The Edendale Sensation

Southland Times, Issue 14813, 14 December 1900, Page 2

The Edendale Sensation

ARNETT BEFORE THE COURT.

Before Mr S. E. McCarthy, S.M. Charles Arnett was charged with theft of cheques drawn, on the dates and for the amounts sprcified, viz.— October 6th, 1899, £30 ; October Oth, £16 7s Id ; March 28th, 1900, £30 ; April 18th, £53 15s ; £63 10s 3d; October 3rd, £15 lla 9d ; and October 12th, £4 7s 9d. The accused was also charged on eight informations with forging C. Milne's name to eight cheques, and with forging a receipt, dated 30th June, and a letter dated Bth July, purporting to bo signed by C. Milne, and also with forging letters purporting to be signed by F. J. Sullivan, dated Bth September, loth October and 16th October. Mr T. M Macdonald (Crown Prosecutor) instructed by Inspector Pardv, conducted the prosecution, and Mr A. C. Hanlor. appeared for the aci used. The hearing oi this case was continued yesterday. Arthur Kfipie Faid he was in the employment of F. 7. Sullivan as clerk at Mataura and Dunedin from the Ist March to October. He was at Matnnra up to the 19th May, There he bad to make out the credit notes for the amount of rabbits delivered at the freezing works. H<j also wrote out the cheques and sometimes posted them- He wafe under the .lcciißed's authority at Mataura. The cheques were drawn on the Bank of New Zealand, Matanra. and Arnett signed them. The cheque dated 28th March, drawn on the Bank of New Zealand, Mataura, in favour of C. Milne or bearer, for £30, ww.i signed" " p.p. F. J. Sullivan, Chas, H. Arnett." The body of the cheque was in witness' w riting. He cashed some of the cheques payable to rabbiters which were not posted. He remembered cashing this cheque, bub did not think ho cashed any others payable to Milne. Arnett told witness to (ash this cheque as he was going down to Ednndalc to see Milne, and he would pay over the money. The cheque (produced) dated 18th April, drawn on the Bank ot New Zealand, Mataura, payable to rabbit account or bearer, for £53 15s, signed in the sanif way as the other, was all in the writing of the accused. Witness kept the books at Matauia. A cheque book was kept and only one was used. The cheque for £sc--15s had not been made out from this cheque book. Tho transaction was entered in tho cash book in wit ness' handwriting. It wati entered to the debit of C. Milne. Mr Han lon said he hail no questions to ask thii witness. Ebenezev Forßyth said he was an agent in tho employ of M. Carr and Co at Gore in April last He saw the accused in that month, when Arnett owed Carr and Co £5,' l Ms. On the day before the bill came duo witness interviewed Arnett and told him ho would have to meet the bilL Arnett said he intended to do so, and would give him a cheque for it then. Arnett then asked whers the bill wtis payable and witness said at the Bank of New South Wales, Gore. Witness said that the bill was probably on its way from Invercargill, and Amett said he hail not sufficient nionny at his credit at fclia Bank of New South Wales, Gore, fcq meet the bill, but be had at Mataura. Witness told him the best way to meet the difficulty; was to draw a cheque on Matanra and place it to his credit at Gore. Witness went to tho baDk with accused and to expedite matters witness wrote out the pay- in slip. Arnett handed in the cheque and witneisj did not think he saw the ckeqne. He could not say where Arnett gob the cheque, but fancied hf had it in his pocket. — Mr Hank n did not cross-examine this witness, Charles Mibte said he was a rabbitcr residing at ihe camp, Edendale. He delivartid rabbits for Sullivan and got receipts ffit them. He wns usually paid' monihlySn 1899 by Arnett , the cheques being drawn on the Bank of N.S W, Gore, ana they wece signed by Araett. The cheque (produced) dated 6tb October, payable to C. Milne or bearer, for £30, was never received by vntr ness. The same applied -to the cheque for £16 7s Id. Sullivan's cheques for £56 Bs, £49 10s :2d, !£35 15s 3d, £62 10s 6d, £!J4 18a 2d, and £26 ss, dated respectively 6<;h. July, 18lh July,. 3rd August, 21st Atiguiit, 4th September, 1 8th September.also cheques of Sullivan's for £15 11s 9d and £4 7b 9d, dated sth and 12th October, were never »«- ceived by witness. The endorsements on the whole of the cheques were not written by witness. He never authorised anyone to endorse them or put his name on the back of any of them. The letter dated Bth September was received from accused from Cromwell. Enclosed with that letter was one signod "F. J. Sullivan," stating' that he vcoiUd see witness about the money due to him. Two other letters purporting to be signed by Sullivan were also receivtid. Previous to that witness had been pressing accused lor the money due to him. £2:10 was owing for the 1899 season, and £421 for the 1900 season. The letters put him off a little from pressing Arnett, as be waaiaot so anxious übout the money. Tho letter dal«d Bth July purporting to come from witnise was never written by him, and ho was not trapping at Hpkonni at that time as the letter said. The amount owing for the two seasons was £631. The receipt purporting to bo signed by witness was not written by him, anil he never authorised anyone to write biß name there. The cheques dated 6th October, 1899, wt re never reeeived-by witness, and the earns applied to the others. Witness was never paid in cash by Arnett. He tad always been paid by cheques, which ho paid into his bank account. He had cashed .<me cheque for £8. and another for £40, but those were th>} only exceptions to bis rule.— \lr Hanlon asked this witness no questions. Colin Mac Gibbon, manager of the Bfnk of New Houth Wales, Gore, gave evidence' as to the various cheques that had, passed through his bunds. He had been in the bsak for 24 years and had considerable experience in handwriting. The signature to the letter of Bth {•September did not appear to Win Sullivan's writing. This applied to all the letters produced purporting to be signed by Sullivan, awl although the style varied & little he should say the three wore written by the sune jwson. The endorsements on the cheques also were, he thought, not- in Milne's handwriting, and he considered t&at all the endoi-sements were written by one person. Mr Hanlon said he did not wish to put any questions to this witness. John Penny, manager of the Bank of N.Z., Mataura, stated that on the 23rd February Sullivan opened an account at his bank, in his own name, find authorised Arnett to d. raw- ufion tho account. The account 'ti'as closed oq the 25th May, when Sullivan cancelled tho authority to the accused and closed the account. The endorsements on tho eight cheques were written by thoswue person, n his opinion, although two of item were slightly different from the others. Comparing the endorsement "C. Mibie'" with thes body ot the cheq ues written by Arnott he was not prepared to swear pjsitively that they were written by the same person, although there was a similarity. He would also say that the signature to the receipt -was -written by tho person Tvho wrote tlu> endorsements. There was the wm<3 likeness in tlio signature to the letter IHU'porting to have l»een written by Milne. Examiniug the three letters purportim* to have betsn written by Sullivan, bo could not say positively that they had been written by the same nerson, George P. Paris, postmaster at Ed,eudftle stated that he gave a letter on the sth March, addressed to Milne, to tho accused.' He could pot remember giving any since. John Miltw, postal assistant, Edendale, said he had given letters addressed to c! Milne to the accusod. That would be about August. He remembered giving two letters but could not speak as to the dates. It was during the winter, Tom, Palmer, postmaster, Mataura, tiaid that he saw auoraor at his office, authorise ing him to hand any lattera addre&wd to Chas. Milne to Amets. He did. not see who brought the order, and he could not now find it. Tbu order was signed "Cllfts Milne." He might have given Arrteti letters in pursuance of that order, but ho could net swear positively. There were wo ■ others, m the office and they had seen tho order. Willi&ni Xi ng, post office clerk at Mataura stated that he received the order from Arnett in connection with handing cvet> Milne s letters. Witness delivered sonvi of Milne's letters to Arnett. Chavlus Milye (recalled) said he had never ■ signed an authority for Arnett to receive his letters atMat a ura,ajad never authorised anyone to sign such an order. He never expec tod letters to be addressed to him to Mataura and never eviai called there ; nor was any such authority given for Arnett to recoive witness's letters at Edendale. Williiun Robertson said ho was manner for Sullivan nt the Bluff during the bwhodb 1899 and 190*).' He went to Mataura occasionally to check Arnett's books. He had a ledger, a cash book and credit books in 1899. Ho List saw tho 1899 cash book in Arnett ji house last year. He had the letlger and cash book for this year and produced them. This concluded the evidence for the theft and forgery charges.

THE POISONING CHABGE.

Charles Arnett was then charged with having, on the 29th October, 1900, attempted to murder Chas. Milne, John Qordon and William White, by administering poison, to wit, strychnine. Mr Macdonald callod Richard Domigan, chemist, Mataura, who said he knew the accused, and on 4th October last sold to him 20 grains of strychnine, for which Is was paid. Arnett signed the poison book (produced.) On or about 29th October, at any rate about three or four weeks after the 4th, he sold Arnett some more strychnine. He made a rough entry in his book at the time. There was an entry on the 29th reading " str. 25." He remembered that it was 40 grains of strychnine he sold Arnett on the second occasion, and the price was 2s. Those were tho only times he had sold strychnine to the accused. He did not enter the second transaction in the poison book. The only entry in the book in which he entered the sale was the one " str. 28." No other entry corresponded to the transaction. The sale took place about ten o'clock in the morning. He did not take Arnett's receipt for the second lot, as he had signed for the same kind of poison a short time before. On tho first occasion Arnett said he wanted the strychnine to poison rata, and he said the same thing when he bought the second quantity. Accused said that some person, whose name witness could not remember, had promised him 10s if he conld exterminate the rats on hisplace. Sometime between the 4th and 29th Arnett said he would require more poison as the first lot had been a success.— To Mr Hanlon : Would not swear when he was first approached aboxit selling this puison. The police never asked him if he had supplied it on or about the 29th. After searching his book he said he would probably find it about the 29th October. Before Detective Campbell called, he had looked through his book and found the entry, "str. 25." He would swear that the entry in his cash book on 19th October did not stand for "strychnine Is." It stood for methylated spirits and the letters were "S. meth." He would not swear that the entry referred toon the 29th Oct., " str 25," was for strychnine. He had sold some simple poisons without getting the poison book signed. He balanced his cash book every morning, and sometimes found his balance out by a shilling or two. That occurred through his omitting to enter sales in the cash book. That experience bad happened to him within the last two or three months. Rcxamined: Tne quantity of str3'chnine sold to Arnett on the second occasion was 40 grains for 2s. Oliver George Goldsmith, Riirvej-or, Invercargill, said he had prepared plans (produced). Plan "X " was on the scale of 250 links to the inch, and was a plan of "the camp," Edendale, were Milne, White and Gordon resided. Plan "V" was the plan in detail of the rabbiters 5 hut, stables and cart shied, and also a large scale plan of a particular window in the hut. The measurements and all particulars given were correct. Charles Milne said the rabbiters' hut shown on the plan was occupied by himself, Wm. Gordon, Wm, White and John White. In the kitchen on the ground floor there was a box in which food was kept. He remembered the 29th of October. They all',had breakfast together in the kitchen about six o'clock and had bacon, bread and butter, and tea. AH took sugar in their tea. The sugar was kept in a 51b tea tin and the tin was standing on the table while they were having breakfast. They helped themselves out of the tin. Witness felt no ill effects after breakfast. The sugar tin was left on the table. That was the only sugar in the house. After breakfast went to Wyndham, leaving the other three men at the hut. Witness returned a little after 1 o'clock. John White, Gordon, and a station hand, named Ward were at the house then. They had had dinner. Witness then had dinner — some cold mutton, bread and butter and tea. Witness put sugar in his tea. He took a pannikin and a half or two pannikins. The sugar was on the table in the same tin. After dinner witness started to make out some accounts. The other three went to .work. As witness was making up his accounts Arnett entered without knocking. It was about three o'clock. Arnett said "Hallo 2 I did not expect to find you here." He then asked, before witness had time to • answer, whether witness had got a letter with a small account in it. Witness said he had. A general conversation then took place, in the course of which witness referred to the amount owing to him. Arnett said he thought he would be able to square with witness on Wednesday. Witness said he was going to the township to give a letter to a child. Arnett said he was going down. Witness told him to wait a minute as he had to take a horse out. Witness left the hut to go to the horse in the stable. Arnett was sitting in front of the table. The tin of sugar was on the table, about the width of the table away from Arnett, aud within reach of him. Witness came back to the hut in three or four minutes. He had gone to the stables, taken the saddle off his horse and turned him out. Arnett was still sitting in the same place when witness returned. The butter was in a box at the corner of the wall. The butter could be seen from where Arnett was sitting and was rolled in a piece of calico. When witness returned he left for the railway going past Edendale. When witness came out he found that Arnett had left a bike at the gate on the main road, the gate they usually went out at. They tben went in the direction of Edendale, the accused wheeling his bike and walking with witness. They did not stop till they got opposite the avenue gate. Arnett asked if witness could tell him where Macdonald, the manager, was. Witness answered that he would most likely be found at the stockyard, where witness could see the men working with the cattle. Arnett said he thought he could sell Macdonald some bonedust. Arnett went up to the gate when witness left him. After getting five chains away witness looked round and saw Arnett still at the gate, but whether inside or outride he could not say and he did not see accused again that day. Witness went to the railway station, did his business and returned home. On his way to the Edendale station he met J. Irwin opposite the school. When witnes got home he found Gordon and John White, who were boiling the billy. They had two billies on the fire, one for washing and another for tea. When the water was warm they went out and had a wash, and witness went on with the preparations for tea. When the other two came back they all sat down together to cold mutton, bread and butter, cheese and cold pudding. Witness made tea but put no sugar in the billy. The tin of sugar was on the table. Witness had some mutton and dry bread, then bread and butter and a drink of tea. He dipped his pannikin in the billy and put two spoonsfuls of sugar in. They had no milk. At the first drink he took about half a pannikin, and he noticed an unusual bitterness in the tea. Witness made the remark that the tea was not right, and it was very bitter. He threw the rest of his tea into tho fire and filled his pannikin again from the billy. When he dipped his pannikin the second time he did not think there was sugar in the bottom, but there might have been a little. He put in one spoonful of sugar and took, two or three mouthfuls. The same bitterness was noticeable, if anything to a greater degree. He threw the rest of the dishful into the fire. Witness then took a different pannikin and about half filled it from the billy. He put a spoonful of sugar in and took a mouthful and there was still the same bitter taste. He took no more tea after that out of his own pannikin. Tho Other two tasted the tea in witness' third pannikin, and witness tasted the tea in (Jordon's pannikin. Gordon's tea was bitter but not so bad as witness 5 . He drank no more after that. He began to feel giddy directly after taking Gordon's tea, and he felt a little sick also. The bitter taste was qtjU in his mouth, and was still there next morning. Witness took half a pannikin of salt and water in order to make him vomit. John White went outside then. Ou his return he made a remark, and Gordon went out, returning shortly after. Both looked as if they had been sick. Witness was not sick up to that time. After Gordon and White came in a dog called " Toby " came in. The dog could not stand very well. They followed " Toby " out, and the dog's muscles were twitching, he was drawing his legs up, and he then lay down. Witness began to feel that he was getting the same twiicbing as the dog had. By this time he bad concluded that the dog was poisoned. Tho Court then adjourned till 10.30 today.