POISONING CHARGE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18025, 28 February 1933, Page 7

POISONING CHARGE

TRIAL OF NURSE KERR CROWN CASE REVIEWED LONG OPENING ADDRESS (Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, last night. The trial of Nurse Elspeth Kerr on charges of administering poison to Dorothy Cameron with intent to injure, and so that her life was endangered, continued this afternoon. After luncheon, the Crown Prosecutor referred to the examination of Kerr's body, and said “medical experts will say that Kerr definitely died from poisoning.” Mr. Meredith said the accused’s husband had been covered by two industrial policies. One for £Bl and bonuses, was taken out on November 2, 1925, and was payable at 60 years or earlier death; the other was for £6l 4s and bonuses, taken out on October 15, 1930. Both were taken out by the accused. Atthe time the policies were issued Kerr was apparently a healthy man. From tlie evidence .which would be called, said Mr. Meredith, it might be inferred that the relationship between Kerr and his wife was not the happiest, and Kerr might have been regarded as an encumbrance rather than a helpful husband.

“Now we come to the case of Mrs. Day,” continued Mr. Meredith. “Mrs. Day died on September 22. She had gone into a coma on the previous day, and Was in that coma for 29 hours. Mrs Day had had a stroke,” stated Mr. Meredith. “In December. 1930, she had another stroke, and in March, 1931, a further stroke, which was not grave. One witness to be called will be Mrs. Whittaker, who visited Mrs. Day once a week in Nurse Kerr’s home, and saw her a week before her death. Evidence will be given that Nurse Kerr said to Mrs. Whittaker that Mrs. Day would be better to pass away, or would be better dead.” The day before Mrs. _ Day’s death, Nurse Kerr called Mrs. Miller to have a look at her. She was unconscious, and did not speak. Mrs. Day had been unconscious for nearly 29 hours, and Kerr had been unconscious for 30 hours before Meath. Poison was found in her body.

“So you have this,” said Mr. Meredith, “three persons, two of whom died, all were ill at Nurse Kerr’s house, and all three suffered similar symptoms. The examination in all three cases shows poison.

“It may he suggested that there is an absence of motive,” said Mr. Meredith., ‘ ‘lf, after hearing the evidence, you are satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that poison was administered by Mrs. Kerr wilfully to the child Betty, that it could not have been given by anyone other than Mrs. Kerr, that she gave it deliberately, then the motive is of secondary consideration.” , By consent, a statement made by the accused on April 26 was produced. In this the accused said, inter alia, that she arrived in Wellington in 1921 from Scotland with her husband and son. Her husband was employed as a printer by the Dominion, Wellington, and later in Auckland. The accusedreferred briefly to her husband’s death, and in detail to the illness of BettyKcrv. She said that she bad no poison n the house while the child was in-the house. She had no possible chance of yetting to the medicine chest in the kitchenette. Drugs were not kept anywhere. else. Dr Stewart, of Devonport, gave evidencc, the case then being adjourned.