INQUEST.

Timaru Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 1451, 22 June 1876, Page 3

INQUEST.

An inquest was held at the Eesident Mag strate's Court-house, Timaru, yesterda; before B. Woollcombe, Esq., Coroner, to ucl ing the death of John and CeliaMacgregor o Tuesday, June 20. Tho following jury were empanelled :- John Hamilton (foreman), John Foler, Morri O'Connor, Jonathan Derby, John Erase: Morris Foley, Patrick Duggnn, Johu Pric Peter Sinclair. G-. O. Sinclair, William .1 Martin, Frederick Healey, William Harolc John Lee.- : . The jury then proceeded to view the bodie; after which the enquiry commenced. Charles Harris : lam a dairyman. I knev the deceased John Macgregor and Ccli Macgregor. I served them with milk. . went to their house nt ten minutes past nin yesterday morning. I called out " milk," an< heard someone — I think Mrs Macgregor — sa^ something, but could not hear what. I thei opened the door, and Mrs Macgregor askei me to gn next door and bring Mrs Jones, a: her husband h*d a fit. I went tn the housi next, door, and the person living there (Rosa lind Pur'ss) came out, an I went m to t-h< Macgregors. She caino out again and wen! ; for Mrs Jones. I then weut away. By the Coroner : When Mrs Macgregoi spoke to me it was m her natural tone, as ii there was nothing wrong with her. By the EorenMn : I did not see Mrs Macgregor, as she spoke to me from her bedroom. ■ . ■• . . . Rosalind Puvss : I am unmarried, and living with Mr 3 Brookham. I have known bolh the dt-eeased for several week*. I saw them m their house yesterday after their deaths. I was called yesterday morning by Hums to go to their house. I went m, and saw Mrs Maegregor lying m the bed undressed, and John Macgregor dressed and lying on the bed. He was. alive then, and had his left hmd above his ho>id. Ho looked at mo. I run out and called Mrs J.ines. I went back with her. Mrs Maegregor epoke to me before I went for Mrs Jones. Wli|'» we returned, John Macgregor was very red m tho fa(;o and Mrs Macgro^or very pale, lie did not sneak. I am not sure whether he was dead when I went away again. She looked very ill. I went to the Hibernian Hotel and uskbd O'Driscoll to porno to the houso, as Macgregor was m n fit. I hud had conversations with Mrs Mucgregor on the two days previous to her death. Erom what shesaid then, I thought she hud something ou her mind. Sho told mo her husband liad got: into pome difficulties m his bminess, and that she did not think she would Jive long, as 'she felt broken-hearted. One tho morning of her dontli she did not aocu^o anyone ;of poisoning her. Sho' to6k me for, Mrs Jono*.::' Her. words, to; me were " Oh,- Mrs-Jonesy-Mr Macgregor is m a fit, and nic too." 'When Mrs Jones and I went ': m, tho former asked her whnt shu had been taking, and then said, " Oil, you havo been taking r>r>isoii." Mrs-Maosjregor replied that she had hud a little bitters. Before O'DrisroLL came,. Mrs Jones gave her. salt, and water, and on his arrivalthey lifted her up thinking- she would be sick.. She srenied to have; : :tTPitching and jerking. motions and. tried tb.laydVwni'i handswere clerioTled.' I- saw -lier die'alirioStimmediately after, .; • , -r,, . i; i •■ The Inspector of Police: hero stated thnt Dr Mncintyro woi/ld prefer to have further time to complete his analysis, and he thought it would be advisable to have the enquiry adjouruod. , . ... ;... It was decided to take what evidence' Dr. Macintyre had to offer as far as he had pro-, ceeded. •-.•[•■•' :■. \ Pntrick Macirityfo : lam a duly qualified medical practitioner, residing m Timaru. I have made a post mortem examination of tlio bodies of John and Cclia Macgregor. : I have found;no' appearances indicative of the cause of death.' I have tho contents of the stomach m my piossessipn,- iind wish to havo more time to apiilyße theov. I believe death was. caused by poisbn inr.^pth cases. ;.'..■' •,'', Emraa" Elfza. Jones : — I am. tho wjfo- pf John Alfred Jones, living m Timaru. I was sent for yesterday inorniug, and; went to the Macgregors' house with the lasts witness. ; I saw John Macgregor lying on the bed on his back.' He was dressed. He did not speak to mo. Ho was ulive then, and lying very stiff,: with bis right hand, plenching the bedstead. Beads of perspiration , were Btandini; out' on his face, which was then very red. L.remained until . ho died. Mrs Macgregor was lying very calni inside the bed, undressed. I asked her what she had, been taking, and she said a little bitters. I told .her I thought it was poison, Macgregor. appearing: as if he : had taken it.' I gave her. a little salt and water', 1 and lifted her up. in the bed, by whi<;h time O'Driscoll cumo.in. Slie appeared to get worse,' 'her arms stiffening. She a^ked for aoino brandy and waier, which O'Driscoll refused to give her until the doctor came, died a few moments. afterwards. Johp.' Macgregor.died first. By Mrs Macgregor's directions I to'ok^a small bottle out of a bi>3, : aud she told 'me '.that was the one she had used. I showed the bottlo tj the police, and also to Dr.Maointyre. . . . By Inspector Ponder:, Mrs Macgregor said' tliat her husband had bought the bitt>T3 from Green's the. night before. I asked her why she had taken it,.nnd she said that she thought it would do her good. They lived an unhappy .life, and were ahvavs quarrelling. r l "'ho'iril" them' quarrelling on Thursday.' 'When Macgrpgor was free' from drink he was very kind to his wife..- They wore generally ip7 the habit of drinking' sometliing before they got up m the morning. .'.Mrs .Macgrewor told me last i week that, there was. somo trouble coming on. ' ■■'-'■'' '-"■-' i.. ,•. ■ By.tto foreman': -Mrs Macgrpgor could no*have reached the bottle vfithoutgoiting out. of ■bed. "ft might havo be-n twenty minutes from thn liiife/T first went' m till she diedMacgregor died a niinule or so alter. l. went m. The" doctor • arrived about five minutes after Mr 3 Mncgregor died: . . . ' Thomas Q'Driecoll : lam a ■ piib'iciin living m Tinnim!*" T was called. to the Muegr.gord' house .shortly after 9 ; o'clock yesterday aiorn-l-irig. 'JohhMiiogrejTor showed no syrapt.>in3 of life."'. Ifti Macgregor was ativelV Slie\sail she felt very bad. I asked her what made her so, a^id' she said that Macgregor liad'giveh her soir.e bittera out of a' bottle.' I a-*ked hei where the bottle was, and -she pointed to an jempiy caae m tho corner of. the rdonr.-. JLgOt [it and poured out, two or three "rops into « ! cup. I dippecl my finder into it arid tasted it It seemeH Hk«-dar.k bitters. Sergeant Rout, ledge .look possession of the bottle. I remainec ■ until'she died. ' . . ; By the.Eoremau : Mrs Macgregor was per 'fectly sensible when she spake to me. Theri were only- two' or three drops ' left in ■ the bottle: ••■ ".; • " ■..'.■"-. . ' '.■■•■.■■'■ By a Juryman : I saw Mncofregbr theiiigh' before his death. He -whs not under the m _fluence of drink thpn. "_:I think he was m thi 'habit of drinking hard. Donald L. Turner : I; am i chemist m thi employ of Mr Watkina, Timaru. Johi Macgregor came to the shop: on Monda; morning between the hours of 8 and 10. Hi a^ked for E»ine strychnine to destroy rats.; Hi dsked for a ehilling's worth at first, but after wards said it was not' enough, as Be bad ci many rats. He bad no witness with him, ci I declined to sell it. He went out, and cami bocfc with a man named 1 Dierck, wHoth ! knew. I theti: supplied Madgregor' -with i drachm and a half of strychnine, for which h -paid ss. I ' entered' it(fin the poison .bdbl which bolh signed. It was tied up m a pack age, and labelled '" Strychnine Poison." . By the Foreman :' I did not notice ariy'thin peculiar about Macgregor. ' ; He was perfect! ■ sober. ■ , . . . .■ :'. ,-. .". ".- ' : The Coroner then adjourned the- inquir till Wednesday, the 28th inst., at 10 aim., tj: ■ jury being bound pver, to, appear ori'- tMi date. ' ; : ; : '- ; -'- - J " v • -'