ATTEMPTING TO POISON A WIFE.

Evening Star, Issue 3809, 10 May 1875, Page 3

ATTEMPTING TO POISON A WIFE.

The case of Regina v. Thomas Davis, a farmer residing at Waimate, who is charged with attempting to poison his wife, has, as our telegrams stated the other 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 is silent as to the nature of it -

Caroline Davis: I am wife of the prisoner. We were married on the 25th March, and have been living together since, at Waimate. 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 mv husband; this was about a fortnight after I was married. The doctor took me into a private room, and afterwards gave me a bottle of -medicine. 1 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 l dM not finish the medicine was because the doctor said I was well. About a month after our marriage my husband made me some horehound. j 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 1 had great pains in the stomach, and swelled very much, and had diarrhoea, I also felt a numbness au over md. For days after prisoner gave mo another dose l , 0 out of Idle same bottles while in bed, and he shook the large bottle. He told my sister afterwards that he had given me the horehound. I had lie same pains after the second dose, and|sweilled also, [ln about four days I got better. About four days after my husband gave me another dose. He said it would do me good. ’ It was a white liquid. I drank it off, and fchore was a sediment at the bottom. I thought it was salts when I drank it. It had the same effect upon me, but more ra P J d pains. IJwas again ill for four or five days, and had slight pains. My husband gave me some other medicine. I used to take twenty drops. On the 26th of last month I was at my sister's during the day. I came home about half-past four in the afternoon, and my husbamd came home about five 0 clock. The tea was all ready and I was cooking the meat. When he came in he went to a box which he kept locked, and took something out of the corner of it* He then came and sat down at the table, at Ms usual place. I put one cup of tea at my corn ei; 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 botthe. I saw something liquid fall from v.rhat he had in his band into tjie cup* he had before him, and he theh passed it over to my comer, 1 said, playfully, “‘Give me my oup,” He said, “Drink, [that is all right.” I then went out _ to get soma woed for the fire. I came in with the wood, and put it on the fire, and then drank the cu.p of tea right off, as it was cold enough. I th» m saw a sediment at the bottom of the cup, whi oh looked like sour milk. was of a brown color V The tea tasted sour and burnt my throat. I said, “ Hew sour the tea is,” and my husbai id said “ How fidgety, you are, nothing pleases: yon.” In the evening I and my husband went- down to the town and paid Dr Wareing hist bill. I felt giddy at Wareing’s shop. After we left I began to swell, and had 1 pains in my sto mach, I told my 'Uuslmnd how ill I ft It. 1 went home and werit to '.bed, and my husband followed. After going to- bed the pains got wofse, my stomach svyelU'd, and 1 felt sick, but could not be so. The Uuming in my thro it continued. My husband got out of bed and gave, me a drink out of a cup ; it was of a whitish eolor, which I dravnk. After I took it I was in worse pain. My 1 'lusboudthen dressed

himself, and I asked him to to my .sister. 1 He said we were always “7 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 He got up and banged the door. I know nothing further 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 and gpt 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 port of the linen which I had on. I was not sick after that. . About ten o’clock I and my sister went down to Dr Wareing with the vomit; he not being in I brought it back and put it into a bottle, and about one o’clock went again to Ek Wareingn, and gave him the bottle.