NOTES AND INCIDENTS OF THE CASE.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 3756, 15 October 1886, Page 3

NOTES AND INCIDENTS OF THE CASE.

(Written specially for the Timabu Herald.) Most of the reporters appeared m tho court room this morning with flowers m their button holen, m commemoration of tne change m tho weather, which is fine, dry and warm. The Attorney-General eported a white Test beneath his black gown, no doubt from the same cause. Tho gallery was packed as usual with a somewhat mixed and incongruous crowd. Middle-aged females m soiled habiliments and rei-y much bedrasglod plumes predominated, but there wns also a fair sprinkling of tho masculine sex, who, m genoral, looked as if they had seloeted the court-room ns a pliire of shelter from the inclemency of the cold world. The prisoners settled themselves 89 usual m the dock, Miss Houston, I imagined, looking slightly paler than yesterday, and Inspector Brohum was put m tho witness box. Crown Solicitor Martin conducted tho direct examination, -which dealt with tho arrost of tho prisoners and his search of tho house immediately after that oyent. This witness, as might well be expected, was thoroughly at home, and his erecf, soldierly figure, and blonde intelligent good humoured face, formed a plpaea-it picture. The examination was conducted by Mr Martin m tho quietest possible manner, and tho only interruption to the tranquil flow of low toned questions and answers was Mr Joynt's occasional meditative "ha." In testifying m regard to the phial of iced water saved from that administered to Mrs Hall by the male prisoner, His Honor suggested as the worthy inspector's description of the phial did not suit Mr Jojnt, that it should bo put m ovidence as a white liquid. At this Sir Robert obierved soito voce, with a tmile, "it was not white," which brought one of Mr Joynt's characteristic observations. "Call it translucent," he said, and a gentle ripple of amuso« ment. passed around the table. Shortly after this, when tho stillness was most intense, one of the individuals m tho gallery apparently decided to .ro on the wallaby again, and although he occupied a prominent and conspicuous Beat m the front row, and was hemmed m by surrounding spectatora, he started to fulfil his purpose on the instant. Unfortunately for tho prompt execution of his plan, his hobnailed water- tights noisily collided with tho railing. The official m charge thundered out " Sit down," and the judge paused m an observation he was about to make, and there was a general hush of expectation, during which the unfortunate man. intent upon achieving his escape, floundered wildly about the gallery. He finally got out, but us Inspector Peurier was *een to whisper to one of his trusty divison, ' who thjrf upon mads a h»»ty exit, it is pro-

blematicnl how far the misguided disturber of tho sanctity of Iho court «ot upon his onward way. At 11.15 Mr Mnvtin handed over the witness to the defence for crnss-exaTninutiiin, and B.it down. As usual, win nMr Joyntput hia hand to the wheel the areno changed. Inspector Brohnm, however, had remarkable conlm! of himself, mid though pressed very closely on eoverul occasions, by tho worthy councillor, hU fnco only beamed the moro genially though his tones wero much moro decisivo and emphatic. Mr .loynt was at considerable pains to elicit and cmphasizo the fact that tho reason why Mr Broham selected some of tho bottles taken m his search of the Halls' house after the arrest for the purpose of having their contents analysed instead of sending them all, was because of Doctor Maolntyro's directions to that effect. In tho discussion ou the struggle of tho Inspector with null to keep him from putting his hands m his pockets, Mr Joynt tuok occasion to give a general disquitiion ou the i habit, but ho could not make Mr Broham acknowledge more than that somo people may habitually keep their hands there, but that ho did not do so himself. Considerable prominence all along throughout tho cuse has been given by the counsel for the defence to the fact that Hall was a victim to the habit j of taking morphia by hypodermic inj. ctions. It is very probable that this will figure very largely m the scheme of the defence. At 10 minutes past twelve Mr Joynt concluded aiid l\fr Hay took up tho running m favour of Miss Houston. In his benignway he closely interrogated tho witness as to tho facts of the ftrugelo m which ho had interfered, and sought to put a favorable construction upon her exclamation iv regard to tho antimony found by the officers. This concluded the examination of this witness, and lie stepped down and out at a quarter to one. Detectiro Kirby was immediately put upon tho stand, and Mr White arose to examine him. Before he had proceeded far, however, the noon recess wa9 declared, and the Court adjourned until a qnurter off two. Kirby's testimony served to strengthen and corroborate that of Mr Broham. In the cross-examination by Mr .Toynt tho scene became most amusing. The detective appears tj be an imperturbable and saturnine man of a phlegmatic habit of mind. He evidently hadn't got tho slightest conception of humour or fun, and tho waggish counsel made free use of this defect, m his organisation for the benefit of the spectators. The skirmishing between the light infantry of the learned counsellor and tho heavy artillery of Kirby was so far the most amusing episode rf this droaFr trial, and was heartily enjoyed by all present, except perhaps the prisoners. Mr Joynt's puzzling categorical inquiry as to the materials wbMi composed the heap of refuse found m the garret at Woodlands was iuiniitablo and showed him ot his best. The dry humour with which he inquired whether the detective had found "gimp", there among other things, and the worthy official's stolid expression of amazement at tho que-tion, brought the house down. Mr Hay took tho witness and elicited nothing new so far as could be seen ; and Thomas Hicks, the keeper of the watch-house at Timaru, -was called. He is an unkempt-looking youth, who testified clearly enough to the conversation | which took placo between the prisoners ab the watch-house on the day of arrest m which Hall assured Mis 3 Houston that she was m no danger, but be was "i" it." Follgwing Hicks camo David Strickland, one of the constables who accompanied Mr Broham and the detective when the arrest was made. no is a toll blnok-bearded minion of tho law with a limited but select vocabulary, which he aired with greater confidence than wa3 perhaps warranted by tho excellence of the article When ho said m the cross-examination by Mr Joynt that ho " slewed around " tho counsel asked him what he meant, and ho explained that a slew was n sort of a " half hitch." This satisfied Mr Joyi-t, and seemed to elate the constable with the conviction that ho had distinguished himself by his definition, for from that time forward ho insisted on " slewing " on every possible occasion, tho subdued merriment of the spectators finally breaking into an open roar which was fat once repressed however. From this timo on tho paco became as rapid as before it had been drearily flow. ! Egan and Casey, Timaru Constables, were put m the hopper, and run through the legal mill with the greatest celerity, their evidence bolstering thai; given before by Mr Brohnm and Kirby about tho arrest nnd folio ;ving the trail of the impounded articles containing antimony, until they reached the anolylieal chemist at Dunedin. Dnloy, tho old soldier, contributed to tho good humour which was now general by his broad assontand pompous eo-'sriousness of his official status. During Hgnn'9 examination tho male prisoner, who had had no chair m his corner of tho dock since tho trial commenced, became wearied and wrote, a noto to his counsel, asking him to apply for a sent for him, which Mr Joynt immediately did. "Certainly," said the Judge, " it was an oversight his not having had ono before. I had not intended to keep him standing." The chair was procured and Hall thankfully sank down m it. After the constables were disposed of, a new branch of the evidence was entered into, and Professor Black, the distinguished analytical chemist of tho Universities of Glasgow and Aberdeen, was put into tho witness box, and Sir Robert Stout once more took the direct examination into his own hands. Of course the purport of the evidence was uninteresting to the general public, the burden of it being mainiy scientific. Tho presence of j antimony m tho analysed romit, excreta, etc., was incontestably proved. The evidence of the man of science was delivered m a masterly way, and when he vras through with a subject there was very little picking left on the bones. At 5 p.m. tho court was adjourned until ten to morrow morning, and a general rush was made for the door. On the outside, as has been usual since tho first day of the trial, a great cro*d gathered about the door through which the prisoners emerge, awaiting an opportunity to get a sight of them. Aftor a bit a closed four-wheeler drove up, scattering tho mob right and left, and stopped m front of tho exit. In a moment Alias JEXouston camo dashing through, and leaping! into tho vehicle] completely, enveloped her head m her shawl before the crowd, which had surged up, until it almost overwhelmed the cab, could catch a glimpse of her face. The matron who has her m charge quickly followed, and they drove off amidst the murmurs of the disappointed sensation seekers, who, however, soon conconsoled themselves by gazing open-eyed at Hall, who resorted to no such subterfuge to escape popular observation.