ATTEMPTING TO POISON A WIFE.

Evening Star, Issue 3808, 8 May 1875, Page 3

ATTEMPTING TO POISON A WIFE.

The case of Regina v. Thomas Davis, afarmer residing at Waimate, who is charged with to poison his wife, has, as our telegranb's stated ‘thd othtr day, resulted in the accused’s committal for trial. The principal witness‘at the magisterial inquiry was the accused’s wife, whose, evidence we append. The medical evidence showed that poison had been administered, but the report fs silent as to the nature of it:—-

Caroline Davis : I am wife of the prisoner, were married on the 25th March, and have been living together sii.ee. at Waimatc. Nine days after I was married I came out in spots and he told me I had better go to the doctor! I went to Doctor Wareing with tnv husband • this was about a fortnight after I was married The doctor took me into a private room, and afterwards gave mea bottle of medicine. I then returned home with my husband. I took the medicine which prisoner gave me, and Dr Wareing came and saw me and gave me two other bottles of medicine. I did not take all the medicine, but my husband took about three doses. The reason I did not finish the medicine was because the doctor said I was well. About & month* after our marriage my husband mad* me some horehound. He gave me out of two bottles, one a white mixture, and the other a brown stuff, in a cup. About one hour after I took the stuff I bad great pains in the stomach, and swelled very much, and had diarrhoea. I also felt a numbness all ov*t me. For days after prisoner gave me another of the stuff out of the same bottles while in p6d, and he shook the large bottle. He told my sister afterwards that he had given me the horehound. I had the same pains after the second dose, andjswelltd also, jin about four days I got better. About four days af ;er my husband gave me another dose. .. He said it )Sww(. Ifc yas a white liqqid. I PS"** ' ,r l ?*® wa ? a sediment at the bottom; I thought it was salts whenldrank rt'nifl Vw™ V Bame effect upqn me, but more ¥»’ ni U for |our or flye days. My husband gave me some other medicine. I Wd to take T W af r T 9“ the 26th of last month I was at my sisters during the dav I Cam© home about half-gast four in theater poon, aad»7 bog* about five

0 clock. The tea was all ready and I was cooking the meat. When he came in he went to a, hox which he kept locked, and took something out of the corn’ rof it._ He then came and sat down at the table, at his usual place. I put one cup of tea at my corner and one for him. I then turned round and stooped down, I got up quickly, and saw my husband take my cup. I saw him with something in his hand which looked like a bottle. I saw something liquid fall from what he had in his hand into the cup he had before him, and he then passed tt over to my comer. 1 said, playfully, ‘‘Give me my cup.” He said, “Drink, that is all right.” I then went out to get some woed for the fire, I came in with the wood, and put it on the fire, and then drank the cup of tea right off, as it was cold enough. I then saw a sediment at the bottom of cup, which looked like so"rmilk. It was of a brown color. The tea tasted sour and burnt my throp.t. I said, “ How sour the tea is,” and my husband said “ How fidgety vou are, nothing pleases you.” In the evening I and my husband went down to the town and paid Dr 'A arcing his bill. I felt giddy at Wareing’s shop. After we left I began to swell, and had pains in my stomach. I told my husband how ill I felt. I went home and went to bed, and my husband followed. After going t<> bed the pains got wo;se, my stomach swelled, and 1 felt sick, but could not be so. The burning in my throat continued. My husband got out of bed and gave_ me a drink out of a cup ; it was of a whitish color, which I drank. After I took it I was in worse pain. My husband then dressed himself, and I asked him to go to my sister He said we were always bothering my sister. I said then go for the doctor. He said, “ No, I will go for your sister.” He then made up the fire. I said, “ Will you go for my sister ?” He got up and binged the door. I know nothing futtber after this. I woke about daylight the next morning and spoke to my sister. My husband came in and asked me if I felt any better. I got better after this, and got up about ten in the morning. My sister gave me a cup of tea without sugar, and it made me sick, and it went over a part of the linen which I had on. I was nob sick after that. About ten o’clock I and my sister went down to Dr Wareing with the vomit; be net being in I brought it back and put it into a bottle, and about one o’clock went again to Dr Wareing’s. and gave him the bottle,.