NFWTOWN TRAGEDY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XVII, Issue 1409, 21 March 1905, Page 3

NFWTOWN TRAGEDY.

THE MYSTERY DEEPENS. NO EVIDENCE SHOWING CAUSE OF WOMAN’S DEATH.

Per Press Association a Wellington, last night. Tho adjourned iuquost on Mrs Hughes, one of tho viotirns of tho Newtown tragedy, was rosumed this afternoon. THE ANALYSIS.

Tho Coroner read the report of Professor MacLaurin, to whom the police had Handed over tho stomaoh of the dead woman, together with two modioine bottles, ono of whioh was labelled “ Poison,” which were found on Roussell’s premises. Tho report was to tho effeot that thero were a few drops of liquid in a bottlo marked “ poison,” and these c-Catained antimony. There was no indicq-ff ' of poison in the other bottle. He ht-a made a very careful oxaminlition of the stomaoh, but failed to find.i.r”! trace of poison. ProVssor MaoLaurin also gave evidenoe confirming bis report. Tho bottle con- I taining antimony might have boon used I by Roussell in his business. If antimony I had been used to cause death, it would have to bo a largo dose,and he would have I been certain to find evidenoe of it in tho I stomaoh. j WAS COAL-GAS INHALED?

The Coroner mentioned that at Thursday’s enquiry Dr Perkins had said there was a strong escape of gas in the house, and on putting tho question to Professor MaoLanrin, ho obtained a reply that the inhalation of a large quantity af coal-gas might oauso froth and blood at tho woman’s month, which had been noticed and testified to by former witnesses. POISON FOR A DOG.

Detective Kemp said that from enquiries be had learned from Kempthorne, Prosser and Co. that a woman answering tho

description of deceased had called at their establishment about a week ago to purchase prussio aoid for the purpose, so she said, of poisoning a dpg. Kempthorne, Prosser and 00. had told her to apply to a retail ohemist, bat the woman had replied that she had applied at several chemists, and they wonld not supply her, and had told her to bring the dog to them, so that they coaid poison it. She replied that she could not do so, as the deg was half dead. Thewoman had appeared to be recently crying. WitneßS had also made enquiries from a chemist with whom Mrs Hughes bad been dealing, and also a ohemist in Vivian street, with negative results.

CORONER’S SUGGESTION. The Coroner said thene waß no use calling more evidence. A point that had struck him was that deceased might have died from tho inhalation of coal gas, but in a conversational discussion the jury dismissed tho idea.

NO CONNECTION BETWEEN THE

TWO DEATHS. The Coroner continued that there had boen no connection established between the two deaths beyond tho faot that the doctor had decided that the woman had died first. Thera was not the slightest evidence to show that Roussell had done deceased any harm, THE HUSBAND’S QUESTION.

W. Hughes, husband of deceased, asked whether there was anything to show if deceased had died through suffocation by means of a pillow, bnt the Ooroner said that Dr Perkins’ evidenoe showed that there was no assignable cause for death.

NO EVIDENOE TO SHOW CAUSE OF DEATH.

Without discussion the jury returned a verdict that deceased had been found dead, and that there was no evidence to show how deceased had come by her death.