THE INQUEST.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 6478, 22 September 1892, Page 2

THE INQUEST.

An inquest was held this afternoon before Mr Booth, Coroner, on the body of Louisa Solomon, who came to her death last night by taking strychnine. The following were the jury : — Messrg John G. Henderson, John Kay, Robert Hnstie, John Pickett, Charles Webb, and John Brodie. The following evidence was taken : — Walter Jennings, bootmaker, stated he spoke to the deceased, Louisa Solomon, about seven o'clock lasfc evening at his door in Gladstone road. He asked her if her foot was better, and she said " No, I am just going into tho chemist's to get some stuff for it." She appeared to bo in her usual state, and was sensible enough. Edward Dale Smith, registered chemist, Gladstone road, deposed that the deceased came to his shop about a quarter to seven last evening. Sho asked for strychnine to kill rats. Witness advised her not to get strychnine, but she told him that her brother-in-law, Mr Weaver, had said it was the best thing for killing rats, and that ho said she was to get strychnine and nothing else. Witness then gave her one drachm of strychnine,' for which she paid one shilling. He entered the sale in the registry for poisons, the deceased signing the book by making her mark. [Register book pro duoed.] The pcirl appeared in a perFect state of health, both mentally and bodily. He had supplied her with medicines before, but never with poisons. He had no reason to doubt her statement that Bhe wanted the strychnine for rats. In- reply to a juryman the witness stated that all that wag necessary iii supplying poison was to know the person to whom if. was supplied, or to have a person present who did know the party supplied. He would not sell poison to a child. , William Attwood, a boy of eleven, stated that he was at William Burtou'a house. Bright-street, last evening, when Louisa Solomon came there. She came about twenty minutes past seven. They heard a knock at the door, and found the j deceased sittingon the verandah. Sheasked j for a drink, as she wanted it to take her medicine. He got her a drink of water in the mug produced. She put some white stuff into the mug, and also some into her mouth. She then drank the water. Sho gave him tho mug, and came into the kitchen and sat on a chair along Bide the table. A little boy named Burton was going to take the mug away, when j deceased said rinse it out, because there is poison in it. She asked witness for some paper, and he said there was only some paper with black round it. He got her some. [The p^per was produced, but there was nothing written upon it} Deceased said that she was going to witness's father's place to write. Their house was next door. She made an attempt to get up, and fell down again, exclaiming, " Oh, my leg." After that she began to shake, and asked a woman who was present to knock her on to the floor The woman, who had just come in, put her on the floor. Deceased then said to witness, " Willie, God bless you." He did not hear her speak again. She died soon afterwards. He reported the death to Sergt.Major Moore about 8 o'clock. Carrie Weaver, wife of Frank Weaver, stated that she was a sister of the deceased. When she arrived at Burton's house (she thought her sister was dead, but another sister said she thought there was breath in her. Witness thought &he was suffering from a fit, and put water on her head and into her mouth, bufc she never spoko. Deceased was about twenty years of age. Dr. Heale stated that he arrived at Burtop's house a little before eight, He

found deceased lying dead on the floor with froth coming from her mouth. Death seemed to have occurred immediately before his arrival. Hearing that she had taken poison, ho searched about and found papers produced at the end of the verandah. They were marked "Strychnia — Poison." There was something on the paper which appeared to bestrychnme. It was very bitter. He had examined the body that day, and was of opinion that death had resulted from poisoning by strychnine. This concluded the evidence. The jury returned a verdict -that the deceased had committed suicide whilst in a state of unsound mind, and added a rider that greater care should be exorcised in the sale of poisons.