STRATFORD DISTRICT PAGE

Taranaki Daily News, 13 December 1926, Page 10

STRATFORD DISTRICT PAGE

(FROM OUR RESIDENT REPORTERS)

A FATAL MISTAKE. POISON TAKEN FOR TEA. MIDHIRST FARMER'S DEATH. At the Stratford Court on Saturday an inquiry was held into the circumstances surrounding the death of Ralph Carroll, a well-known settler of Denbigh Road, Midhirst, who, owing to the similarity of two bottles, drank a small amount of deadly poison in mistake for cold, tea while engaged in stumping operations last Thursday. After hearing the evidence of the doctor and deceased's son, who was with his father at the time, the jury returned a verdict of death from poisoning by drinking eruptite oil in mistake for cold tea. Mr. C. D. Sole, actingcoroner, presided, and Sergeant Reid conducted proceedings. The unusual circumstances of deceased's misadventure were recounted by Leonard L. V. Carroll, son of the deceased, who stated that he accompanied his father to do sonfe stumping, intending to use the explosive known as eruptite. His father carried two bottles of similar size and shape, one containing cold tea and the other eruptite oil for mixing with the eruptite powder to make the explosive medium. It was his father’s invariable practice to take a bottle of cold tea into the paddocks with him, but on this occasion he lifted the wrong bottle to his lips and swallowed a quantity of the poison. At once he tried to wash his mouth out with the tea. Witness observed the fact that the wrong bottle had been used. Deceased subsequently returned to the house where witness was having afternoon tea. To witness’ query as to how he felt, deceased made no reply, but sat down abruptly. Later, witness remarked that his father did not look at all well and suggested a visit to the doctor, but deceased remained silent. Witness then volunteered to go for a doctor, but de. ecased maintained that he was all right and even partook of some afternoon tea witness leaving to attend to the milking. Not satisfied with his father’s condition, witness returned to the house shortly afterwards and found deceased had taken a bad tnru. Witness at once rang up a doctor and put the sick man to bed. Later, he rang up the doctor again, and was advised to remove his father to the hospital. At that time witness believed deceased to be conscious, for he turned his head and looked at his family, but on arrival at the hospital consciousness had left him. Deceased was 58 years of age and enjoyed good health. He had no financial or other worries.

To a further question, witness said unless the contents of the tw# bottles were closely examined it would be very easy to make a mistake between the oil and the tea. Certainly the oil bottle had a paper cork, but it was not unusual for his father to twist a piece of brown paper into a cork for his tea bottle. Witness was not aware of the fact that the eruptite oil was poisonous at the time his father took the fatal draught. DECEASED’S CASE HOPELESS. Dr. D. Steven, medical superintendent at the Stratford Public Hospital, said he received word of the poisoning on Thursday night shortly after six o’clock. He made every effort to find out the nature of the poisoning, but was unable to do so at the time, and consequently had deceased brought to hospital. Here deceased was found to be unconscious and deeply cyanosed. Witness described the remedies immediately applied, which included the prolonged application of oxygen gas. Carroll, however, died on Friday morning. Witness was of the opinion that the cause of death was poisoning by eruptite oil. To Sergeant Reid: He had never heard of it up to the time of deceased’s misadventure. The oil was manufactured by a proprietary concern, and though witness communicated with all firms handling explosives in Stratford he could not obtain any information that would be helpful in the treatment. Witness gave his opinion that the eruptite oil was similar to a poison known as oil of mirvane, which had been responsible for two deaths under somewhat similar cimcumstances two or three years ago ou the Main Trunk. Replying to the previous witness, Dr. Steven said even if he had been on the spot when deceased took the poison he could have done practically nothing to save deceased, for once the poison got into the blood the case was hopeless. In addressing the jury, the actingcoroner stated that from the evidence

it was obvious that the eruptite oil was a deadly poison, and it was his intention to send a sample to the Government analyst so that users would have a knowledge of the nature of the stuff they were handling. A verdict as stated was then entered, the jury expressing their sympathy with Mrs. Carroll and family. YOUNG MAN INJURED. FALL FROM MOTOR-CYCLE. Through the skidding of a motorcycle on the Mountain Road near the Stratford abattoirs on Saturday afternoon. a young man named Leo Cleaver, of Westown, New Plymouth, was thrown heavily on to the road and sustained a number of painful injuries, including the fracture of his right leg below the knee. Passers-by noticed the accident and at once summoned medical assistance. When the machine was removed it appeared that the pedal of the kickstarter bad penetrated the leg and caused the fracture. The voting man was removed to the hospital, where his condition is regarded as satisfactory. TRAGEDY IN HOSPITAL. Recently discharged from the New Plymouth Hospital as a nerve case, James Davey made his way to Waitara, whence lie was sent to the Stratford Public Hospital. On Saturday morning he was found in one of the side-rooms of the institution lying in a pool of blood with his throat cut. Further ac-

tion will be taken to-day if tiie patient is efficiently recovered. STRATFORD COMEDY COMPANY. If an evening's amusement is the main reason for attendances at theatrical productions, amateur or otherwise, there should be a “bumper” house at the Town Hall next Thursday, when the Stratford Amateur Comedy Company will stage that rollicking comedy “Facing the Music.” The personnel of the company have rehearsed assiduously, and throughout have Ibent their not inconsiderable talents to the formulating of amusing scenes. In fact comedy, clean and infectious, is the keynote of the sketch, and the efforts of the performers should meet the approbation of the public of Stratford and district. LAWN TENNIS. The following have been selected to play for the Stratford Tennis Club in the match against Waitara on Thursday next at Stratford:—'Mrs. Scoble, Miss Carman, Miss Toombs, Miss Masters, Messrs Scoble, Gaw, Hendrick and Munday. NEW LIBRARY BOOKS. The following are books recently Obtained for the Stratford Public Library : —“The Fourth Plague” (Edgar Wallace); “It Happened in Peking” (Louise J. Miln); “Sea Whispers” (W, W. Jacobs); “Banzai” (John Paris); “The Man They Hanged” (Robert Chambers); “The Old Bridge” (William J. Locke); “The Great To-day, and Greater Future” (Henry Eord); “Kindling of Ashes” (G. Barr McCutcheon); “The Cooper Box” (J. S. Fletcher); “The Pigeon House” (Valentine Williams); “Jim Goes North” ('George Goodchild); “Black Thunder” (B. M. Bower); “The Joker” (Edgar Wallace); “The City in the Sea” (H. de Vere Staepoole); “The Girl in Black” (Victor Bridges); “The Gentleman of Virginia” (Charles Seltzer); “The Law of the Talou” (Louis Tracy); “The Inevitable Millionaires” (E. P. Oppenheim); “The Northing Tramp” (Eggar Wallace); “Lady Sheba’s Stunt” (William Caine); “The Broken Bow” (Allen Harker); “The Haven” (Dale Collins): “The Pursuit of Pamela” (Louise J. Miln); “The Heiress of Wyke” (Katherine Tynan); “The Judgment of Charts” (Mrs. B. Reynolds),

GENERAL ITEMS. Mr. Eric Young, who, for the past few years has held the position of teller in the Bank of New Zealand, Stratford, has been transferred to a similar position at Christchurch, and Mr. A. C. Parson, of Nelson, has been transferred to the Stratford branch. Last Monday evening, Mr. Young was met by a number of friends in the Medina rooms and presented with a handsome pipe and case by Mr. E. H. Young, who presided. Mr. Young left by Saturday morning’s mail train to take up his new duties, being farewelled by a large number of friends on the railway station.