DRUG ADDICT'S DEATH

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18418, 26 June 1925, Page 11

DRUG ADDICT'S DEATH

CHARGE OF MANSLAUGHTER. (CHESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM-]. AUCKLAND, June '23. As a sequel to the death of Thomas Biltcliffc on April'Bth, in the AVnitcmata. Hotel, hid companion, Edward Barker, aged -1, appeared in the Magistrate's Court on'a charge of manslaughter. The medical evidence showed that ! death .'was caused by an overdose of a narcotic drug accelerated by heart I disease. . i ]n his statement, Barker said lie was a seaman by occupation and resided with his father at Rawenc road, Birkenhead, but had been .out of cmplovmcnt ior six weeks prior to' April tith". For tho past four years ho had been tailing drugs, which he obtained from different chemists by means of a prescription which he had. Bariier said ho was sent to Roto Boa Island, m 1922 for 12 months for taking'drugs, but- escaped from there ,and was later sent bacK to complete the term. Since his release ho had still taken drugs. On April Bth about 2 p.m., accused said ho met a man named Clarke, in Queen street, and asked him if lie had seen Biltcliffc since he had been locked up for drunkenness. Clarke asked Barker to go up to room 9 at the Waitemata Hotel and see if Biltcliffe was in. Accused went up and found Biltcliffe Iving on his bed. Biltclift'e asked accused if ho was still taking drugs, as ho looked thin. Accused repied that he had. Biltcliffc asked to hn,ce a look at some drugs, and asked if accused had m. svringe. BiitVliffe thou asked if Barker would give him a dose. Barker then drew a syringe irom his pocket .and said the. drug was the same as thev had taken before. Accused then 'filled one of tho syringes with about oue-eighth of a grain of the drusr, which he passed to Biltcliffc, who injected the contents into his arm. The drug was obtained from a chemist's shop by means of a prescription. Tho prescription was given accused in Newcastle in January last. Accused said it was about 2.30 p.m. when he gave deceased the drug. He immediately asked for another dose. He handed the bottle and syringe, to deceased, tellinc: him to take from four to live minim's, equal to one-eighth of a grain. Biltcliffe put some into the syringe and injected some into his arm. ° Accused then took some himself. Clarko then came into the room, locked the door and spoke to Biltcliffe. who afterwards wont off to sleep. He. appeared 10 be breathing very heavily and accused thought lie was snoring. Clarke tupn ""dressed him and put him into bed. After Clarke left, accused remained with Biltclift' e for a while, but left at 3.30, leaving a note saving ho would return at 0.30 p.m. O.'i returning Biltcliffe was still asleep, so accused sat down ,aud_ read a'paper. Later accused said he tried to wake Biltcliffe up, but he appeared to be getting cold. Accused thought he was dead and went straight up to the police station. Before-doing so, accused added that he placed one- of his swinges in Albert Park. Had he known that Biltcliffc was ill or likely t.o die, he would have sent for a doctor. He had taken drugs with deceased on several occasions, but he did not tell accused bow long it was since he last took drugs. "When ho first saw Biltcliffe on April Stlt, he-seemed to lx> half stupid with the effects of drink. Accused was quite sure he did not inject anything into Biltcliffc's arm. Air j!-W. Poynton, acting as Coroner, returned a verdict of death from an overdose of a narcotic taken to induce sleep. - On the charge. of manslaughter

he' committed accused Tor ' trial. 116 commented on the fact that accused, a boy of 2.1, and a drug addict, could go .into chemists' shops in Auckland and produce .1 prescription issued some months before/ thousands '■' of miles away, and purchase drugs sufficient to kill four men. The prescription bore the'stamps of several.. Auckland chemists. The matter should be reported to the Commissioner of Police. •■ '