MASTERTON TRAGEDY

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11652, 17 October 1923, Page 7

MASTERTON TRAGEDY

STRYCHNINE FOUND IN WHISK! MYSTERIOUS POISONING INCIDENT NEAR RAGEGOURSE VERDICT AT THE INQUEST (By Telegraph.—Special to “Times.”) MASTERTON, October 16. The inquest touching the death of Mr Alex. Watson, the well-known horse trainer, who, died as the result of a mysterious poisoning incident at Opaki on August 23rd, was resumed at the Courthouse, Masterton, to-day, before Mr E. G. Eton, District Coroner. At the opening of the inquest on August 24th, formal evidence was given by Henry Nee as to the identity of the late Mr Watson’s body, and the inquest was then adjourned to allow the police to make further inquiries. When the inquest was resumed to-day, Mr D. K. Logan appeared for Thos. Higgins and a lad named Christopher McGovern. Mr Thos. Jordan appeared on behalf of a boy, Alfred Brown. Chief-Detective Kemp appeared for the police. After hearing evidence, the Coroner returned a verdict that death was due to poisoning, strychindne having been placed in the whisky by some person or persons unknown.

EVIDENCE GALLED RESULT OF THE ANALYSIS. Detective Walsh produced a statutory declaration made by Dr. James MaoLamin, Dominion Analyst, of Wellington. The declaration set out the findings from the exhibits submitted regarding the death of Win. Alex Watson and the illness of Thomas Higgins. The report stated, inter alia, that tho whisky bottle contained about 3oz of whisky and a quantity of strychnine. The big drinking glass contained no trace of strychnine, nut the small glass contained crystals of strychnine. With regard to tho washings from Higgins’s stomach, these contained strychnine. There was sufficient strychnine in Watson’s stomach to cause' death. The analyst said 1 that it was not possible to say definitely how long the strychnine had been in the whisky. ON FRIENDLY ’TERMS. Annie Watson, widow of tho late William Alexander Watson, said hor huslband was on friendly terms with Thomas Higgins. Her husband lefthome on the afternoon before his death and said he was going over to Higgins’s. When witness returned home that night her husband was in bed, reading » newspaper. Witness thought he had had some whislxv tp drink, as she could smell it. He was quite sober. Her husband arose about 6.30 j on the 23rd. He had breakfast be- ! twesn 7.30 and 8. Ho was in his usual health and was quite cheerful. Shortly after 8 o’clock he went away with two boys and three horses. The hoys brought the horses home about 10 a.m., but her husband did not come with them About II a.m., the lad Chris. McGovern came to her house crying, and said Mr Watson had died. McGovern said Mr Watson had drunk Whisky, and had died shortly afterwars. Witness went to Higgins’s place with tho boy McGovern, and found the two doctors were there. Witness had never known her husband to have any strychnine about his place. So far as she knew, her husband was good friends with everyone. STORY OF THE INCIDENT. Thomas Higgins, horse trainer, said he was a single man and resided at Opaki in a 3-roomed whare. He employed two apprentices—Chris. McGovern and Alfred Brown. McGovern was witness’s nephew. Witness had known the late Alex. Watson since he was a boy, and had always been on friendly terms. On Wednesday, August 22nd. witness and Watson went to Masterton. AVitness was not with Watson all the time in' Masterton.' They had tea together. Before tea they had a whisky in the fish shop from a bottle that Watson had. Watson opened the bottle of whisky. The bottle was tho one produced. AVitness did apt know where Watson got the whisky. After tea they had another whisky in Nee’s yard, where they had left their horse and trap. They did not experience any ill-effect® from tho whisky. They drove back to witness’s home about 9.30 p.m. They went into witness’s home and had two more drinks, with no bad effects. AVatson then went home, leaving the remains of the bottle of whisky, saying they would have a drink in the morning. Witness put the bottle under hia bed between the two mattresses. The two boys were in bod at this time. About 5 a.m. the two boy® got op. McGovern went to the stables, and Brown got breakfast. Witness had breakfast in bed, served by Brown. They all slept in tho same room, in separate single beds. Directly after breakfast witness got up, leaving the whisky under the mattress. Tho boys went to get the horses, witness being the last to leave the wliare. From the time he left the bottle under tho mattress at night till he left the whare, nobody had a chance of tonohing it. The boys took the horses to the course, and witness walked. He reached the course about 8 a.m. Ho did not lock the whare when he went out. Watson wa® at the course in his usual state of health. Witness and Watson left the course together, both walking. The bovo rode the horses in front. AVatson stopped to speak to Mrs Stowe, and witnoss went on. Ho pulled up at Mr Knoxds. who asked witness to assist him to physic a horse. AVitness said he would bring down one of hia horses, and they could do the two at once. AVitness and the hoys reached home almost at tho same time. AVitness was the first to return to the whare. It wa® to pet the physio halls for the horses that witness went to the whare. The whisky was st.ill there ns ho had left it. He nlaced it on the dresser in the kitchen, but did not drink any of it. He placed it on the dresser because he knew Watson was on his wav hack from tire course, and he would know where to find the whisky. AVitness got the physic halls, and with McGovern went to Kiiav’s. Brown was left at the stables taking saddles off the horses. At Knox’s witness; met Watson, who gave a hand to x>hysic the horses. Witness and AVatson returned home, AfeGovern riding ahead of them. Thov had l>cen away about 20 minutes or half an hour. Brown was at the stables when they arrived home. *

NOTICED A BITTER TASTE. Witness and Watson went into the wliare. The whisky was still on tho dresser. AVatson pouted out two S lasses of whisky into the glasses produced. AA r ituess could not say who drank out of the big glass. The whisky was drunk without any water. This was the first drink they had had that day. AVitness noticed the whisky was rather, bitter. Watson also noticed it, and said, “It tastes like salts.” Witness replied that no one would do that, and called Brown over and asked him if he had put any Gaits in the whisky. Brown replied: “I never put any salts in your whisky, boss.” At this time witness was not suffering any pain. His object in calling Brown across was on account of the bitter taste and the fact that Brown was the only person at the whare during their absence. Watson then said he felt sick, and continued to get worse. Witness told the boy to ring up for a doctor, and McGovern rang up Dr. Cowie. AVitness then mixed top some Epsom salts, drank half himself, and attempted to give half to AVatson. Witness then took bad himself. Watson went into the bedroom, and witness followed. Witness handed the salts to the boy, to give AVatson, but the latter could not take them, as his teeth had clenched. Watson said: “Stick to your feet; I’m gone.” From the time AVatson drank the whisky till he died would be about half an hour. AVitness then sent the boy for Mr Fyfe, and Mr Hall also came. Dr. Cowie came first, and then Dr. Prior. Hall had given witness mustard and water, but it did not make him vomit. The doctors then treated him before he was taken to the hospital. AVitness had two bottles of strychnine on the premises. One was ; done up in a cardboard box and the other was not. One bottle had been opened before. ■He had had the stryohnine over twelve months. He used it for sparrows and different purposes. He kept the strychnine in his portmanteau underneath his bed. Witness could not say if any of the boys or other persons knew he kept it there. He had never used the strychnine as a tonic for himself. He had never seen the boys “messing about” with tho strychnine. Witness might have told Constable Devine when he asked him, that he had no poison about the house, but later lie told Constable Devine that the strychnine would be found under his bea. He had not used the strychnine for about twelve months. The last occasion was October 28th last year. When witness last used the strychnine there were two bottles, hut there was now, only one. Nobody had authority to take the other bottle. Witness had never mentioned to anyone that lie had the strychnine in his portmanteau. AVitness did not know of anybody who had ill-will towards him. The boys wore on good terms with him. Brown had been with him about twelve months, and McGovern about six years. Both of the bottles of strychnine should have been in his portmanteau on August 23rd, and witness oould not account for the disappearance of the one that had been opened. He knew that a search had been made for tho bottle, without success as far as ho knew. THE VERDICT. After hearing further evidence, tho coroner returned a verdict that deceased met his death by strychnine poisoning contained in a bottle of whisky, which had been put in by some person or persons unknown.