TRAGIC JOKE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19622, 4 May 1938, Page 5

TRAGIC JOKE

POISON PUT IN WINE ITALIAN'S RE MORS E KALGOORLIE, April 18. How an Easter prank nearly caused four deaths at Gwalia, 160 miles from Kalgoorlie, late last night, was related to-day by police. Felica Amanasco, aged 34, an unemployed miner, was celebrating Easter by drinking a 'bottle of wine with Mrs. Patroni, the proprietress of the board-ing-house at whick he stayed, and another boarder, Giacomo Carli. For a joke, Amanasco put what he thought was alum in their wine, to make it taste sour. After drinking the wine, however, they fell unconscious.

Amanasco then realised that instead of alum lie must have put poison in the wine. Overcome by remorse, he seized a butcher's knife and tried to stab himself through the heart. A bone deflected the knife, and he succeeded only in making a deep gash above his heart.

It is expected that all three will live. Hospital authorities at Leonora to-day reported that Amanasco was making satisfactory progress, although his condition was still serious. Mrs. Patroni's condition was greatly improved. Carli was still gravely ill. Two Italians living in the boardinghouse went to seek medical aid for the victims. The car in which they were driving to Leonora collided with another car, and one of the Italians, Antoni Alservich, was severely injured. To-night his condition was reported to be serious. ,