THE ALLEGED CASE OF WIFE POISONING.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1550, 31 August 1886, Page 2

THE ALLEGED CASE OF WIFE POISONING.

Afc tbe Resident Magistrate’s Court, Thnani, yesterday, before J. S. Beswick, Esq , R.M., and E. Elworthy and H. J. L-Cn*n, E-q ’s J.P.’s., Thomas HaM and Margaret Graham Houston were brought up on remand charged with having at. tripled to murder Mrs Catherine Hall ('he wife of the male accused) by administering to her antimony. The case created great interest, and though_ the Court did not sit until 11 o’clock, shortly after 9 the people commenced to crowd into the Courthouse, and by 10 o’clock every seat was occupied. Those who came later had to content themselves with getting a glimpse at the prisoners as ihey passed from the police station into the Court, and here a large number of persons congregated. The crowd lined the way through which the prisoners had to pass, and crushed and pushed and shouldered each other, no doubt to obtain a glimpse of the prisoners as they passed by, but there was ?o attempt at any kind of a demonstration of feeling whatsoever. Amongst thorn preimt were a large number of women and 'children, while nurse girls with their perambulators added picturesqueness to the scene. Inside (he Court all the medical faculty, as well as Professors Black and Ogston who ate witnesses in the case, were to be found, andalso a goodly sprinkling of the fair sex, some of whom were witnesses, and seme spectators. There are altogether 35 witnesses in the case, and it is expected to last several days. A few minutes after 11 o’clock the Msgietrates above named took their sssts on the Bench, and immediately Thomas Hall, followed by the female prisoner, entered the Court. Hall appeared! dazed and seemed to move mechanically. He bore deep marks of what he has suffered. His eyes were sunken, and their surroundings appeared almost blue. He looked almost as if he had got n “ pair of black eyes.” He has not shared,siace.his incarceration, and tl at too adds strangeness to his looks. He bowed and smiled to his owi counsel, and aa the case went on he appeared more at home, i The female prisoner was neatly dressed in black, with a pair of yellowish gauntlet gloves on, and seemed very little concerned about the proceedings. Without being pretty, or even good-looking, she is a tidy, neat, genteel-looking girl, with datk hair, very bright dark eyes, medium, sized, apd lithe in form. She did not; flinch in the least from the many glances cast at her, and frequently smiled, and even laughed, during the proceedings. She now and again exchanged whispers, land glances, and smiles with tbe male prisoner. At the request of Mr Hay she was accommodated with' a chair, and so was Hall at Mr Joynt’a representation. Mr White, Crown Solicitor, and with him Mr Martin, Crown Solicitor, of Christchurch appeared to prosecute. Mr Joynt, with him Mr Perry, appeared for Hall, and Mr J. Hay appeared for the female accused. All the witnesses were ordered ou of Court.

On the case being called ; Mr White said the charge, which would be supported by copious evidence, was one of the most sensational] and important perhaps recorded in the annals of crime. Evidence would show that on the 26th of May 1885, Hall was married, and on the 9th of the same month/ he got at Hutton’s a book entitled “the Action of medicine,” by Dr Headland. He asked to be allowed to cut the leaves to see would it suit him, and it would be shown that he returned the [book after a few weeks with the leaves from pages 273 to 297 and from page 369 to 377 cut, These pages deal with deadly poisons, He then got “ Taylor on Poisons,” arid this book was found in bis house. He bought the book at Hutton’s in 1885, but on the front page were the words “ Thomas Hall, 1882,” and on the back page “Dunedin, T, Hall, 1882.” He must hate had some object in view in dating the book three years before it was bought. Oh the 24th of July after his marriage he gave orders to prepare Mrs Hall’s will ; on the 29th it was executed, and it was received by him on the 4th of August. Previously to the 19th of August he entered into negotiations with the A.M.P. Society for an insurance on the life of his wife for £SOOO. He effected an insurance of £3OOO, payable at death, for which he paid £B2 per annum ; and he again insured her life for another £3OOO, payable in the event of her death within seven years, for which he paid £B2 per annum. He had thus his wife s life insured for £6OOO. On the Bth of June last he handed both policies back to the agent to have a certificate of his wife’s age entered on them. The object of this was to facilitate the obtaining of the money in the event- of her death. He received the policies back on the 25th of June. After his arrest, the will, the marriage certificate, and the two policies were found tied together in a safe in his office. On the June 12th, 1885, he bought 2oss. of antimonial wine; on the 14th, Joz ' of antimony. From July sth to August 11th he bought Bozs. of colohicum wine, and from June 15th to July 14th 6ozs. of antimony] He bought 14ozs, altogether in a little more than a month. On the 15th of August Drs Uacintyre, Draw, and Lovegrovo held a consultation on Mrs Hall, and obtaining portions of her food and other things and submitted them to Professor Black for analysis. On the 16th of August Hall went into his*wife’s bedroom, and in the absence of the muse, administered to her ice-water. The effect it had rn her was to leave a bitter taste in her mouth, and produced nausea and sickness. A portion of it was afterwards secured and submitted to analysis. When the accused went into the room afterwards his wife said, “ Oh ! Tom, that ice-water was so nasty," and he aaid he did not know whit was the cause of it unless it waa the water out of the jug. During the previous day Mrs Hall had ice* water out of the same jug and it had no such effect. The cup out of which the accused gave the ice-water was afterwards taken out of the kitchen by the nurse, and handed to Dr Macinfcyrc, and it was found to contain antimony. Four witnesses would prove this. While the nurse was in the romp, the female prisoner Houston came in, and without anyone telling her anything about it she aaid ; “ Oh ! I am sorry the ice-water was no mice. I suppose it is the muslin, 1 will get another piece of mnslin for you,” She took away the muslin and it could not be found. Dr Macintyre having found Mrs Hall worse and suffering from

tbe symptoms of autimonial prisoning laid the information against both of them.' On being arrested the female poisoner said to Hall “ You used antimony for photography.” He said “ You have nothing to do with it.” He said he used it for cigarettes, Mr White related the circumstances connected with th* arrest, which will be found more minutely described in the evidence, and went on to say that i.) the watchhouse Hall said to Houston “ You have not bug to do with this. You will got off, but I caondt get off.” About Sf three months ago Mr and Mrs Hamersley were dining at Hall’s house. Mr Joynt asked whether Mr Hamersley would be called as a witness. 1 Mr White replied in the affirmative. Mr Joynt said that in that case he would have to leave the Court. ■ Mr Hamersley said ; he never kseVV until now he would be called on. Ho whs watching the case oo behalf of Dr Macintyre, and it would be awkward for him to leave. % • Mr Joynt said Dr Macintyre had no right, to be represented by counsel, and insisted upon Mr Hamersley leaving (he Court. Aft°rafew more remarks, Mr White said he would not call Mr Hamersley in this Court, but would reserve the right to call him in another. Hethenwect onto say i hat Mr and Mrs Hamersley were dining at Hall’s, and "besides them Mr , and Mrs HaU ' Shd/MjaS‘Houston were present. A cup of tea" was brought to Mrs Hamersley, but. either Ball or Houston said the cup of tea was for Mrs Hall, and Wed to .take it from Mrs Hamersley, who, However, did 'not give it op, but drank it. Mrs Haitieraley got unwell after having drank it,-and was sick all next day. On the 18th of August, after the arrest,. Mrs Hamersley was at Hall’s house, and smelt kerosene. . It was found that iu? the 16ft off Hall’s bedroom there was a bag of rags saturated with kerosene, also some firewood with kerosene on it, as well as a tin of kerosene. The place, had been papered not long before and none of these things were there, and none of the servants had put them there. Hall bought a tin of kerosene at Hibbt.rd’s and ordered it to be wrapped in paper and delivered at his office. The boy in tbe office said it left there mysteriously, and as none of the servants took, it up , to. .the loft it-must have been taken there either by Hall or the female prisoner. On Jane 11 Hall insured bis furniture fur £6OO, and the house was insured, by the executors of the late Captain Cain, so if a fire took place Hall could lose nothing by it. Since his marriage and previously it would be shown he had been in monetary difficulties. In December 1885 he forged s bill for £905, mid renewed it since wjth a forged bill for £226. ;!; In the phial submitted to Professor Black, was found'on analysis antimony, and also-; in the trousers pocket. The powder picked off the floor was found to be tartar emetic.’;iThe bottle of icewater found in the sick room did notcon* tain antimony, hot the ice-water which Hall administered, to his wife contained it. Tbe vomit of Mrs Hall also contained antimony. Since the arrest Mrs Hall has been improving,-and. all the- signs of antimony were diminishing. All tbs symptoms were those of slow, poisoning by antimony. If too much antimony had not been pat in tbe ice-water the result ■would have been, fatal, but toomuebof 1 caused nauaeit and f vphut,'and thus ajJßgfl deal of it was got riid of. As regardstAe evidence against the female prisoner, she knew Hall had antimony, and gave a hint., as to photography, which, however, he did f not take, but gave a different reason. She allowed herself to be contradicted without saying a* word. Then she rushed between Mr Broham and Hall. She need to supply Mrs Hull with food with the exception of the,early cup.of te«, which was given by the servant. The breakfast was 3 always taken into the dining-room, and left there for Mr Hall to take to Mrs Hall. Miss Houston was a|so on very familiar terms with Hall, and they used to remain up after 11 o’clock, when all the others had retired to rest. She occupied the position of a lady help, and was in charge of the house and me.dioine when Hall was awsy. She knew the ice water had been given, and (took away the nuslin, which was not found since. She was seen going to, and coming from, Hall’s bed-room often early in the morning, and at one time she went to his bed-room with a cup of tea and remained there half-an-hour. He was often seen pulling her'about, and one time was seen with her arm round his neck. They used to be constantly together; they used to drive out together, and she used to. come to his office. Since their arrest, she wrote to him; “ My dear old Tommy Dodd—Keep up your courage. —Your loving Megrims*,’’ [This created some laughter, and seemed to have been thoroughly relished by the female prisoner.] Mr White then called ■ the following dence;Thomas Broham : I am an Inspector of Police, stationed at Tlmaru. I arrested the accused at 8.30 on Sunday evening, the 15th of this month, at his own residence. Detective Kirby, Constable Egan, and myself went in by the front, and Constable Strickland went to the back door. Aa we went in the front Mr Hall came out of the dining-room into , the ball. Oo seeing ns he went back into the dining-room. As we all got into the dining-room 1 aaw Mias Houston coming out of the smoking-room, at the opposite side of the hall. I beckoned to her to come into the dining-room, and she did so. I then told them both that I arrested them on a ; warrant, charging them with attempting to murder, Mrs Hull 1 by poison, by administering antimony to her. Miss Houston said, “ Oh, antimony ! That is what you hava got for your photography.” He said, “Be quiet, you have nothing to do with ■this.' 4 said, “ What shall I say ? I suppose ft man ought to be very careful what he would say to a charge like thia." I Mid, “ You can say wlist.you please, or say nothing at all, if you think fit.” He said, ‘T have used antimony for a long time. I have got it to mix up in cigarettes with other things for my asthma. You know .I suffer from asthma. I have bouglffc tartar emetic at Gann’s and Eicfibauqi’s.’! He said “Whatever I did in this iflfttter I did it myself. There was nobody else concerned in the matter.” He standing with his back to tbe room t 'ble, in front of the fire. About the time he made these remarks he put his hands into his trousers’ pockets. X said to him “ Take your hands out, please. ” He again attempted to put hit

hands into his pockets. Ho began to get very weak and asked for a “ nip.” I said “We shall have to search yon,” and and then he began to get weak and 1 sent Constable Egan for something; to drink. Detective Kirby was about commencing to search, when I thought he was going to faint, and he again asked for a drink. I said to Kirby, “ Run out and get something for him to drink.” At this time he was standing in front of the fire, with his back to it. Kirby left the room, and directly Hall put his hands into his trousers’ pockets, and 1 said to him Take them out at once." 'He did not do so, but moved them down to the 101 l extent of his pockets, 1 seized his handstand tried to take them out of hu trousers’ pockets. Just then Miss Houston gave a cry and ran between us, ■' and did all she could 'Separate me from him. We had a struggle, and I called out to Detective Kirby. I could see plainly Hall want*-<i to throw something into the fire. In a little time Kirby came back, and Mis? Houston let «o—ceased her effort* to

Aspirate lit I told Kirby “ He has tri *H to throw sum . thing in the fire. He liar thrown something on the floor.” I s od th’> because as I was taking him a«»y from the fire 1 saw Him kick a cork which came out of his pocket. He kicked back- ‘ wards, evidently trying to kick the cck under the fendey. 1 'lien held his hand* , while Kirby searched him. 1 saw Kirt>\ take a small phial out of his right-hand .trousers’ pocket. There was no cork in Vihe phial, which contained a few drops o liquid and some ohrystal. I gave t! phial to Kirby, and next morning I mad it Bp with other Ihings, and sent it t < Prefissor Black by Constable Egan. 1 aar Kirby himself take from hts (Hah’.*) pocket a small packet marked “Tartar Embtic.” I saw Kirby pick up the cork I have already mentioned from near the lender on the hearthrsg, and it fitted the phial. 1 also saw him pick up a few • particles of powder which were lying not far from the cork. [ saw also that a por tion of the bottom of the pocket was wet, and the phial was wet on theoutsids. Having searched him, I said to Hall, “We’ll now go into your bedroom, and search that. He said, “You «ill fin l antimony there.’’' We went npint'* the bedroom 7 and as we were approaching • table 1 saw a book “ Taylor j« Poisons,” l , and Hall took it up and said, “ I suppose 1 thisalso will’ tell against me.” I searched the room ‘and found a package of tartar emetic, a bottle containing colchicnm wine, and a package of. some kind oi chemical, and also the ordinary cigarettes smoked by persons suffering from asthma. Mrs Ellison gave me a jug. I think >t was Constable Egan brought some brandy ' - into the dining room; Directly I saw the brandy I knew there was some c'cti'M substance in it. I said, “ Thete is «om • thing the matter with the brandy.” .1! said, “No, there is : not.” I said, i is.”' Either he or I poured out glass of it, and he was about dri king it when I look it from him him. I think he tasted it. The nurse Mrs Ellison gave me a jog, which she said contained ice-water. It was got out‘of the kitchen, I gave the brandy, the bott’e, and the jug to Kirby, I saw the same articles next afternoon in the presence of Dr Macintyre and Constable Daily. Portions of some of them I sealed with the articles handed to me by Dr Maclntyre. 1 got two pockets from Kirby. I bad not seen those pockets before in the same state, but I believe them to be Hall's pockets. 1 received a small cork from Constable Strickland. Dr Macintyre cut the cork in two, half of it was kept by him and I made the other half into a parcel, t sea'ed them all separately and thsy were placed in a box in my presence and in Dr MacintyreV and Detective Kirby’s. I gave charge of them to Csnstsble Daily, and 'old him to deliver them personally to Professor Black. I placed a number on each article before Constable Daily put them into the box. [The box was then opened and the various articles taken out of it numbered as follows Jr—1— « 2 ; pockets.' 3 Tartar emetic, 4 Little powder picked up on floor beside the cork. 6—Phial colchicnm wine found in bedroom. 6 Phial tartar emetic found in bedroom. 7 Portion of white powder found in ' , bedroom, * B—Lime8 —Lime water from passage in lb# house. [9 —Powders given to me by Constable Strickland. 10— Portion of brandy for injection received from Detective Kirby. 11— Ice water prepared only in sick . £vr room for use there, given me by Detective Kirby. 12 — Portion of cork found on floor by ‘ Constable Strickland. p 13—Ice water, sealed by Dr Macintyre and given to me by him, f 14—Vomit of the 12fch inst., given by Dr Macintyre. —Urine of the 13th inst,, given by Dr Macintyre.] Since then I went to Hall’s house. On the 18tb I took from there a cullender, a piece of, flannel, a piece of gauze cloth, and a piece of sacking. All these I made up into a parcel, and they were given by ms to Constable Egan on the same date. I also gave hi:* a bottle I received from Dr Macintyre. I gave the whole to,Constable Egan to take to Dunedin. The line .was down and he could not go. [All the articles corned were handed in]. Went again to the house of the accused on the 21st instant. Mrs Ellison showed : roe upstairs. As you go upstairs you go first to HalJ ! s bedroom,, and there is a small room leading off that to the right, and there is a small opening in the wall 2$ feet by 18 inches in which there is a door. In the email bedroom I smelt keroseop, On opening the small doop the smell wqs 1 went inside, and found a large quantity of old rags somewhat similar to the sweepings of a dressmaker s shop. They were in a bag. - [Bag produced]. There were other rags, an old pillow, papers of al’ kinds, small '■■■ pieces of wood, and some straw. The , / things in the old flour bag were deeply saturated wijh jhe kerosene, and down “ tpwards the centre of the bag they were yet with kerosena, apd there was more or less kerosene on the tliipgs outside the bag. [Pieces of board jpitl wood stained wifh kerflSQne produced]. As we came down staiys Mrs Ellison showed me a tin of kerosene. It was the Ohrystal ’’ brand, [ returned to the house with Constable Qasey, put them into sacks and brought them away. Brought the kerosene with us also to the polioe station The

marriage certificate and. the two life policies produced wore found in Hall and Meason’s office on the 25th. Messrs Joynt and Hay declined to cross-examine the witness. Austin Kirby, examined by Mr Martin : lama detective, station ad in Timaru. I know the accused, Hall and Houston. Oa the 15th instant 1 accompanied Inspector Broham and Constables Strickland and Egan to Hall’s house, to assist in arresting him and Miss Houston on warrant cn a charge of administering poison to Mrs Hall in an attempt to murder. We went in at the front door. Hall came out of the dining-room and Houston came out of the sittingroom, opposite. Mr Broham requested them to go into the dining-room, and they did so. He told them the charge, and they appeared astonished. They repeated the word “antimony” several Mur >B. The accused Houston said, “Oh, you used antimony in photography.” Hall said, “ You have nothing to say.” lie then said, “ I don’t know what to say ; 1 am sure a man should be cautious with such a charge over him.” He said, “She had nothing to do with it. Whatever 1 lid was entirely mine.” Hall said, “ I used antimony in making a preparation for cigarettes for asthma, from which I iitfor. I have got antimony at Eichhaum’s and Gunn’s shops.” He then put hi« hands into his trousers pockets, and Mr Broham told him to keep hts hands quiet. Heattempted to put his hands into his pockets again, aid Mr tPoharn told him to desist, as he was >.?oing to search him. I was commencing to search him, when he appeared very faint. He was standing on the hearth rug, with his back to the fire. There was d.firo there. He asked for a “ nip,” and Mr Broham sent ont Constable Egan for one. I then went out myself, closing the door after me. I heard Mr Broham call out ray name loudly afterwards. I ran back into the room, and found Mr Broham and the accused arms in arms. Houston was standing near. Mr Broham said he had something in his pockets, which he had thrown away. I picked up a cork and a small poition cf a white powder near the fender. I then searched Hall, and in his right-hand trousers pocket fohnd a small bottle. I saw there was a small quantity of liquid and some crystals in it. The bottle appeared damp, and the pocket was wet. After he was brought to the police station the watch housekeeper cut the two pockets off his trousers in ray presence. They were in the same state as when I searched him in his own house. I am not certain out of which pocket I took a packet marked “Tartar emetic.” Part of the packet was wet. Mr Broham then said, “We shall have to examine your sleeping apartment.” Hall said, “You will find some antimony there.” The Inspector, myself, and Hall went upstairs, and ‘the first thing [ saw was the book, “Taylor on Poisons.” Hall said, “I suppose this will tell against me.” [Our reporter had to leave at 4.20 p.m. • o catch the train, but it had bpen previously arranged that the Court would not sit after 4;30. There would therefore be only Detective Kirby’s evidence taken, and that was simply a corroboration of Inspector Broham’s evidence. The Court will sit again at 10 o’clock this morning, and as there are 35 witnesses to examine it is expected that it will not be finished before tomorrow evening. Then the forgery cates will be gone on with. These are increasing every day, and it was said three fiesh informations for forgery were laid against Hall yesterday.]