POISON GIVEN BY MOTHER

Taranaki Daily News, 7 November 1930, Page 6

POISON GIVEN BY MOTHER

CHRISTCHURCH DOUBLE TRAGEDY. CORONER CONCLUDES INQUIRY. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Christchurch, Last Nig The inquest into the deaths of Mrs. Fanny Elizabeth Mary Dunford arid her son Rhyli Francis Ihirifbrd on October 21 was concluded to-day before Mr.,£. D. Mosley, S.M. The coroner found that Mrs. Dunford died by poison Selfadministered and that . Rhyll Francis Dunford’s death was due to poison,administered by his niother intent to procure his death. A?.:. Dr. Arthur Thomas, gave evidence that on the morning of October 21, a young x ,woman Iris Dunford called at his house saying her brother was very ill an,d her mother had tried to poison, him and herself. The mother had given ' them sulphur and treacle which tasted hitter. Iris had noticed it was bitter and spat hers out. The.doctor went to the house al 53 Salisbury Street. He found tlie boy in a state of collapse.. Mrs, Dunford was not in the house., Ins later. collapsed. Both were . taken to hospital and the >boy died within a few minutes of being admitted but the.girl recover-, ed. The police found the body of Mrs. Dunford in a locked shed at the rear of the house. Felixx John Theodore Grigg, Government analyst who had tested .the samples of treacle and sulphur,given to 'the hoy and girl, said he had found poison in it. *' ' r ■ The evidence of Iris puhford wastaken in the public hospitril, where she is still a patient. She descried how her mother had tried to force,her brother and herself to take sulphur arid treacle.; Iris thought hers tasted bitter and. re-; fused to take it.. Her mother then tried to force her .to take it. Later Iris hehid . her brother scream in pain and she said ;’,-, to her mothers “You’ve poisoned iis!” < Her mother replied: “Don’t silly; he’s only got a stomach ache.” Iris felt sure it was poison arid went for the doctor. . ■ Iris assured the court she had no recent disputes with her mother and,that her mother had no money troubles-