ATTEMPTED POISONING CASE.

Grey River Argus, Volume III, Issue 197, 18 April 1867, Page 3

ATTEMPTED POISONING CASE.

An inquiry was held at the Melbourne Gaol, on Thursday morning, before Mr Sturt, P.M. with reference to an alleged attempt, to poison Mr Robert Devlin, a squatter, near Eden, Twofold Bay. A preliminary examination in the case had taken place at Eden, and the depositions then taken formed the principal part of the evidence on the present occasion. The particulars of the case were, that in February, 1866, Mr Devlin, who lives alone on a station near Twofold Bay, left his house for a week, and on returning found that a quantity of strychnine had been placed in a bottle where he kept his tea, with which it was so mixed up tliat it could only be. discerned with difficulty. The station where he lived was fifteen miles from any habitation, and the nearest was another station tenanted by a bush squatter, named William Alexander. No travellers ever passed by Mr Devlin's station, and the only persons in the habit of visiting it all were the members. of the Alexander family. Mr Devlin suspected the 'man, William. Alexander, knowing that he was actuated by bad feeling towards him, and having had evidences of his malice. He could, however, take no proceedings upon these grounds ; but a twelvemonth afterwards (in February last), William Alexander's brother James gave him information which, led him at once to take steps in the matter, and have tho former arrested. In the examination i— i • 1

at Eden, James Alexander" swore that his brother William had asked him to assist in shooting a valuable entire horse, belonging to Mr Devlin, and afterwards a?ked him to assist in shooting Mr Devlin himself. His brother also said that he had put strychnine in a bottle of tea at Mr Devlin's house. The witness thought a good deal about this, but did not like to give information because it would "expose the family." After a twelvemonth had elapsed, however, he made up his mind to tell Mr Devlin, feeling that he could not rest until he had done so. Robert Alexander, another brother of the accused, and Barbara Alexander, his sister, also gave evidence at Eden, the former stating that he had heard his brother William confess to having put the strychnine in the tea ; and the latter that ' she had sejn a packet of strychnine in tho possession of her brother William. He threatened to horsewhip her if she said anything about it. This concluded the statements of the witnesses at the former examination, and they attended at Melbourne gaol on Thursday, but added nothing material to them. The prisoner was in the room, and Mr Manby appeared for his defence. Mr Manby cross-examined tho witness. James Alexander, at some length ; and, among other questions, asked him whether the whole was not a concocted scheme between himself and his brother Robert, to ruin the accused, in order that they might divide the property lately left bj' their father to his sons. The witness denied this, and also- denied that he had been incited to make the prosecution through information given by his brother William, with reference to his having stolen certain cows, the property of Messrs John and Creighton Stcphenson. He never took any cows belonging to Messrs Stephenson, and never heard that his brother William had accused him of doing so. The accused was then asked whether he had any statement to make, and having answered in the negative, Mr Sturt committed him for trial at the next sessions.