THE TALUNE MYSTERY.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 64, 16 March 1901, Page 2

THE TALUNE MYSTERY.

THE INQUEST RESUMED.

CHIEF STEWARD’S INTERVIEW WITH MRS SMITH.

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright Sydney, March 15. Tho CoQjvay inquest was resumed here to-day. Fletcher, tho chief steward of tho Taluno, deposed that Mrs Smith had joined the Talune at Lyttelton. Before leaving Wellington she came to him and said she was short of her saloon passage money to Sydney by a pound, and asked if slio 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, at about a quarter past seven. She was carrying something covered in a napkin. It appeax-ed to be a plate witlx a glass on it. She said she was taking something for a friend. AVitness then described tlie death of Conway. From certain remarks made by a passenger,. ho received tho captain’s instructions to go and seo the lady passenger. Ho went and saw Mrs Smith, and askod her if she knew Conway. She replied that sho had known him slightly. Witness said to her that he had been told Conway’s wife was aboard. She replied that she did not know he was married. AVitness then went back, and on tlio captain’s instructions saw Mrs Smith again before Conway died. He asked her if she knew anything about his people. She replied that she know his sistoi’, who lived at Eoslyn, Dunedin. Next day witness had another conversation with Mrs Smith. She said that ono time sho had given Conway a garden to do up, as ho had been out of work and not well off.

MORE STARTLING EVIDENCE

MRS SMITH’S PASSAGE MONEY.

TALK ABOUT STRYCHNINE

By Tolegraph—Press Association—Copyright Sydney, March 15. At the inquest Fletcher deposed that when lie told Mrs Smith that Conway was dying, sho said, “ Poor fellow !” Tho day after thoy reached Sydney she said she had not boon ablo to cash the draft. AVitness explained that the non-payment of tho balance of tho passage money caused some annoyance. She said “ Wait a minute,” and brought him two pounds. Ho repeated the stoi-y Mrs Smith had told him in reference to coming to Sydney to look after the insurance money of the child Smart. Sho showed him a medal, and said sho received it for saving a child’s lifo. A STEAVARDESS. Fanny McDonald, stewardess of the Talune, gave evidence that when taking the order for lunch on February 19th Mrs Smith asked, “ AVliat sort of poison is strychnine ?'” AVitness told her that she did not know. Mrs Smith then mentioned about taking a dog to a Christchurch chemist, who gave him something that caused him to drop off in a minute or two. On that same evening at 6.30 Mrs Smith gave tho order for a half-pint of stout. She said she did not wish to take it then, but witness could bring it thon. About 8.30 witness saw Mrs Smith near the foot of the companion way on the main deck. She told witness that sho had been to tho other end of the ship to see some ladies. She often spoke to two ladies who were travelling steerage. AVitness heard her tell the chief steward that she know nothing about Conway, only ...that he helped aboard her boxes. afterwards that she knowfv.j(iA? : ;brothor and sister slightly, him to be a poor man coming’.Htp^Sydney to seek for work. . AViftjegs^found a stout bottle in the rack\pf Mrs Smith’s cabin and threw it oitfcicjf 'tTie porthole when the vessel reaclied-Sydnoy. Witness had several times provided Mrs Smith;-with:stout. On reaching Sydney witness and tho other stewardess Tent Mrs Smith a pound each to pay the balance of the passage money. She; had left a watch and chain as security. Mrs Smith asked the way to the gasworks, of which she said her uncle was manager. On the following Saturday sho repaid tho borrowed money.

° f FURTHER EVIDENCE. ! MRS SMITH AND THE HOUSEKEEPER. 3 REMARKABLE CONVERSATIONS. . WHAT A GREASER SAW. , Per Press Association. Telegraph. Copyright i 1 Received March 15, 9.39 p.m. ’ Sydney, March 15. ; Walter Strachan, greaser on the ’ Taluno, said’that on the night of j February 19 th, he saw Mrs Smith . pass the starboard alley-way,' carrying what appeared to he a bottle under a napkin. Then ho saw her seated with i Conway on the hatchway. She ap--1 peared to hand him what she had 1 ’been carrying under the napkin. THE HOUSEKEEPER’S STRANGE I STORY. Elizabeth Healey, housekeeper at an hotel in Sussex street, Sydney, deposed that Mrs Smith was a boarder at the hotel. In conversation, she told witness that she was looking for a Mr§ Browne, who had como over by the same steamer, that she was, going to give Browne some biscuits and fruit, but failed to seq her, so gave them to a Mr Conway. On the night of March Ist, the day the detectives had been to 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 someone in the room. Some days before she was arrested she told that she had a box at her aunt’s in Paddington, containing two ladies’ and one gentleman's gold watch, which cost £ls. Sho asked witness to say nothing about the gentleman’s watch. She also told witness that she had sent two hundred pounds worth of boots to her husband in New Zealand CUt £C'°9 sllQ had got for saving a child’s life. The day after Mrs Smith viewed Conway’s body she was reading a newspaper, and oxclaimed, “Good God! It is supposed to be a poisoning case. All 1 gave him was biscuits and plums.” ADJOURNED. The inquest was adjourned to March 28th. All the witnesses so far have described the woman seen going forward and sitting by Conway just before the fatal seizure as dressed in a brown mackintosh and black sailor hat. —— i