THE KARAMU TRAGEDY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20282, 15 December 1927, Page 12

THE KARAMU TRAGEDY.

STRYCHNINE IN BEER. SORDID REVELATIONS AT INQUEST. (Special to Daily Times.) HAMILTON, December 14. An inquest into the mysterious circumstances connected with the recent Karnmn poisoning tragedy which caused the death of Allen Cornell, a farmer, while James Cbcyne, another farmer subsequently recovered following drinking from a beer bottle found in their car, was opened before Mr Wyvcrn Wilson, S.M., to-day. There was a considerable number of witnesses. Cheyne gave evidence that in February last he had a somewhat similar experience when his illness was attributed to taking salts from a packet already broken. His wife had been intimate with a man named Hutt, ivhotn he had ordered off the place. When the latter boarded there his wife told him that Hutt had threatened to poison her. Replying to the coroner, witness said that his wife never disclosed to him her illicit relationship with Hutt until he (Cheyne) was discharged from hospital recently following the poisining. His wife asked him, however, never to let Hutt come back on the place. _ Hutt was a rabbiter by occupation, and it was customary for him to have strychnine to poison rabbits. Witness knew of nobody in Karamu who had a grudge against him. Harold Long stated that when employed at the Karamu Post Office he was asked by Hutt to telephone to a chemist for two ounces of strychnine. A small parcel arrived for Hutt that night, but witness was not sure who sent it. Dr Joseph said that on February 19 last he attended Cheyne at his house. He diagnosed his condition at the time as strychnine poisoning, but after consultation with another doctor they attributed the trouble tn nervous disturbance. The Government Analyst gave evidence that the contents of the ale bottle and also of the deceased’s stomach contained a large amount of strychnine. Martha Ann Cornall, widow of the victim, stated that Mrs Cheyne told her she thought that the poison had been meant for Mr Cheyne, but witness could not remember the exact words used when she asked Mrs Cheyne why she thought that the latter replied : “ Only one person could have done it, and it must have been Hutt.” Much evidence was given concerning the relationship of Mrs Cheyne with Hutt. Edwin Owen Hutt, rabbiter, of Karamu, said that at one time he boarded with the Cheynes. Witness admitted misconduct with Mrs Cheyne, but he had been on good terms with both her and her husband. He admitted purchasing beer in Hamilton and taking one bottle home, where he said he drank it. Witness did not tell Mrs Cheyne that her husband had been misconducting himself with another woman, but said that one morning when Mrs Cheyne was running down a certain other Karamu womau he remarked that a man who had had relationship with Mrs Chryno had also had relationship with this other woman. Witness added that by that he meant himself. He had not threatened to shoot or poison Mrs Cheyne or attempted to induce her to leave her husband. The inquest has been adjourned till Friday afternoon.