THE CONWAY CASE

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4301, 9 March 1901, Page 5

THE CONWAY CASE

RESUMPTION OP THE INQUEST. TWO IMPORTANT WITNESSES. (Received March 8, 5.4 p.m.) SYDNEY, March 7. The inquest on the body of the man Conway, who died under suspicious circumstancea on board the Taunle, was resumed to-day. . Mrs. Smith, who has been arrested in connection with the case, was present. Mr Moss appearing on her behalf. Mr Moss complained of the newspapers publishing accounts of-the case, which, he said, were intended to influence the public mind. The Coroner replied that neither Mrs Smith nor anyone else was before the Court. The Government pathologist w T as the first witness. •He deposed that at the post mortem on February 21st he removed portion of the intestines and other organs which w-ere handed to the morgue keeper. Three men from the Talune who had seen Conway were brought to the morgue. On the strength of what lie heard from these men and talcing into consideration the whole facts, there being an absence of suspicious circumstances in the evidence before him at the time, he wrote out a statement that deceased died from an epileptic fit. convulsions and asphyxia. Conway's kidneys were diseased, hut his condition was quite compatible with the man being in fairly good health and feeling well. On March 2nd the witness said he saw and identified the exhumed body. He then removed the remaining intestines, which were handed to the Government analyst. In reply to the Coroner, the witness said the post mortem signs he found vvere consistent with strychnine poisoning. As a rule there were no signs peculiar to strychnine poisoning. In reply to a further ‘ question of whether the condition of the kidnevs could have caused death, witness said at the time he made the post mortem he considered it might have ’caused convulsions. W. McCcndie. a fellow passenger of Conway’s, said the deceased's health and spirits to February 19th seemed very good, That evening after tea he aaw Conway lying near the fore hatch struggling convulsive! v with his hands clenched. Ht helped to carry Conway, who was quit( conscious’ and oil the time said, ' X ne.ve: had anything like this in my life. ] cannot understand what it is. Aftei taking a drink of water he jumped righ’ out of- witness's amis. Afterwards h j would struggle for a. few minutes, then h I quiet and again, be attacked. These pa : foxysms lasted for about a couple of rain utes. An hour and a quarter elapsed be tween the first seizure and death. Con way died in a fit. ; The inquest was adjourned until to-moi I row. (Received March 8, 10.41 p.m.) ! SYDNEY, March 8.

The police are trying to find a man named Allen, who worked his passage from New Zealand as a fireman on the Talune. He loft the vessel on reaching Sydney. This man was with Conway in his last honrs, and it is considered that he may be an important witness. The husband of Mrs Smith has cabled to his wife that he is coming to Sydney by the Mokoia to give evidence.' Mrs Smith appeared at the inquest under writ of habeas corpus in charge of two warders from Darlinghurst. CtiitISTCHURCH, March 8.

Mr Smith, husband of the Mrs Smith who has been arrested m connection with the Conwav case, is in Christchurch on his wav to Sydney. He denies the statement cabled from Sydnev that ho owed Conway .£2OO, and that Conw.y held a promissory note and the deeds ot his house.