SEARCHING INQUIRY.

Wairarapa Age, 5 August 1930, Page 5

SEARCHING INQUIRY.

DEATH OF WOMAN FROM POISON. COMMENT BY THE CORONER. GISBORNE, August 4. An unusually long and searching inquiry was held to-day by Mr. Harper, S.M., concerning the death of Mrs. Christina Sutherland McMahon, 3-1, who died on July 24 from the effects of poison. Medical evidence was given to the effect that the deceased told a doctor and also the house surgeon of Cook Hospital that she filled some raisins with poison to kill rats and had taken the raisins by mistake. The principal witness was a married man named Robert Milton Bell, who visited the deceased shortly before she was found to be suffering from poison. Bell, in evidence, said he went to deceased’s home in response 'to a telephone message from her. On arrival, he said, she offered a ring as security for a loan of £25 he had made to her two months previously. He said he refused to accept the ring -and then left, saying that he did not want either the money or the ring. When he got home he found the ring in his overcoat pocket. He had previously lent the deceased sums up to £25 to assist her in business as a dressmaker, and she had assisted to keep his books. He had known the deceased for three years and formerly boarded with thedeceased and her husband. Witness was subjected to a searching crossexamination by the police and the Coroner.

In giving his verdict, the Coroner said it was quite- evident that death was the result of strychnine poisoning. The question was whether it was taken intentionally or accidentally. The evidence of two doctors showed that deceased had stated that the poison had been taken accidentally in raisins. The deceased also told other witnesses that she took the poison accidentally. "It is quite evident,” the Coroner said, “that the poison was taken by the deceased after Bell called on her that afternoon. She said she took the poison in raisins, but it seems- strange she should have taken it by accident. Ohly one person can throw light on the whole matter and that is the witness Bell. I am quite- sure he is not telling us all and I am not satisfied with the manner in which he gave his evidence-. He appears to be keeping something concealed. There seems no reason why she should have taken her own life and the loan to Bell is not by any means a sufficient reason. There must have been some other motive if she took the poison intentionally, and Bells appears to be the only one who can give any indication of that.” The Coroner said the evidence must be regarded as a whole and in view of the fact that deceased stated she took the poison accidentally his finding would be that she died as a result of strychnine poisoning, accidentally taken by her.—(P.A.)