The Temuka Leader SATURDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1886. THE POISONING CASE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1503, 23 October 1886, Page 2

The Temuka Leader SATURDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1886. THE POISONING CASE.

The curtain has fallen on the last scene of the most revolting social i drama that has ever come under our notice. It yf as fearfully and wonderfully iprolonged ; but the last scene was enacted with remarkable celerity. Notwithstanding the ex’raordinary mass of evidence which was submitted to them, it tdok the jury only about as long as it would take a coroner’s Jury to bring in a verdict of accidental death, to find Thomas Hall guilty of the heinous crime with which be was charged and Margiret : Graham Houston completely innocent. The rapidity with which they came to this conclusion shows that they had not the slightest difficulty in arriving at their verdict, but, expeditiously as they performed their part, the learned judge acted with equal energy. He did hot hesitate to order the immediate discharge of Miss Houston, nor to mete/out to Thomas Hall the severest ment the law allowed hini to inflict—penal servitude for bis natural life. 'So perfectly convinced were judge and jury of Ball’s guilt, that the whole process of the finding of the jury and the passing of the sentence took only about' 12 minutes. And seldom hag a jury returned a verdict, and seldom has a judge passed a sentence,; with which public opinion has been more thoroughly in harmony. No one begrudges Miss Houston her liberty, there ; was not sufficient evidence to convict her; there was more than room to dopht that she bad even the slightest knowledge of what was going on, and i it was right and proper that she should get the benefit of it. Still it must be said that for a time her case looked suspicious, so much so that the Crown was perfectly justified in inquiring most searchingly into it. There was evidence against her of most extraordinary familarity with the man whose servant she was, and her conduct at the time of the arrest, and sobsequently might very well be looked upon with suspicion. Her own stupid actions were largely to blame for the fearful anxiety and discomfort to which she has been- subjected, but though these were weighty reasons for arresting her still the reasons for acquitting her were weightier. The most searching investigation resulted in not the least trace of poison being found in anything belonging to her. If she were an accomplice, watcbingjfor an opportunity of administering poison, it is almost certain that she would bavehadsome of it somewhere. Ball was using it and he had it in abundance. It was in bis pockets, it was in bis bedroom, it was in various places, but not a bit of it was found In Miss Houston’s possession. Next, why should Hall put a millstone around bis own neck by confiding such a secret to her, He had : planned the whole thiog long before he saw her ; he bad every opportunity of carrying oat his fell purpose without let or hindrance ; he needed no accomplice ; and it does not accord with common sense that be would place in the keeping of a woman a secret that wonld give her extraordinary power over him so long as he lived. Had Hall confided in her, bis action in doing so would not have accorded with the clever way in which be bad managed for years to deceive bis bankers, nor with the ingenuity he displayed in the villainous ichetnes he concocted to acquire wealth. Notwithstanding the shadow of suspicion with which her conduct enshrouded Miss Houston, then fore, it appears to us inconsistent with the general drift of the ascertained facts that she should have been made cognisant of his villainies by Ball, and there is not the slightest doubt but Hall contemplated poisoning his wife before he made Miss Houston's acquaintance. With the jury’s verdict we,'on these grounds, cordially agree, and must express our sympathy with the poor friendless girl whose misfortune it was

to have been associated with one< of the vjlest miscreants that ever polluted the •earth with bis presence,- She appears to have been a woman of unsullied character until she entered the Hall family, and, notwithstanding her association with.the most thorough scoundrel it would be possible for her to meet, she parted company with him completely exonerated from complicity in his crimes But next to her own innocence she has to thank the remarkable ability, and the untiring seal with which she was defended by her rising young counsel— Mr James Hay. He has more than distinguished himself, he has proved himself to be a young man of great tact, ability, and acumen, and we heartily congratulate him on the unstinted praise which he has won from all quarters, We confess to a H feelibg of pride in the fact that be calls this district his home. With; regard;.)to Hall it is scarcely possible to realise fully the degree of criminality to which bCi has reached. He rnWrled his the fall intention of murdering her, Me laid out his plans with great precision ; t|o the world be appeared tbd fond, kind husband, be Waited patiently til] the opportune moment came, and while caressing his fond wife —the mother of his first-born child—with one hand be was taking her life with the other, It is not pleasant to think that human nature is capable of such fiendish villainy. But it is useless to waste words on him new ; ho has been found out, and will have to suffer punishment for the rest of bis natural life for the crimes of which he has been guilty. To Dr Maclntyre, who has been the instrument by which society has been rid : of such a monster, all honor and praise is due. : His was a task of no ordinary kind, Hall was bis friend ; be was a man whose relations occupy the, highest positions in the land and possess both wealth and power. It was no wonder that Dr Maclntyre thought out the matter well, and satisfied‘himself with experiment after experiment before he took so serious a step as to give Hall into custody on such a charge, jßut Providence put in bis way proof that satisfied him—the ice water—and that moment he decided to risk bis professional reputation and bis prospects ip life on the altar of duty. It was fortunate that be waited until he got such dear proof, as otherwise the difficulty in proving the case would have been greater. He just took action in the “nick of time.” Had he laid the information sooner it might not have been proved ; had he delayed a few hours longer Mrs Hall would have been dead and the house burned to ashes. The brandy which was to have been given to Mrs Hall that night bad in it colchicum sufficient to kill bier at aiid if that bid not done so the kerosene in the ,garrets would have lent its assistance. Dr Maclntyre did therefore the right thing at the right time, and society owes him a debt of gratitude for ridding it of such a fiend. His action was bold and plucky; he ran a great risk, and had he failed in establishing his case his reputation was ruined, And, what was still worse, the police refused to take .action on the information supplied by , him ; they would not stir until be laid' the information himself, and assumed the role of profijecutpr. jjqt he laid the information «n 4 signed it, end the police bad then to act, and now he has the satisfaction of not only being praised from end to end'of the colony, but envied as a man who has made a reputation for tact, cleverness, and pluck.