A POISONING CASE IN VICTORIA.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume I, Issue 8, 21 June 1873, Page 12

A POISONING CASE IN VICTORIA.

The • Hamilton Spectator' reports the termination of the adjourned inquest on the body of the girl Clara J. Davis. The 'Spectator' says that the simple story of this child, whose life was suddenly cut short, as told by her sister, a baby of still tenderer age, is quite affecting. The two had been left alone in the house, whilst their mother went out to give music lessons, and the elder child, now deceased, happened accidentally to break a lamp- glass she was engaged in cleaning. "Whatever shall I do? I shall catch it," exclaimed the frightened child ; who thereupon went into the front room and told her younger smter not to cooie in. What she did there is not satisfactorily proved, but the younger child seems to have had an idea on the subject, for before her sister entered she noticed three packets of mice powder (or vermin killer) behind the clock in the front room, ,and found that two pßckets were gone when deceased came out of that room. She taxed Clara with taking the powder, and the latter denied doing so ,• although a few minutes after that denial, tetanic convulsions set in, and the deceased girl, after lingering about six hours in frigHtiul agony, expired. The child had not been subject to violent illusage, for not a scratch was found upon her body. The iury returned an open verdict, to the effect that death arose from strychnine, but Jiow or by whom administered there was no evidence to show ; attaching a rider, setting forth thnt, in their opinion, from the small quantity ot strychnine taken, the dose would not have been fatal had the body of the deceased been better nourished. The deceased was a child of quick susceptibilities, and a woman in experience.