Inquest on Captain Gain's Body

Feilding Star, Volume VIII, Issue 63, 6 November 1886, Page 2

Inquest on Captain Gain's Body

(PEB UNITED PKEBS ASSOCIATION.) Timabf. iN'orember 4. The inquest on Captain Cain's body opened to-day at 11 o'clock. The jury proceeded to the cemetery to view the body, and on returning the cor- • oner said that he would allow Mr ' Young to appear for Hall ; Mr White said he appeared for the police. T. '" Hall was then brought into court in '.' charge of a warder. The following* evidence was taken :— . " Patrick Maciutyre, a duly"qualifie.dy medical practioaer, said: I saw the body in the cemetery this morning.; The body .was exhumed from the plot • in which I saw Captain Cdiri bUnedir I prescribed frequently forhiih v np ; to {> the time of his death. None of my , prescriptions contained antimony, or any preparation of antimony. : Bridget Wren said : I was formerly domestic servant to Captain Caia. He I started retching about four montfra i before he died. He had not-beent very ill before that. Thomas Hall, used to come there at that time in themorning and sometimes at luncheon, i He also used to call on his way coining^*from town in the evening. : Hall " sometimes sat up with Captafli Gain at nights during December. Ihnve been present several times when the captain vomited. -Sometimes when! ke> took no food at all he vomited. «i ! 5 Denis Wren said : I was in Captain Cain's service up to the time of hi» death. Hall began to pay visits to the house some three months before, thu captain's death. About four "pr ; ! fiVe weeks before the captain diedt Hall sat up with him two nights, so far as I can remember. The captain vomited frequently during the last five or six weeks of his final illness: Hall told me "that the captain could not possibly get over his last illness^ This was about three weeks before n& death. . .- ... . Margaret Graham Houston said* X- ■ am at present residing in ChrUtchorch^, I went to reside at Woodlands ;on> the* Ist of December of lastyear.vl wejs there as companion to MrsNewtoiy who had been ill, and also to teach, the little boy. Captain Cain was not ill when I went there, but when h» was ill a little before Christinas I: wa» asked to nurse him, and I did so/£ Qr: a few days, but he soon gofevtoo^ and had to have somebody with him always. Denis Wren then- used : .j&> nurse him in the day time; and- Gsorgs Hay at night. Captain Cain's body was very much swollen. He used to talk to me often, but he did not describe the symptoms. I never saw him vomit but once. I recollect Halt sitting up with Captain Cain two Tsr three half nights consecutively before. George Kay came. Hall used toeoine nearly, every day with Mrs Bail to the houpe while the captain was ill. - 1 remember seeing Hall call frequently in his. cart on his way to his office in the morning. I believe he used to go into the captain's sick room, but I never saw him go iv myself. Richard Bowen Hogg. said: I am a duly qualified nietlical praetioner, residing at Timaru. At the time of the post mortem examination I aud Professor Ogston put these things in new bottles, whiuh wore eordod and sealed, and tukuu one day to Duneilin. i accompanied l)r Ogsttw to Dunedin for the purpose of assisting in the analysis of the cimteutsof the bottles.. The seals were bn»k»n in my prosencf, aud iv the laboratory of -the University, on the night of my arrival. The analysis was cumineuced that night by Professors Biauk and Ogstou, and I assisted. The tests Hhmvetl a couipleto proof of the presence of antimony. Miles J. Knuboy, said: — I acted as solicitor to Captain Cain for some time previous to his death. I have heard Captaiu Cain complain of Hall's, treatment of him in connection -with, the Cain trust account. Hall's. wife would benefit to some extent by the death of Captain Cain by money left to her by the latter by his. will. On the death of Captain Cain Mrs Hall and Mrs Newton would benefit to the extent of £375 per annum. . , v - > Arthur Ormaby, solicitor, said:-— I knew Mrs Kate Emily Hall, wife of Thomas Hall. I drew her will, which, was executed on the 29th July, 1885, leaving everything to Thomas Hall. The inquest was adjourned till Thursday, November 18th.