POISONED CHOCOLATES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 196, 22 August 1935, Page 8

POISONED CHOCOLATES

THE HAWKE’S BAY CASE ALLEGATIONS OF THREATS. I Per Press Association. ) NAPIER, Aug. 21. The trial of Phyllis Leslie Tui Marshall, aged .18, on charges connected with the Hastings poisoned chocolate case, was continued to-day in the Supreme Court before Air. Justice Reed. The accused was charged with tho attempted murder of Alma Lorraine Keith on May 22 last; alternatively, that with intent to injure Miss Keith she attempted to cause her tu take poison. Resuming her evidence, Phyllis Leslie Tui Marshall recalled a visit she paid to the storeroom on her father’s property when she found Masters holding a bottle of arsenic. She was in fear of Masters at the time, having been threatened by him regarding telling anyone the truth of the matter. Witness admitted making a false statement to the police, but said she had made a further statement while in gaol on Friday last. ' Cross-examined by the Crown Prose- , A Marshall said Masters told her repeatedly he wanted to poison Alma Keith. Accused denied she was jealous of Keith, and said she never asked Masters what his relations with Keith were. Masters had said he could not break it off with Keith because of the wishes of his father, on whom he was dependent. He therefore considered the best way of disposing of her was “poison her off.” Accused said she made a false statement to the police because •she did not want them to get Masters. Edith Lilian Alarshall, mother of accused, said she had not approved of the friendship between Masters and. her daughter, and had tried unsuccessfully to discourage it. Witness said Masters had known the presence of arsenic in the storeroom. David Alarshall, father of accused, recalled a visit which Masters paid to his house. Witness answered the door, blasters, ou seeing him, started back a few feet. Witness saw an object swinging in his nand. He asked blasters what ne wanted, and received no answer for a minute, then blasters asked to see another station employee, who was at the house. He later found a heavy iron gate hinge lying on the grass near the house. A farm contractor employed at Marshall’s, said when he was talking to blasters at the time of the Price murder, Masters said that if Mr. Marshall didn’t watch himself be might find himself at the Supreme Court next session. Another farm contractor named Newland recalled Mrstcrs coming to Marshall’s house on June 28 and asking for him. Newland denied that Masters mentioned poison in choco lates. Mr. Lusk searchingly cross examined him as to whether the Marshalls had discussed Phyllis Marshall’s story with him about. Masters putting the poison in the chocolates, but Newland remained firm that they had not done so. Margaret Buchanan, a neighbouring farmer, testified as to accused's good character, saying that she had never known accused to do a mean or spiteful thing. Masters Recalled. Masters was recalled at the completion of the evidence of the defence. Ho denied that accused and he had imitated each other’s hand-writing, and also denied the allegation that he had been seen in Marshall's storeroom with a bottle of arsenic in his hand. Addresing the jury, Mr. Harker submitted the two stories for consideration. One that accused knowingly sent poisoned chocolates to Miss Keith, and the other that she sent them unwittingly. Mr. Harker traversed the evidence at length, saying that if Airs. Marshall’s and Bryan Marshall’s evidence were true, why had Masters made false statements regarding his presence in the storeroom v here arsenic was kept? Being infatuated with Alasters, it was not unlikely accused would want to save him from getting into trouble. That state of mind of accused had disappeared only after she had been some time in prison and had realised her duty to her mother and father. Mr. Harker submitted that the way in which accused’s story dovetailed in with that of the other witnesses, indicated its truth. He subinited that Alasters had implicate 1 accused to shield himself The hearing was adjourned.

A BLENHEIM CASE REMARKABLE DOCUMENT. ( Per Press Association > BLENHEIM, Aug. 21. The poisoned chocolate mystery had a remarkable denouement at the Magistrate’s Court this morning, when Airs. Alma Evelyn Rose, a married woman residing at Springlands, confessed to having dosed the sweets with strychine, and posted them to herself. She could offer no explanation for her act which Mr. Alaunsell, S.M., described as “a morbid yearning for sensationalism.” The formal charge was contravention of the postal regulations which require that poisons that have to be sent through the post must be packed in special covers. The police stated they had been put to considerable expense iu investigating the matter. Accused was placed on good behaviour for 12 months.