RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 3719, 2 September 1886, Page 3

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

TIMARTT — Wednesday, Sept. Ist. [Before J. S. Beawick, Esq., R.M., Edward Elworthy, and 11. 3. LeCren, Esqs., J.P's.] At 10.30 o'c'oek their Worships took their placeß on tho Bench, the courthouse being only partly filled. THE HALIi CASES. Prisoners were escorted m by the police officers, and placed m front of the prisoners dock. Prisoners stood charged on remand with ATTEMPTING TO MURDER CATHARINE HALL, The text of the charge being as follows — "The information and complaint of Patrick Maclntyre, a medical practitioner of Timaru, taken upon oath this 15th day of AugUßt, 1886, before me, John Jackson, Esquire, one of Her Majesty's Justices of the Peace, m and for the said colony, who saith that ho hath just causo to Buspect, and doth suspect, that Thomas Hall, and Margaret Graham Houston, of 'J'imaru, m the said colony, on or about the 15th day of August, 1886, at Timaru aforesaid, did feloniously administer to one Catharine Hall a certain quantity cf a certain poißon called antimony, with intent m so doing then and thereby feloniously, wilfully, and of their malice aforethought, to kill and murder the said Catharine Hall, contrary to the statute, being an indictablo offence. — (Signed) P. MacTntyre, M.8." Mr J. W. White, of Messrs White and Co., Crown Prosecutor at Timaru, appeared to prosecute, with him Mr Martin of Chrißtchurch, and Inspector Broham ; Mr Joynt, of Christchurch, and Mr C. T. H. Perry, of Messrs Perry and Perry, Timaru, appeared for tho male prisoner Hall, and Mr Hay for the femalo prisoner Houston. Mr Hamersley watched the ease on behalf of Dr. P. Maclntyre. When the Bench took their seats Mr White asked that the forgery cases against Hall, set down for hearing that morning might be adjourned for 7 days, as the prosecution had not yet had timo to get up all tho cases. Mr Joynt offering no objection the court granted the request. The hearing of the major oharge wns then resumed : — Dennis Wren examined by Mr Martin : — I am a labourer and havo been employed by the Lite Captain Cain. I did not leave his house immediately on his death : about a fortnight after. Hall took possession of the house and premises on Cain's death. The Captain died on the 29th January, and Hall took possession of the house about two weeks afterwards. I remained at tho house with the girl who is now my wife, Mra Newton, «nd Miss Houston. Tho house was during this timo repaired and painted, but the persons I have mentioned did not Btay there, but I had chargo of the house. I was m Hall's employ, and he came to the house ■nhen the repairs were completed. I know the interior of the house, and the garret upstairs, I have been m it j there wns nol xnuch m there only some rubbish and rags I was m the garret at the time the bellhangers were at work : at tho time Forbe* was irt work. The rags were there then ; ant] I saw them a few. days before Hall tool possession. I had tho keys du'ing the time the repairs wero being effected, and when they were completed handed them to Hall The latter had had a key, but he gave it up tc me. Kerosene was used m the house, and the tins were kept man outhouse. I left there on tho. 16th February, and came bad on the 18th, and I waa always working foi Hall except m wet weather. When I was m the garret with the bell-hangers there waf only about a bucket of rubbish m it. ] could not Bay what kind of stuff it was bul there was not as much as is m these bag; (produced), (exhibits T and N). I do nol remember seeing such rags as is m this bag " R." I did not sec any straw there, nor dc I remember seeing any pieces of timber. ] am sure I saw no kerosene thero. I recoiled Hall's horse having a soro foot ; it was about April or May last. Do not know if anything else was the matter with the horse. Mr White asked that the ledger produced by C. A. Wilson on Tuesday should be allowed to be removed from the custody ot the court, as it was absolutely necessary tc he used for dealiDg with the affairs of Hal] and Meason. Thoro was no objection by the other aide. The court agreed to this. O. A. Wilson was then recalled and ot the instance of Mr White, tho other sido nol objecting, pointed out the entries on page 74E of Hall and Meason's ledger referring t( Cain's executors. The entry was posted oi June 30th. It represented credit to tin Imperial Insurance Companj's account, pay ment of premium on house. On tho eami date there is an entry " By T. Hall £1 11s 6d ' crodit to the Imperial Insurance Company'i account premium on furniture m Hall's house (Ledger put m.) Witness : I made tin entries first of all m the journals and thot posted the ledger from it. Jolia Wilson, examined by Mr White

said : — I have been m Hall's employ since the twenty-fourth May. I never knew anything about the garret until about a weok ago. I went m about a week ng.> with someone, but I forget who I went with. I never took anything into tho g.irret ; have never been inside the garret ; only looked m. W. Gunn, examined by Mr White :— I am a chemist at Timaru, and know Hall. He has been m the habit of purchasing a commodity from mo during the last six months. Hall has purchased antimony from me. He first purchased it on the 18th of June, this year. He got two drachms. He told me on purchasing the purpose for which it was required. He told me he got a receipt sent to him from Inndon, from Mr James Shears, for making cigarettes, to contain tartar emetic and stramonium. The stramonium seeds I had not got, bnt I offered to get them for him. He told me he thought he had some at home. Ho also told me how he wa3 going to make tho cigarettes. I suggested to him to boil the stramonium seeds, and dissolve the tartar emetic m hot liquor. Afterwards he was to soak the paper m the solution nnd dry it, and then roll it out into cigarettes. Nothing further was said then. On the 26th Jure, Hall got two drachms more of antimony. He then told me the cigarettes were the best ever he used, but they had one fault, they did not burn well. During our conversation Dr Lovegrovo came m. i Either I or Mr Hall, of both of U9, told him of the efficacy of the cigarettes, and also the ingredients, and the fault m burning. Dr ■ Lovegrove suggested to Hall that he ihonld put some nitre m the solution. I sold Hall 1 eolchicum wine on the sth July, two ounces ; on the 17th July, two ounces ; 31st July, two i ounces; 11th August, two ounces. Charles William Eichbaum, examined by Mr White : — I am a cherai-t residing at Timaru, and know well prisoner Hall. I only '. sold him antimony on th« 4th August. Isold him a shilling's worth. I sold him some > antimoninl wine on June 12th last. On . August 4th, I sold him three ounces of , stramonium seed, and Is worth of nitrate of i potnsh the same day. He purchased all the ; goods at tho same time. Be about four or five ounces of nitrate of potash. He got on i March 20tb, 1885, some atropia from a ' prescription by Dr Hogg. They were atropia i drops. Ho on November 4th, 1885, also got i some atropia drops. On June 3rd, of this i year ho bought an ounco of atropia. On ' July 6th, of this year, he got two ounces of coleliicum wive. William Snlek : I am an assistant at Watkins' chemist, Main ßoad. Ihave sold|Hall eolchicum wine; I sold him 2ozon July 261h; also on August 7th 2oz. On the first occasion hi tasted tho wine to see if it was right, and said : — " Yes that's the stuff." Michael Milton, examined by Mr Martin said : lam a station holder at Mount Peel. I know Hall, the male prisoner. I never gave Hall or his firm a promissory note. This is not my signature (note produced). I did not m December 1885 transfer any property to Hall and Meason, and this is not my signature to this transfer (produced). William Davidson, examined by Mr White said : — I am agent of tho Australian Mutual Provident Society, and know accused Hall. He saw me about the beginning of August last respecting an insurance on Mrs Hall's life' He asked for ono of our prospectus formß and I give him one. When Hall got it he «aid Mrs Hall was thinking of insuring her life for his (Hall's) protection m ense she should die bofore he did. Hall explained the reason that there was a considerable sum of money — income — which would lapse m tho event of her death, and Mrs Hall suggested to insure for his own proteclion. Subsequently to this conversation Hall said probably tho amount woul 1 be £5000, but he afterwards changed hia mind and two proposals were given for £3003 each. One for life for £3000, the other for £3000 for seven years without participation m profits. Hall explained that it would depend on how long Captain Cain lived which of the policies would be kept m force. The policies were duly taken out and I forwarded them to' Wellington. This is one (produced) of the policies I issued and it was handed to Thomas Hall. The premium on the policy' for life was payable half yearly. The proposals came into force on the 28th August. The premium on the seven years policy was payable annually. The amount payable on it was £79 23 6d. After I handed them over they were subsequently handed back to me by Hail to get the nge of Mrs Hall inserted m them. This is a receipt (produced) from Hall. On tho Bth of June 1 received the policies back from Hall, and after this got the receipt mentioned. Hall called at my office and m consequence of what my boy told me I went to see him. It was about the 12th of August of this year. Ho told me ho did not intend to renew the short dated policy. I told him he had plenty of time to make up his mind ; that the premium was not due till 2Sth August, and that he had 30 days grace afterthat. He made noreply and we then had a conversation about his wife's health. He said that she was still unwell, but that she had very much improved. Whilst 1 was m the office Hall telephoned to Dr. Maelntyro, asking him if he had received any letter m reply to his letter to Dr. Batchelor, of Dunedin. Hall explained to mo that Dr. Batchelor's opinion was asked on Mra Hall's health. Dr. Macliityro telephoned back that he had no owner to his letter. That is the gist of the conversation. Arthur Steadman, examined by Mr White, said : I am manager of the Bank of New South Wales. I know accused. The account of Hall and Meason was kept at our Bank Tho business was chiefly transacted by Hall. In January of last year their account was largely overdrawn j between £7000 or £8000 ; that is covering discounts. From that to the ]51.h August the account has been reduced £400 or £600. I first saw this promissory note sometime m July ; it came from Hall and Meason, but I do not know who gave it. I had a conversation with Hall about it. I cannot recall the conversation. Meason never went through the discounts. This note was put through the discount account m the ordinary way. This transfer (produced) I first saw m December, 1885. I got it from the hands of Hall for the purpose of securing a previous discount, on Mitton, of £205. 'The promissory note put m was for a renewal The previous bill was I believe, taken away by H nil. When giving me the deed and bills Hall said Mitton was a man m good position. , I knew Mitton personally, but I did not > know his position, except from what Hall i told me. ' Thos. Black, examined by Mr White : lam ; manager of tho .National Bank, Timaru. Ac- ; cused, Hall, has a private account at our Bank. I cannot tell the state of Hall's ac- . count m May last without looking at my ! books. I Mr White Baid m that case he would take ; Mr Black's ovidence after the luncheon ads journrnent. i It being 10 minutes to one the luncheon . adjournment wa3 then taken. > The court resumed business at five minutes 1 past two. ; Thomas Black was again put m the box : : I have ascertained position of Hall's account ? on sth Jan., 18^5. It- was then m credit i £24. From that timo to tho 2nd November i of that year it was overdrawn considerably. [ On the 25th of the month overdrawn £263. t From Ist December to the 16th March, 1886, i it was m credit ; I could not say how much. fc From the 16th March to May 31st it was j r overdrawn generally about £80. On May > 3lßt a big transaction was made, and it was [ overdrawn£Bßsattheendof May. Ithasbeen t reduced since then, and stands overdrawn now t at £617. On the 16th August last it was ; overdrawn about the eaino amount. Dr Maclntyre was next called, but before [ he was examined Mr Joynt asked the court i to request Dr Drew to withdraw. This f gentleman had been m consultation with Dr > Maclntyre on certain very important matters 1 bearing on the caße, and ho would therefore . ask the bench to direct him to withdraw. Mr Martin said Dr Drew would give ovidence more as an expert than anything > else, but he had no objection to Mr Joynt's t request being granted. I Mr Joynt said Dr Drew was more than an 3 expert ; he was to be called to give evidence i ns to facts ; it was therefore qnly right that a ho should withdraw. The court held with Mr Joynt, and directod a that Dr Drew should retire while Dr Mao- ', Intyre was giving his evidence s ' Patrick Maelntyro, examined by Mr Mar i. tin : I am a duly qualified medical practiu tioner, residing at Timaru. I know accused i Hall, and his wife. She was a patient of luine. I attended her m 1885. I attended •, hor early m November pf that year. The

moat marked symptoms sho then hud wore retching and vomiting I prescribed for her. About the 14th of the month she became decidedly bettor. Sho was very prostrate for sonic days, duo to the sickness, but very quickly recovered, became fairly well on tliv 11th, nnd was able to drive out. I took the sickness to be due to pregnancy. I next saw her on the 9th of June, but had seen her previously a few times, but not on an important occasion till her confinement, on June 19th, I noticed nothing special about her confinement, which took a favourable course. On the fourth day the sickness camo on again, and retching and vomiting continued more on less to the loth inst. and the early morn ing of the lGth, accompanied by steadily j increasing prostration. There were perio Is during which she seemed to be better. On the fifth daynfter confinement inflammation of the right breast set m. Tho vomit was sometimes mucous, sometimes mucous biliou matter, and sometimes consisted of copious watery matter. Just before tho attacks of sickness, and during them, tho skin assumed a very yel'ow or jaundice colour. 'There were repeated attacks of diarrhoea; the tiret of which 1 prescribed for on the 27th June. The motions were generally dark and bilious. Mrs Hall complainod of a hot burning feeling m throat and ftomneb. She often experienced a feeling a3 if tho throat were being grasped by the hand. Thero was tenderness of the stomach anl retching of the liver. This extended over the upper part of the belly. It involved the whole of the abdominal area, including the region of the bladder. During the last nine days prior to tho 15lh August, there was an itching of the skin, affecting tho body and limbs. There was also soreness of the eyeballs, and much itching of tho eyelids She complainod of a feeling as if her nose were enlarged, nnd the nostrils sore and irritable. The lips became dry, sore, and haeht, and sho complained of n na«ty disagreeable taste m the mouth. On Saturday, the 14th August, ' she had twitching of the arms. There waa sometimes retention of urine ; on one occasion lasting from the 11th to tho night of tho 12th. On the 14th July her symptoms were so grave that I suggested to the hiiabiind the advisability of having another medical mnn to Bee her, for my protection. Dr Brew then saw her on that date, and wo prescribed a certain course of treatment. The patient seemed to improve for two or threo days, and then the symptoms returned again. On the 28lh July — tho came month — I suggested further consultation to Hull, and then Dr Stacpoole caw her. -Whey and lime water were ordered with nourishing injections to be given through the bowels, and she improved a little but got worso again. On the 12th of August she was so very ill that I wished for another consultation, and suggested that Dr Lovegrove be called ; I suggested this to Hnll. Mrs Hall expressed a wish to call Dr Drew if posiible, and he, Dr Loregrove and I held a coniultation that evening at 8 o'clock. We decided to give her m food by the mou'h, but that sho be alhwed to suck ice and drink iced water. She was to be fed every three hours by the bowels with beef tea, pepsino or pancreatine and brandy, to stop ai fur as possible the retching and vomiting which occurred from lime to time. Shebecamo weaker, and kept on becoming rapidly weaker. On Sunday the loth when I saw her at 1.30 she was m astato of eollipso. Her pulse was at 116, features pinched, tho eyes sunk and glassy, and the breathing hardly perceDtible, being very feeble. The pulse, 'l hiiit state, waa very irregular and could hardly be felt at the wrist. She had then partially recovered from a severe attack of retelling and vomiting. On Friday the 13th I secured two bottles, one of urine and the other of vomit. I took them to the hospital and Dr Drew and I tested the contents of them. We came to theconcltision that they contained antimony. I then put a portion of each into bottles ; sealed them and forwardod them to Professor Black, Dunedin. On Sunday 15th August when I was at Mrs Hull's at 1.30, m Mrs Hall's bedroom, the nurse drew my attention to tho fact that Hal! had given Mrs Hall some iced water, nhirh Mrs Hall complained of as having a very nasty taste. She also described it as a somewhat bitter taste, and bo unlike the iced water sho had been m the habit of having from the nurse. At the same time the nurse signalled to me that she hnd (secured a portion of tho iced water, which she held m her hand. She gave it to me, and on that afternoon I made an analysis of a portion of the contents of the water m company with Dr Drew. Wo found mit very derided indications of antimony. On completing the analysis, I sealed the bottle and then handed it over to Sir Brohatn. On the 16th of August Mrs Hall felt very much improved ; she had had one nttack of vomiting the previous night. There had been no return of that symptom. On that day (the lGlh) she took a considerable quantity of liquid nourishment by the stomach. On tho following night she retched once or twice. Since then tho retching has not returned. On the 17th sho took still more nourishing food, considerably more than she took on the 16th. Ever since then she has undergone steady and decided improvement. She is now completely out of danger, though weak. The temperature all the time was about normal except when she had inflammation of the breast, when it was higher. She suffered 12 or 15 days from tho bad breast. Her tonguo was furred and coated, generally speaking, and for some days after the inflammation had reasod. Since then it haa been oomparatirely clean, though unduly red round tho edges. On one or two occasions during the last week of her illness she complained of tho back of her tongue feeling sore. On the 16th her tongue seemed too large for her mouth as if murh swollen, and her voice was very weak. On 15th I could hardly hear her — her voice was fo remarkably feeble. Sho complained of thirst throughout the whole course of her illness, and there was much prostration, more especially during tho latter part of her illness. From time to time after confinement she improved, and at times was so much better that sbe was ablo to get out of bed, and would sometimes g" into another room. On ore occasion she wont for a drive, feeling much better on her return m the evening, hut on the following day vomiting began again. I could not account for the symptoms ; wa9 exceedingly puzzled over them/ I 1-oked for some organic disease ; disease of the internal organs, to account for them, or displacement of the womb, or any affection of the womb, which might account for the symptoms. I failed to satisfy myself as to tho presence of any disease or diseases existing which would account for the symptoms. None of the medicines I prescribed for her contained either antimony or colchieu'm. The symptoms described by Mrs Hall are what is caused from poisoning with antimony. Areenio would also causo such symptoms. I only I know of such, diseases as chronic gastro enteritis, or cancerous affections of tho stomach, affecting the bowels. I could not find any disease. The drainage of the houso was good. I know Dr Ogston. I took him to Hall's house, nnd showed him the room m which Mrs Hall lay ill. I gave the iced water to Mr Broham. I received it from the nurse, Mrs Ellison. Ido not know this bottle. I shall have to look at my notes ; they wore mnda at tho time from a list made out by Mr Broham. I see from the lißt that this bottle contains vomit of the 12th. The bottle was left at Watkins' chemist shop for me. This other bottle contains urine passed on the 12th. This is part of the Btuff I examined with Dr Drew. I sent the things by Exprega train to Professor Black, sealed with was with my seal, on the 14th. There were two bottles — urine m the one, vomit m the other. The seal I marked them with is my finzer-ring. Since the 14th I have examined vomit, urine and motions of Mrs Hall. Thero wero indications of antimony working its way out of tile system. The indications were strongly marked, but not so much m the. latter two or three days. I last examined tho nrine of Friday the 20th. I have examined them at my house j Professor Black has examined them there and they have then been locked up. I got some jelly m a glass from Mrs Kllison, and handed it over to Professors Black and Qgsfon. I have handed all the thjngs to the professors, except eotno small bottles, the result of the analysis of Sunday, the 15th. The things I handed over were partly secured by me from the nurse j others were given to mo by Mr Broham. To Mr Joynt : I cannot fix tho date that it first occurred to me that Mr 3 Hall's stite was showing symptoms of an irritant poison ; it was four or five days before the 12th. The suggestion was mine. It arose m conversation witu Dr Brow this war—

Mv Joynt : We don't want tho conversation. Witness : I did not then innko up my mind :is to tho particular poison j I was not quito sure. I thought on the 13th that it was autimonial poisoning Mra Hnll was suffering from — that was aftor Dr Drew and J made tho analysis. I had novel- before m my experience met with a ciso of anfimonial poisoning. I had had Borne experience of poisoning by an irritant — hydrochloric acid— two or threo years ago m Timaru. It was a caso of acuto poisoning ending m death. The symptoms of hydrochloric acid do not resemble antimony except m b-ing an irritant. In making the analysis of the 13th we used Rainc'^e's test. Wo boiled the urino with hydrochloric acid and copper ; about l-6th part acid with a piece of copper m it. We boiled it until we got a decided violet-coloured metallic deposit on the copper. This was the result wo wanted, and completed tho annlj'-is. If there had been no acid thero would havo been no deposit at all. In arsenical poisoning by this test you get a greyish white deposit. Tlie analysis of Sunday 15th was not madn m tho samo wuy. I tested the ice wator with litmus paper ; the reaction waa slightly acid. Dr Dew and I evaporated a portion of iced water on glass to dryness, and examined it under a microscope. We found it to consist of crystals of tartar emetic. We then added nitric acid to a portion of the iced water, and a whito precipitate was left, soluble m tartarie acid, and m excess of nitric acid ; ferro cyanide of potassium showed noprccipitate. Snlphuretted hydrogen gas gave an orango precipitate, which on being dried was insoluble m ammonia, and soluble when heated with hydrochloric acid. Roiling with this acid and copper gave a deep violet deposit on tho copper. These analyses were tho only ones I made of tho iced water. We next analysed tho excreta. I oxamined them by Rninche's method. On the 15lh I o ly analysed the ioed w.iter, and what I have just stated, relates solely to it. Dr Drew assisted me on tho 13th and 15th, and m some ■ asc3 afterwards ; not m all the cases. The witness' depositions were then read over and signed, and tho court, it being 4.25 p.m., decided to adjourn till 10.30 this morning.