POISONING TRAGEDY

Hokitika Guardian, 3 January 1930, Page 3

POISONING TRAGEDY

THE INQUEST.

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association.)

DANNEVIRKE, Jan. 2,

The story of the New Year’s morning poisoning tragedy was told to-day at the inquest on Harold Janies Hay, Commercial traveller for H. H. Stevens and Co., wholesale druggists, of Christchurch.

Frances Eileen Stevens, ’ spinster, clerk, residing at Coromandel St., Wellington, deposed that she knew the deceased, having met him when working for the same firm in Wellington in 1925. Later on, she had assisted, in her spare time, in keeping his books. They were friendly, but they had a little difference about four months ago. owing to something that she had Heard. She desired to discontinue the friendship, but the de eased persisted in his endeavours to continue it. 'The deceased had led her to believe-that he was a single man. He had previously threatened to commit suicide. About four months ago the deceased went to the office in the city where she was working, and produced a tiny bottle, marked poison, and drank the contents. He went away Vnd rang up the office .an hour later, and witness came to the conclusion that he was bluffing She saw him at the Dannevirke railway station on December 24th., witness having come here to spend a holiday. She did not speak to the deceased, whd called at the house of hei brother-in-law Mr, Cotter, where she was stopping. On Xmas Eve she gave him to understand that she did not want his company. About 9 p.m. oii New Year’s Eve, he called at the house with a travelling rug for Mr Cotter, and as she and the Cotters weie going out for the evening, the deceased accompanied them to a friend s house. Then he left. After detailing their arrival home and the finding of Hay under her bed, witness said that she told the deceased that if he would leave quietly, she would let him go. This he declined to do, and she called her sister, witness going into the kitchen Hay was then asked to leave by Mrs Cotter, but he went into Miss Stevens’ bedroom, sat on the bed, took a small bottle from his pocket, and said: I’ll tuKe them.” He swallowed the contents, and lay over on the bed. Subsequently he was put outside by Mr Cotter, who was unaware that he had taken poison. He later was found dead. Mr Cotter said that he was aware that the deceased had an infatuation for Miss Stevens, and also that his advances were being resisted b\ . iss Stevens. He did not know that Hay was a married man with a wife and two children, and was separated from his wife. A verdict was returned that deceased died from taking a dose of cyanide.