POISONED SWEETS

Taranaki Daily News, 27 July 1935, Page 9

POISONED SWEETS

YOUNG WOMAN CHARGED MURDER MOTIVE ALLEGED UNUSUAL STORY IN COURT QUESTION OU JEALOUSY By Telegraph—Press Association. Napier, Last Night. K The receipt through the post of chocolates which later were proved to contain poison led to a charge in the court today against Phyllis Tui Marshall, aged 18, years, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. David Marshall, Tikokino, of attempting to murder Alma Lorraine Keith, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. T. Keith, Hastings, on May 22. She was committed to the next session of the Supreme Court at Napier for trial.

Accused was represented to-day by Mr. C. G. Harker, Waipawa, who pleaded not guilty and called one witness. De-tective-Sergeani H. Nuttall appeared for the police. Clara Matilda Keith, mother of Alma Keith, described the'receipt on May; 22 of a parcel wrapped in brown paper and addressed to her daugher. The parcel contained chocolates in a small paper bag, to Which was attached a piece of paper bearing a note: “Will Write tonight and explain if I can.—J? Mrs. • Keith thought the writing was that of-Mr.- Masters,- a young man with whom her daughter was friendly. Her daughter was not.home at the time, and she put the parcel away. She later: asked Masters if he had sent the chocolates, and he said he had not. ■

Dr. G. E. Waterworth, medical practitioner, gave evidence regarding the like effects of varying quantities of white arsenic. . ■ . . « Alma Lorraine Keith said she knew Jack Masters’ writing and the writing on the parcel- looked like his. -■ POSTING OF PARCEL A mail contractor, Bertram Christopher Hooper, said that bn May 21 Phyllis Marshall called at his house and asked him to post a parcel for her, which he did. Jack William Masters said that while working at Marshall’s he occasionally took Phyllis Marshall for walks. He also wrote to Miss Keith regularly. Masters also gave evidence regarding being present at Keith’s when Alma Keith opened the parcel. Donovan recalled receiving from a constable a packet containing a bag with ten chocolate creams in it. An examination revealed that the creams were sprinkled with white arsenic. One chocolate had 3J grains pf arsenic in it, a fatal dose. He also • received from Detective? Sergeant Nuttall two packets, one containing powder received from the accused by the detective-sergeant on June 28 and the ’Other edntaihing powder taken from & bottle on the’ Marshalls’ farm on,the same date. Both samples were Detective-Sergeant Nuttall in evidence recalled the investigations leading to the arrest of Phyllis Marshall. She gave a statement saying that She put the powder in each of the chocolates purchased by her. She said she received the powder through the post from Hugh Rochester and by the same mail received a letter from him suggesting she could get rid. of Masters with the powder. She tried Some on. the 7 bat£ which died. REASON FOR POSTING. About Easter she found Masters was keeping company with Alma Keith and she was jealous. She determined that if he .would not have her he would not havcTMisS Keith. That was why she. posted.'the chocolates to Miss Keith. She did nOt intend to poison Miss Keith .but' to make her sick and give her-a ! fright. She put only about a quarter, of 'the amount of powder which she gave the cat in'the- chocolates. In the last letter she said she received; from Rochester he told her it would be= better for her to put Masters out of the way than for him to do so, as they would not do. as much 'to a girl' as to a man.” i •- Continuing life evidence, DetectiveNuttall saidAie satisfied there was no such person'as Rochester. Mr. Harker admitted there was no such Detective-Sergeant Nuttall said Rochester seerfied J a y very real person to the accused. 'After- her arrest she was laughing and joking as if she were going to a picnic. Mr. Harker pleaded not guilty on behalf of the accused and called a woman farmer of Tikokino to the box. She testified that Phyllis Marshall had a reputable- character. . Some weeks after Easter she saw Marshall, who looked as if she had had" a severe shock which seemed to have caused a nervous breakdown.

When the accused girl was committed for trial no bail was asked for.