THE CONWAY CASE.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 16 March 1901, Page 4

THE CONWAY CASE.

[ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH. —COPYRIGHT.]

r PER Press Association.]

Melbourne, March 15

The Ago states that while the Talune was here' Fletcher, the chief stcuaid stated that on the trip to Sydney, Mrs Smith had a conversation with him and related a strange story setting forth her reasons for visiting Sydney. She said that some years ago she was instrumental in saving the life of a child named Smart. To mark their gratitude, the parents of the child insured its life in her favor for £SOO. Latterly, she heard by letter that the child was dying of consumption, and that she was proceeding to Sydney to claim the money from the Insurance Company. Sydney, March 15.

The inquest was resumed. Fletcher, chief steward of the Talune, deposed that Mrs Smith joined the Talune at Lyttelton. 8.-fore leaving Wellington she eame to him and said that she was short of tl o saloon passage money to Sydney by a pound, and asked if she could have a saloon passage by giving security over her luggage. This was agreed to. She mentioned that she had a°draft for £SO, which by mistake had been forwarded to Sydney. On the night of February 19th witness saw Mrs Smith going forward about 7 15. She was carrying something covered with a napkin. It appeared to be a plate a glass on it. She said that she was taking something to a friend. Witness then described the death of Conway, From certain remarks made by a passenger, he recei/ed the Captain’s instructions to go and see the lady passenger. He went and saw Mrs Smith and asked her if she knew Conway. She replied that she knew him slightly. Witness said to her that ho had been toll Conwaj’s wife was aboard. She replied that she did not know he was married. Witness then went back, and on the Captain’s instructions saw Mrs Smith again, before Conway died. Ho asked her if she knew anything about his people. She replied that she knew his sister, who lived at Elosyln, Dunedin. Next day witness had another conversation with Mrs Smith. She said that at one time she had given Conway a garden to do up, as he had been out of work and was not well off.

At the inquest Fletcher deposed that when he told Mrs Smith that Conway was dying she said *• Poor fellow. ” The day after they reached Sydney she said she had not been able to cash the draft. Witness explained that the non-payment of the balance of the passage money caussd some annoyance. She said, Wait a minute, ’ and brought him £2. Witno is repeated the story that Smith told him in reference to coming to Sydney to leok after the insurance money of the child Smart. She showed him a medal. She said she received it for saving the child’s life.

Fanny M’Donald, stewardess of the Taluno, gave evidence that when taking an order for lunch on February lOih, Smith asked what sort of poison is strychnine. Witness told her she did not know. Smith then toli her about taking a dog to a Christchurch chemist, who gave him something that caused him to drop off in a minute or two. The same evening at 6 39 Smith gave an order for half a pint of stout. She did not wish to take it then, but she could bring it up About 830 witness saw Smith near the companion way of the main deck, and told witness she had been to the other end of the ship to see some ladies who were travelling in the steerage. She heard her tell ihc chief steward that she knew nothing about Conway, only ho helped her aboard with her boxes. She said af.erwards that she knew his brother and sister slight y, and that she believed him to be a poor man coming to Sydney to seek work. She found the stout bottle in the rack in Smith’s cabin and threw it out of the porthole when she reached Sydney. Sev ral times she provided Smith with stout. On reaching Sydney witness and another stewardess lent Smith <£l each to pay the balance of,the passage momy. She 'eft a watch and chain as security. Smith asked the way to the gas works, of which she said her uncle was manager. The following -aturday sho repaid the borrowed money. Walter Shrachan, greaser on the Talane, said that on the night of February 19th, ho saw Smith pass the starboard ally way carrying what appeared to be a bottle of stout under a napkin. Ho then saw her seated with Conway on the hatchway, anl appeared to hand him what she had been carrying under the napkin. Elizabeth Heshy, housekeeper at the hotel in Sussex street, Sydney, deposed that Smith was a boarder at the hotel. In a conversation she told witnessjthat sho was looking for Mrs Browne, who came over by the same steamer, and was going to give Browne some biscuits and fruit. She failed to see her, so gave them to a Mr Conway. On the night, of March Ist, the day the detectives had been at the hotel, she asked witness to sleep with her. She said she was frightened to sleep alone. During the night she kept jumping up, saying there was some one in the room. Some clays before she was arrested she told witness that she had a box at an Aunt’s in Paddington containing two lady’s and one gentleman’s gold watch, which cost £25. She asked witness to say nothing about the gentleman’s watch. She also told witness she sent £2OO worth of boots to her husband in New' Zealand out of £SOO she got for saving a child's life. The day after Smith viewed Conway’s body she was reading a newspaper and exclaimed “ Good God! it is supposed to be a poisoning ease. All I gave him was biscuits and plums.” The inquest is adjourned to March 28th. All the witnesses so far described the woman seen going forward and sitting by Conway just before the fatal seizure as dressed in a brown mackintosh and a black sailor hat.