THE TIMARU POISONING CASE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1333, 4 September 1886, Page 2

THE TIMARU POISONING CASE.

FRIDAY’S PROCEEDINGS

The following are extracts from the evidenc i of Mr Hall’s servant, Mary

Hassen : —Had seen Hall with bis arm round Houston's neck pulling her about in the dairy—pulling her about by the arm. Had often seen the accused together in the dairy. Had seen Hall engaged in writing. Houston was there with him. She was atandiug close beside Hall, with her arm on bis shoulder. To Mr Joyut : The dairy Is small an 1 (I ■ opposite the kitchen window I think i there is one window in the back part of it I was looking out of the kitchen window | when tho prisoners went into the dairy. It was between eight and nine In the morning. I could see into the dairy as the door was standing open Hall had his arras round and about her, and was pulling her. She was laghuiug. I did not hear tho laughter, but could see that she was laughing from tho expression on her face. I did nut laugh. This “ business ” did not last long. It was after lunch that I saw Hall writing w th Mias

Houston leaning her arm on him Hannah Ellison, the nurse who attended Mrs Hall, was next examined at urea* length. Mrs Hall had rather a hard time during her confinement, but there was nothing special or unusual about it. After her confinement there was nothing peculiar till the third or fourth day. Mrs Hall got out into the smoking-room on the eleventh day after her confinement, and went into the dining room on the Sunday following. The sickness she hrd would cease for a short while, but wou’d come on again. She was pretty well on the Sunday morning she went to the dining-room. Both the accuse l , old Mr and Mrs Hall, and Mrs Hall, wife of the male prisoner, dined together that day. Could not say how long Mrs Hall stayed out, but as near as witness could tell now, It was three o’clock when she returned to her bedroom. That evening she was very sick. The same rule with regard to bringing in the breakfast was carried out all through. Hall mostly always brought the breakfast to Mrs Hall’s room. He desired to bo allowed to do so as he always wished to see his wife before leaving. There was a recurrence of tho sickness off and on. Sometimes she was very sick, sometimes she got better, These periods varied. Sometimes she was better for a day, sometimes for two days. The sickness sometimes occurred after meals, and acrala Mrs Hall was sick when she had not taken anything at all. After the stomach got relieved of its contents by vomiting tho sickness ceased. Tha vom't, besides food consisted of a green fluid, and sometimes a yellowish fluid, with a good deal of froth on it. Her faco, before the sickness came on, looked very yellow, with a bluish tinge under the lips and her eyes. She got batter, and was able to go for a drive with Mr Hall, sent., and Mss Houston. The latter took a little brandy with her, in case Mrs Hall should feel faint by tha way. Mrs Hell seemsd pretty well, except looking rather t ; red, when she comeback from the drive. She w i a sick thatjavening and through the night. They got back from the drive before th «) o’clock. It might be a little after two. There was much retching in this sickness at all times. Hall alwa a said how sorry he was when she began retching, and when he heard it he came into the room. (Che witness next proceeded to detail the circumstances connected with some ice water) Witness had taken the jar coutainaing the ics water into the bedroom and plac'd it on a chair. Hail c raw in early that morning. Did not stay in the room while he was there, and no one was in the room except witness and Mrs Hall. When witness got back Hall had gone out. Nobody was there with Mrs Hall. Mrs Hall male a complaint tr me, and In consequence of what she add tr ted the iced water—the iced water in the cup It ta.ted bit'.er. Con’d not say if th re was less or more water In the cup when she cune back thou before she wont out. Hall came into the room afterwards. Mrs Hall asked hhn to tr.s‘o the iced water bociusa it was “so nasty.” She told him she did not know what was the matter with the water, what was in it, hut it tatted nasty. He said, “Some mistake most have been made in pouring the water out of tho jug.” During die conversation Miss Houston came into t ie roam, and avid if the water wasnas'y Mrs Hall should not drink it She then took the cup out and fe'ched it back with a clean piece of muslin on it and some fresh ice. Before the cup was taken out of the room witness took It from the dressing table as far as the washingstand md poured part of the content i into a clean cup. Witness went t) take tho lot, but Mrs Hall called her back, so that Hall might taats It. That part of the contents Wicinss poured Into the clean small cup, she took Lot j the kl'chcn, and put it into a bottle which was quite clean, C >rked It and put it Into her pocket, and afterwards gave it to Dr Mclntyre. There was nothing in the small bottle but the iced w.tsr taken from the cup, which had been standing all night. When witness was ! railed back by Mrs Hall Houston was net present The iced water witness lasted in the bedroom was bitter, and made her sick. (After this, on the Sunday, Mrs F all was very s : ok. That was after she took the iced water and bad complained that it was very bitter. After witness came back Mrs Hall was very sick. From the time Mrs Hall took her drive to the Sunday, the day the pri“oncrs were arrested, Mrs Hall never made any permanent improvement in her health ; wn a'ways vmy weak. The sickness mentioned occurred about ten minutes after witness had returned aud found Hall had gone; Gave 1 Dr Mclntyre |the bo'tlojof ice water tha same Sunday, Gave the doctor bottles coutlining the vomit and urit e on tho Monday morning At this ata ;e the Court ar jouened until next day. TO-DAY’S PROCEEDINGS.

Iq the Hall case to-day, Mrs Ellison the nurse was further examined, Hit her evidence only referred to the bottles given by her to Dr Mclntyre at his request. Mr Joynt did not cross-examine. Mr Hay cross-examined c ncerning the plao'ng of the Ice water In the bedroom but did not elecit anything new, and the evidon:e given was not shaken. Wi ness denied that Mrs Hall asked Houst ui tr taste the water because it was naety

Later. Dr Maclntyre, recalled, gave evidence hat Mrs Hall was not strong enough to attend the Court for at least ten days or a fortnight, Mr White asked for a remand, which the Court granted, till Saturday next with the unders'andir.g that a further adjournment till tlio following Monday or Tuesday would be granted. The hearing of the charges of forgery against Hal! will be taken on Wednesday and Thursday next. Five informations rre laid and more are expected.