ATTEMPTED MURDER CHARGE

Hokitika Guardian, 1 August 1928, Page 1

ATTEMPTED MURDER CHARGE

(By Telegraph—Per Tress Association.) WELLINGTON, July 31. A plea ot not guilty to the charge ol attempting "to murder her husband, by poisoning, was entered by Marion Koerbiu, aged J 3, m the Supreme Court to-day. Mrs Koorbin was also charged that, with intent to injure or annoy, she attempted to administer poison. Sir William Sim was on the bench,, mid Mr Mnrassay prosecuted, while Mr Sievwright appeared for the accused. Outlining the case for the Crown, -Mr Maeassey said that in June, Koerliin saw his wife interfering with his, food, which, on being examined by aii analyst, was found to contain carium carbonate and powdered glass. The ease-was reported to the police, who, while secreted in the house, caught the accused putting poison in Koerbin’s food. .Mrs Koerbiu made a statement, iii which she said she had not used powdered glass or oxalic acid. She said that she purchased rat poison from a grocer. The Crown suggested that the accused wanted to get rid of her husband in order to get his money.

Evidence was given by Koerbin along the lines of the Crown Prosecutor’s address. He was married in 1912, hut the marragc was not happy, owing to liis wife’s complaint that she did not receive enough money. The parties separated three times. Witness paid her .Co 2s a week, increased latterly to Co 10s. She wanted £IOOO cash to get out of the house, and him to gvl out. For some time ho was in (lie habit of having his meals alone, Iris wife cooking them. Ho suddenly oceanic ill with vomiting, headaches, burning pains, giddiness, and after r. week in bed lost thirteen pounds ?r. weight. His suspicions were aroused when from the dining room through an open slide he saw his wife, after putting porridge out in the plate for their son, pub the pot oil the gas cooker again and add something to the oorridge in the pot. His suspicions were aroused. He took a sample of food to he analysed, and it was found to contain borium carbonate and : n some tripe was found ground glass. Sei-ch-ing her room, he found what afterwards was ascertained to ho these substances. He stated that four cats had died after receiving scrapings from the porridge pot, showing the vomiting symptoms experienced by himself. 'Mr A. 11. Sievwright, accused’; counsel, in cross-examining Koe-'un, was- frequently pulled up for nsxiue irrelevant questions, his Honour hoc! ing that Mr Sievwright was trying '<■ excuse the accused oil the grounds <•< her husband’s alleged bad treatm int of her. The case is to he continued to-nn t iw. morning. _______