THE CONWAY CASE

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 27 March 1901, Page 4

THE CONWAY CASE

[by ELECTEIC TELEGRAPH —COPYRIGHT.]

[per press association.]

Sydney, March 26. The inquest on Conway was resumed.

Jane Smith was present in Courts

Passey, second cook of the Tahme, saw Mrs Smith go forward on several occasions and sit on the forward hatch talking with the man who subsequently died on the 9th. While Conway and Smith were talking ho saw a glass in Conway’s hand. About 730 Mrs Smith went aft. An hour later from something he heard ho went forward and saw Conway lying in agony. Ho heard some one ask what was the matter and Conway replied “This is terrible. I never felt hke this before.”

Constable Treahy (New Zealand Police stationed at Sumner) said he know Conway and saw him on February 10th. In reference to the lost handbag containing a £lO note and other money’s, a gold watch, a brass chain, a gold pendent cross with the initials “P C” one side and “M C” on the other, a gold handled pen, a promissory note for £2OO. The counsel of Mr Smith objected to the admission ef the details of the promissory note, but the Court refused to allow the objection, although ho refused the crown officer permission to ask the names on the note. Another promissory note for £SO, two gold rings with stones were missing, and a number of private letters and papers. Witness had a long conversation with Mrs Smith outside the Supreme Court at Christchurch. She told him she had met Conway on the 7th at Oh’-istchurch, and went by tho 4 p.m. train to Sumner. On arrival they went to a refreshment room and had tea. Afterwards they both went down to the beach, and sat (hero for somo time. Mrs Smith complained of feeling cold and Conway got some brandy and port wine. She remained on the beach while Conway got the liquor. Both had several drinks out of tho bottle. She saw Conway was getting drunk, and asked him to

put his watch and purse in her hand-baS, so that she could look after them for him. She left the beach in company with Conway, and went to the hotel at Sumner, afterwards sitting on a seat outside. She remembered sitting there till about 8 o’clock in the evening. Then she lost her memory and found herself lying on a vacant section of ground at Sumner aoom live in the morning. She did not see anyone, but walked to Woolston and bought a veil there. She would not give the names of the friends in Christchurch or Dunedin, nor did she care to say where she stopped. If her friends knew the police were making enquiries about her they would think that there was something wrong. If her husband in Dunedin found out that she slept out all night at Sumner, she would poison herself. A boy brought her a coat containing a gold ring which- belonged to Conway. The boy knew her address through it being written in the purse. She told Conway on the 11th that her coat had been returned. Mrs Smith told witness she might go to Sydney and would give Conway another promissory note for £SO that she owed him, and which was lost at Sumner. She had known Conway for a number of years in Dunedin. She left Dunedin two or three days before Conway did. Conway stayed at the hotel. She I.stayed with friends. She saw Conway on the afternoon of the Sth. She told him she had lost a bag containing Ids property. She told him she had slept out all night. She told witness she would go down to Sumner with Conway to try and find the property. Witness had searched and found no trace of the property, but on March 9th she had received from J. W. Butler, Sumner the missing pocketbook.

Brook, chemist of Christchurch, recognised Smith as the woman who visited his shop on February Ist. Sac purchased a few articles, but the apprentice refused to supply her with the poison, which she required for her people at Ellesmere to poison cats tnd rabbits. Witness supplied her with 30 grains of strychnine. He had not seen her before February Ist, but saw her frequently afterwards. On several occassions she used his telephone. On one occasion she rang up the Oxford Hotel and asked whether Conway was in, and bought a second quantity of poison This time he rubbed the strychnine up with dragon’s blood. She made some remark as to whether it would be as strong as the other. Ho replied that he put the coloring in to prevent it being mistaken for salt or sugar. Sulphate of strychnine, the form of poison supplied, was a salt soluble in acid, but not in water. He was not prepared to deny the authority quoted by the Coroner that the sulphate was easily soluble in water. Smith did not sign the poison book because he had not the book, just having opened business, Winstone, assistant of Brooks, corroborated his employer’s evidence, adding that ho made an entry in the cash sales’ book, because there was no poisons’ book. Dennis Fogarty, licensee of the Oxford Hotel, Sumner, know Conway seven years. He was a steady man and enjoyed good health. He remembered Conway and Smith coming to his hotel. They had two whiskies each. Conway had plenty of money, He poured about 33 sovereigns out of a canvass bag when paying witness. Conway told him when ho asked where he had been all night, that he had a drink of port wine and brandy and remembered nothing after, but felt very ill. Conway was shaking and trembling. When be returned to the hotel ho complained that he lost some money and documents. He looked as if he had had a fit. Detective M’Lean detailed a eonversa" tion he had with Mrs Smith aboard the Talune. She said she had known Conway two years. Did not think he left the money as he was a poor man. She was quite surprised to find Conway aboard the vessel at "Wellington. She only spoke to him once, but saw him several times from the upper deck and nodded. She said to witness she supposed Conway would be buried in a pauper’s grave. She was glad to hear him say he had been given a respectable funeral. Subsequently he called on Smith in company with the superintendant of Police and obtained further information. Hs told her that it was likely there would be an inquiry She replied that she could not see what good that would do. She said she saw Conway when he left Dunedin a month before. He remained in Christchurch three weeks, thence to Wellington, where he intended to stay, but continued the voyage to Sydney. When asked whether Conway held £250 worth of promissory notes from self and husband she said “I don’t know what that has got to do with the matter.”

The inquest is adjourned till to-morrow.