WOMAN ACQUITTED

Southland Times, Issue 20941, 26 November 1929, Page 7

WOMAN ACQUITTED

CHARGE OF MURDER FAILS. (Rec. 11.15 p.m.) Sydney, November 25. At the Criminal Court to-day Ada Bunfield, aged 40, was presented on a charge of murdering her husband, a school teacher, by poisoning at Michelago. At the conclusion of the Crown's case Mr Justice Haise-Rogers directed the jury to acquit the woman, who was found not guilty and discharged. On August 28 the coroner opened an inquiry at Queanbeyan into the death of Alick Bunfield, a schoolmaster, whose body was exhumed. The medical evidence was that death was due to strychnine poisoning, a considerable quantity being revealed by an analysis. Mrs Bunfield was not present, having taken a fit before the inquiry opened. Detective Kennedy gave evidence that he had interviewed Mrs Bunfield after the exhumation of the body. She admitted having ordered two lots of strychnine on different occasions at the request of her husband, who told her he wanted to poison rabbits, but he did not say when or where. John Morris, a chemist, deposed that he had supplied strychnine to a person whose handwriting was similar to that produced. It was sent to Michelago, where Bunfield resided.