doctor Galled

Deceased stood in the room for a little while and did not seem to be affected by the drink, added witness. Deceased said he would mix some more

for Mr. Hunt. He went to the bathroom and returned with some water in the same glass and tipped the balance of the contents, of the bottle into it. He then handed it to Mr. Hunt, who drank the contents. Deceased then said he thought he' would take some more, but Mr. Hunt took the glass from his hand. "Deceased then fell down." said witness. "I went with Mr. Hunt to the bathroom and mixed some mustard and water for him. He asked me how Joe was. and I found him lying on tho floor where we had left him. Mr. Hunt took him to the bathroom and told me to ring for the doctor and ambulance. We got deceased into the bathroom. and-1 tried to open his mouth, hut his teeth were clenched. The ambulance and police arrived shortly after." The Coroner: You left this man lying there and gave him no mustard and water?

Witness: We tried later, but could not get his teeth apart. The Coroner: You were carrying on with this man Dodgson first and then with this other man. Witness: I wanted to give him some happiness. Comment by Coroner "You did not give him much happiness," added the coroner. "You just made him jealous, because you were carrying on with that other man. It is a pity you cannot get some, work to do instead of messing round with men like this." Cecil Francis Hunt said he was a single man. aged 34, and knew the deceased. They good friends and deceased and Mrs. Glenn visited him on several occasions during the six weeks prior to deceased's death. Witness gave an account of the incident in Mrs. Glenn's flat on the night of November 22 along the same lines as the evidence of Mrs. Glenn. He said he was intoxicated, but deceased appeared to be all right. Statement Not Believed "When deceased produced a bottle and said' it was strychnine, and that he was going to take some, I did not believe him, and thought he was trying to be dramatic," added witness. "He said again that the bottle contained strychnine, and I told him I did not believe it. Ho then said. 'lf you are so tough have a go yourself,' or words to that effect. I answered, 'O.K.. Joe, what's good enough for you is good enough for me.' " Witness said he tried to force deceased's mouth open, but could not do bo. He added that he would not have drunk the- contents of tho glass had he suspected that it contained poison. Had he known he would.also have prevented deceased from drinking it. "It seems to me a perfectly clear case that deceased died in an ambulance on tho. way to the hospital, the cause being-, suicide by strychnine poisoning," said tho coroner. "There is no need for me to comment on what took place in the flat that evening or on tho conduct of the woman."