CHEMIST ACQUITTED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23491, 31 October 1939, Page 9

CHEMIST ACQUITTED

ALLEGED SUPPLY OF DRUG REMOVAL OF DEAD BODY [by TEr.KOUArn —own cohukspondent] NAPIER, Monday A verdict of not guilty on both counts was returned in the Supremo Court in Napier to-day in the case in which Godfred Coldwcll, aged 27, of Hastings, chemist, was charged with unlawfully supplying a noxious drug to Muriel Esther lleichelt and with interfering with or offering indignity to a dead human body. Cold well, who appeared before Mr. Justice Blair, pleaded not guilty. Detectivo A Sergeant L. B. Revell produced a statement which he said was made to the police by accused, in which he admitted having supplied a mixture to the girl, but denied any knowledge fil' her whereabouts on the night she died. In-a second statement lie admitted that she had died in his shop, and said he had withheld that information previously, haying feared the publicity would affect his father and liis wife. In this second statement it was also admitted by accused that ho had moved the body from the shop with flic intention of going to the girl's home, but, being unable to face her mother, had left it in Avenue Road.

Dr. P. O. Lynch, of Wellington, pathologist, said the cause of Miss Reichelt's death was asphyxia associated with sieute dropsy of the lungs. Air. C. G. Marker, for accused, said the medical evidence showed that the drug as administered could not possibly bring about the result the prosecution alleged was intended. Counsel emphasised that there Was no suggestion that anything accused did had any effect on the condition from which the girl died. The body had been moved when the accused was in a state of panic. It was easv to accept accused's word that he felt he could not face the girl's mother. The jury was absent for 35 minutes hefore'it returned with a verdict of not guilty on both counts.