ACQUITTED OF MURDER

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 750, 24 August 1929, Page 11

ACQUITTED OF MURDER

WIFE REFUSES TO GIVE EVIDENCE SYDNEY POISONING TRIAL (United P.A.—By Telegraph — Copyright) SYDNEY, Friday. The Sydney city coroner today resumed the inquest into the circumstances surrounding the death six years ago of Mrs. Marion Pearson, second wife of Walter R. Pearson. The woman’s body was recently exhumed. Mrs. Eleanor Pearson, the present wife, was called by the coroner. She was informed that she was privileged to refuse to give evidence, if she so desired. She replied: “I do not see that anything that I can say will assist you. 1 would rather not give evidence.” She then left the box. Detective Quinn, who interviewed Pearson after his arrest, stated that he said to him: “I am going to search your house.” Pearson replied: “You will not find any poison.” "UNLUCKY WITH WIVES” Pearson added: "I have been married three times. My first wife died of pneumonic influenza. I have been very unlucky with my wives. We all have poisons in our bodies.” Pearson’s present wife was also Interviewed while she was an inmate of Sydney Hospital. She stated that Pearson asked her to marry him after his second wife’s death. She demurred, when Pearson said: “I have taken a fancy to you. What would your people think, if they knew that you were living under the same roof as I was, after my wife’s death She became very worried, as she had been reared in a very strict manner, and agreed to marry him. She had excellent health until last March, when she became ill. “YOU WILL NOT LIVE” Her husband used to bring her tea, which was too sweet. She complained, and he replied on one occasion: “It is a pity X married you, as I could have got somebody with money.” Then while she was in hospital her husband said: "You will not live. You will die like the other one.” After further evidence the coroner found that the second wife died in October, 1923. Her body contained zinc, but whether her death was caused by the administration of such a poison, or from some other cause, he was unable to say. Pearson was then acquitted of the charge of murder, but he was remanded on the charge of having attempted to murder his present wife.