A FATAL MISTAKE.

Wairarapa Age, 23 March 1929, Page 5

A FATAL MISTAKE.

INQUEST ON THE LATE C. H. OLSON. POISON TAKEN IN MISTAKE FOR WATER. (“The Age” Special.) The adjourned inquest into the death ! of the late Claude Hector Olson, who ; was found dead in the science room at the Carterton District High School on the morning of Saturday, March 9, was concluded at Carterton yesterday, before Mr. J. Miller, S.M. The relatives of deceased were represented by Mr. S. V. Gooding. John Steffert, postal clerk, stated that he saw Mr. Olson at the school gate in High Street at about 6.30 p.m. on Friday, March 8. They spoke casually and Mr. Olson said that he was going into the school to do a little job. He appeared to be in his normal state of health.

Dr. Young, recalled, stated that the certificate of analysis was in keeping with the poison found and the mode of death. With the poison diluted the deceased could have written the note produced, as follows: “Something in the jar is poisonous apparently. Tried to fix experiment for next week, but had a drink. Thought ’twas water. Glass must have been ” The last word is ended abruptly with a line down the remainder of the page. Dr. Young, continuing his evidence, said it was possible for the poison to have been swallowed quickly for water and to have been so diluted as to be fatal without the odour being strong enough to be apparent. To Mr. Gooding: Death might have occurred hours before the four or five hours previously mentioned. To the Coroner: It was possible for the deceased to have been considering the experiment. Miss A. M. Brown, school teacher at Carterton District High School, stated that she was at the school till 9.10 p.m. on Friday, March 8, and between 6.30 and 7 p.m. heard footsteps on the path outside the dental clinic. She did not know who it was. From 6 to 9 p.m. she heard no noise in the science room, and she saw no lights up to the time she left the school. Deceased was science master, and she Was not aware that he went back to the school at night. Witness only went back on Friday nights. Mrs. E. A. Swain stated that while cleaning out the school on Saturday morning, March 9, on entering the science room, she found deceased between the counter and two tables, the body partly on its side with the face downwards. The electric light was turned off at the meter and no gas taps were on.

Berenice E. Olson, wife of the deceased, said she last saw her husband at 1 p.m. on Friday, March 8. He was in his usual good spirts and left for the swimming sports. He had no worries that witness knew of and frequently went back to the school at night to work.

To Mr. Gooding: Her husband was not of such a disposition as to worry. Their married life was perfectly happy and she kissed him good-bye at the gate as he left. He had been keen on chemistry and was coaching pupils. Constable O’Connell said that he saw and spoke to deceased at about 5.55 p.m. on the evening of March 8. E. H. Hawker, father-in-law of deceased, recalled, said that deceased had no occasion to worry over financial matters. Soon after his marriage he was told by witness if he at any time wanted help, within reason, to come to him, and he had also been told so again a few months ago. Wm. Tucker, newsagent, Carterton, stated that he last saw deceased between 6 and 6.30 on the evening of March 8. Deceased called at witness’s place of business to deliver the results of the school swimming sports for publication next morning. Mr. Olson appeared in his usual health, quite eheerful, and discussed with witness .for a few minutes matters relating to the sports which he had controlled during the afternoon.

Miss H. M. Coulter, teacher at the Carterton School, stated that on Thursday, March 7, she asked deceased to prepare a “killing bottle” for her. He made a start with it, but after he had put some crystals of poison in a jar the bottom fell out, and he picked the crystals up and placed them in another vessel. The “killing bottle” was not completed. A verdict was returned that deceased died from poison, self-administered, in mistake for water. The Coroner, when giving his verdict, said that the writing in the note indicated clearly the fading strength of deceased as he wrote it.