THE DEATH OF P. CONWAY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11993, 16 March 1901, Page 7

THE DEATH OF P. CONWAY

THE INQUEST CONTINUED. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright, SYDNEY, March 15. (Received March 15, at 3.33 p.m.) The inquest on P. Conway, who died on the Talune on the last voyage from New Zealand to Sydney was resumed to-day. Fletcher, the chief steward of the Talune, detailed a. conversation he had with Mrs Smith on board the vessel. Sho said she only knew Conway slightly. (Received March 15, at 1.33 p.m.) Fletcher, chief steward of the Talnne, deposed that Mrs Smith joined the Talune at Lyttelton. Before leaving Wellington ehe came to him and said she was short of her saloon passage money to Sydney by £1. She asked if she could have n saloon passage by giving security over her luggage. This was agreed to. She mentioned that she had a draft for £50, which, by mistake, had been forwarded to Sydney. On the night of February 19 witness saw Mrs Smith going forward about a quarter past 7. She was carrying something covered by a napkin. It appeared to be a plate with a glass on it. She said she was taking something for a friend. Witness then described the death of Conway. From certain remarks by a passenger he received the captain's instructions to go and see a lady passenger. He went and saw Mrs Smith. Hβ asked her if she knew Conway. She replied that she knew him slightly. Witness said to her that he had been tojd Comviiy's wife was aboard. She replied that she did not .know he was married. Witness then went back. ''• On the captain's instructions he saw Mrs Smith again before Conway died. lie asked her if fihe knew anything about his people, fjjio replied that she knew his sister, who lived at Roslyn, near Dunedin. Next day witness had another conversation with Mrs Smith. She said at one time she had given Conway a garden to do up as lie had been out of work, and was not well off. (Received March 15, at 9.12 p.m.) Fletcher deposed that when he told Mrs Smith that Conway was dying she finid, "Poor fellow." The day after the vessel readied Sydney she said slie had not been able to cash the draft. Witness explained that the non-payment of the balance of the passage money would cause some annoyance. She snid, "Wait a minute," and brought him two pounds. Witness repeated the story Mrs Smith told him with referenpe to coming to Sydney to look after the insurance money on a child named Smart.. She showed him a medal, and said she received it for saving the child's life. Fanny M'bonn'd, stewardess on the Talune, gave evidence that when taking the order for lunch on February 19 Mrs Smith asked, "What sort of poison is strychnine?" Witness told her she did not know. Mrs Smith then mentioned about taking a dog to a Christchiirch chemist, who gave him something which earned him to drop off in a, minute or two, The same evening at 6.30 Mrs Smith gave an order for ha'f a pint of stout. >She said she did not wish to take it then, hut witness could bring it then. About 8.30 witness saw Mrs Smith near , the foot of the companion way on the main dock. She told witness she had been to the other end of the ship to see some ladies. She often spoke to two ladies who were travelling in the steerage, ii.ie heard her tell the chief steward she knew nothing about Conway, only that he helped her aboard with her boxes; She said afterwards she knew his brother and sister slightly. She believed him to be a poor man coming to Sydney to seek work, tilie found, the stout bottle in the rack in Mrs Smith's cabin, and threw it out of the porthole when she reached Sydney. She several times provided Mrs Smith with Btout. On reaching Sydney witness and another stewardess lent Mrs Smith a pound each to pay the balance of her passage money. She left a watch and chain as security. Mrs Smith asked the way to the gasworks, of which she said her uncle was manager, The following Saturday she repaid the borrowed money. Walter Strachnn, greaser on the Talune, said on the night of February 19 he saw Mrs Smith pass the starboard alleyway carrying what appeared tn be a bottle nndor a napkin. He then saw her seated with Conway on the hatchway. She appeared to hand him what she had been carrying under the napkin. Elizabeth Healey, housekeeper in a hotel in Sussex street, Sydney, deposed tliat Mrs bmith was a boarder at, the hotel. In conversation she told witness she was looking for a Mrs Browne,' who came over by the same steamer. She said she was going to give Mrs Browne some biscuits and fruit, but she failed to see her, so she gave them to <i Mr Conway. On the night of March 1, the day the detectives had.been at the hotel, she asked witness to sleep with her. She said she was frightened to sleep alone. During the night she kept jumping up, saying there was someone in the room. Some days before she was arrested she told witness she had a box at her aunt's, in Paddington, containing two watches—one a gentlemnn's gold watch, whioh cost £25. She asked witness to Bay nothing about the gentleman's watch. She also told witness that she had sent £200 worth of boots to her husband in New Zealand out of £500 she got for saving a child's life. The day after Mrs Smith viewed Conway's body Rhe was reading a nowspaper. She exclaimed, "Good God, Is it supposed to be a poisoning case? AH I frnve ]iim was biscuits and plums. The inquest wns adjourned to March 28. All the witnesses so far have described the woman seen going forward and sitting by Conway just before the fatal seizure as dressed in a brown mackintosh with a black sailor hat. MELBOURNE. Marcli 15. (Received March 15, at 11.31 a.m.) The Age states that while the Talnne was here Fletcher, the chief steward, stated that on the trip to Sydney Mrs Smith, in the course of a conversation with him, related a strange story setting forth her reasons for visiting Sydney. She said that some years ago she was instrumental in saving the life of a child named Smart, and to mark their gratitude the parents of the child had insured its life in her favour for £500. Latterly she had heard by letter of the child dying from consumption, and she was proceeding to Sydney to claim the money from the insurance company.