POISONED BY "ROUGH ON RATS."

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10618, 13 March 1896, Page 3

POISONED BY "ROUGH ON RATS."

An inquiry into the circumstances attending the death of, Janet Kay was held at Woodehd, near Woodhangh, yesterday, afternoon, before Mr Coroner Carew and sir jurymen, of whom Edward Alexander Gibson was chosen foreman.

Mary_ Dickson deposed that the body Shown to the jury waS that of her iat_._no.her, Janet Kay. Deceased<yas twiile married, her first husband being James'Adanil and heir last John Kay. She was bbrii in Scotland; and bad been about 34 ye*rs in the iiblbhy. She lived with witness and her brother, Robert Kay. Deceased was 64 years old, aiid in good health. On Tuesday she wks in her hsual good health, but at night she todk a fit of retching. She had a couple of glasses, of whisky that' night. Witness brought a small bottle of whisky from Wilson's store it* the atteriibon, aiid it ws all drunk that sight; by deceased ahd witness. ~ Deceased .; had no other drink that day., She sHo(ived no tigu_ of being intoxicated. She started retching between 8 and 9 o'clock on Tuesday night altet drinking the whisky, and dontinned doing so ail night,' bnt seemed better in the morning. Id the morning she kept her bed and ate nothing, but drank a cup of tea about half-past 7 o'clock. She had no more whisky.' Witness's brother went to work at 6 o'cldck at the paper mill at Woodhaugh. At about 8 o'clock her mother commenced retching again, and, a*ked witness to go for her sister ' Christina Godfrey. Witness did so, and thi sister catri_ tb the hoiiSe a little after 8 o'clock. Her mother was thsn just dying; and never spoke to anyone again. Her brother came home from his work on Tuesday at 6 o'clock p.m.' He and her mother had a word or two. They were wringling about something or another, ahd witness went outside. Her brother said to her.ihdtherj " Oh, you have had Some beer tij-day. Shut up." That annoyed her, witness supposed. He then went down to hor st-tsr'a. Her mother was Sitting on the sofa. After he had gride' rtithess heard her say : " This will be the last quarrel." Witne-s was then sitting by the fire. She went outside for a ihinute, and When she came in she saw her mother standing at the end of the ..Able stirring up something in a teacup. A little "nboden box was standing on the end of the table, and the lid was lying on the table. The stuff her mother Was stirring up was grey powder. .The box had been' three or four years ia the place: It was called " Rongh, on Rats." Wiinesß said to hemother, " What is that yoii have got tbere ? " ,and knocked the cdp out of her hand. Before this her mother put the clip up to her mouth and swallowed some of the,contents, but not all. Witnets said, " Mother, if you haVe taken any of it you'll be poisoned." She gave her some mustard and .water first, and then some salt and water. Her mother retched a good deal about half an hour after she put the cun to her lips. It was between half-past 7 and 8 o'clock when she put the cup to her lips. She went to bed about 9 o'clock, and witness retired an hour later. Her brother came' home about half-past 10. When har mother put the cup to her lips her Wother was in a bedroom. Bhe told him he*

mother mast have taken some of the contents of the box. He said nothing, but walked out of the houte. On WedneGd»>y morning her brother just looked into her room baforo he went to his work, but did not apeak. Witness never slept all Tuesday eight. He* mother was restless and .not in a sound sleep. She did not speak of what she had done. She made no complaiut of pain in her stomaoh till Wednesday morning. Dr Marliu was sent for at about 8 o'clock Lhat morning. James Dickson, son of the last wituess, deposed that he got home at about 6 o'clock on Tueiday night, r.nd went to Godfrey's at about 630 p.m. About a quarter to 8 his sister came there and said that bis grandmother had taken poison. He came up to the houee and found his grandmother sitting on tha sofa. Sho appeared to have bsen drinking and was very bad from it. He asked her what she had taken, but she made no reply. He thought she was too diunk to understand. He did not hear of her being bad during tbe night. Ho saw her flrst on Wednesday morning at' about balfpast 7. She did uot seem so bad. He left home at a quarter to 8 that morning, and did not return till nlghfc. He had seen his grandmother suffering so often from drink that he took no notice of her. His uncle was a sober man and did not touch drink. Sometimes it annoyed him to see that his mother had been drinking. Dr Martin deposed that on Wednesday morning about half-past 8 he had a telephonic message to go aud sea Mrs Kay, as she hsd been very bad all night. He got no notice of anything further. He. an ived at her house at about 10.15 a.m. She was then dead, and had been dead for over an hrur. He examined the body and found no external marks cf violence. Ho asked Mrs Dickson if she could account for the death, and she said she was afraid her mother had taken poison. Witness asked ta see. the box aud was told it had beeu thrown away. The evidence of Mrs Dickson was quite in keeping with arsenical poisoning. He wai of opinion that if deceased took "Rough on Rats" she died from arsenical poißoning. Robert Kay, son of the deceased, deposed that he came home on Tuesday night at 5.45 to get tea, and his mother aud Mrs Dictson tried io quarrel with him. They had hero drinking, but were not very bad from tbe effects of the drink. They were qnairslsoui'e. He told bis mother to shut her mouth ;<ud keep her jaw off bim. He left the house and hftd co tia. Before he.ieft he was sitting in the next room, and Mrs Dickson came in and told him his mother was going to poison herself. He did not take any notice of h».r, but left the house. He did not bslleve what Mrs Diokeon said, or that his mother meant to poison herself. He went to Mrs Godfrey's and told her that Mrs Dickson said his mother wa« going to poison herself, but that he did not bclisve it. When he came home at half-past 10 at night his mother wes in bed and asleep. His sister did not tell him his mother had been ill. He did not know she had been retching during the night. He heard no more of the poisoning till next morning. His nephew then told him that his mother bad been bad, and wituess told his nephew'to telephone for a doctor. He heard thnt his mother was dead at about a quarter to 10 If his mother, took poison shortly after he left the house he did not think she knew what she wss doing.

Evidence was also given by Catherine Turner, after which the jury returned a.verdict to the effect that deceased poi'oned herself with " Rough on Rits" while temporarily insane.