POISONING MYSTERY.

Hokitika Guardian, 17 October 1923, Page 4

POISONING MYSTERY.

lIHIIXK TItAIXKIt'S lIKATII. fay ria.Koi'.M'u —mat truss association. 1 MASTEETOX, Del. Kb The adjourned inquest on the death of William Alexander Watson (horse trainer) who was mysteriously poi-oned after drinking whisky tit Opnl-'i. which started on August 23, was resit lodav.

The medical testimony' was that a post mortem had disclosed symptoms I'iimpni able with strychnine poisoning. T'amias Higgins, horse trainer, said he and the deceased dined at Ala'itnrtor. the rig: • ''Tore ’he t rnge-rK. Wat sen probe..’ d .. • >u who 4. . arrival at Higgins’s ivhitre, ai Opaki, they had two more nips, wlien Watson departed for hi-, home. Witness planted I lie bottle under his la d. between the me i t re--cs. Two apprentice jockeys. Christopher .McGovern ami Alfred Brown, in Higgins's employ.

were sleeping ill the -ame rnnm. Next morning. .McGovern -addled the horses, while Riovvn prepared I lie break last, which Higgins had in bed. Willieslater left ihe w Imre fur the eoiir-e, ami he was -lire tliai mi one had lonebei! the bottle since he planted it. Witness wes the (ii'st in return in the where, and he i e k the faitle i’i'om the plant, leaving ii. on : lie lahle for Watson, w In. was a.rrii ing l.der. Willie--, ith .McGovern. then took a hoi -e lo Ktiox. another ivonier. a qe,arter of a min' away, leaving Brown to tire-- the Inure- and prepare dinner. Iligg.iu.and Wat-on returned half an 'hour 1:1 1 1 r. ami lain I ed nut drink-, and i lie v (li'ank it jet her. Witness renm I'ired : “It tastes hitter -like salts." to which. Wat-ou replied: “.My God, I’m crook!’’ Th" latter struggled in bed, where be bps- in agonising pain. Higgins was also overcome and collapsed. Brown summoned doctor-, who found Wat-on dead. Iliggiu- expressed fear at being disturbed, and wlien a stomach pump ware ailmiiiistcrctl he was attacked with violent convulsions. I low. ever, lie reTo Detective Kemp: Witness said he had i v. € I bottle- oi strychnine in the house, but he had not Used if for over a year. When the police searched the wiiarc, however, ilmy futmd only one bottle, and witness could not account, lor the disappearance of one Imlf-fnll bottle. j The Giiveriimenl analyst’s dechirnlien slated that a sample of the whisky eon fa i net! strychnine, but there was in: trace ill I lie sweepings of til" table on which Higgins leli tlm battle standing, or in the sweepings from the floor under and around ihe table. Brown deposed that wlien lie returned from the course, lie lit a fire and

put on the dinner. Ho changed his clothes, and went to the stable to dress the horses. While at the stable, the house was unoccupied for 13 minutes, lie saw the bottle oil the table, but lie did no! touch it. The coroner found that death was caused by strychnine poisoning, administered by a person or persons unknown.