OPAKI POISONING SENSATION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 2647, 18 October 1923, Page 3

OPAKI POISONING SENSATION.

“ADMINISTERED BY PERSON UNKNOWN.” Master!on, Oc-t. 16. The adjourned inquest on the death of William Alexander Watson, horse trainer, who was mysteriously poisoned after drinking whisky at Opnki three months ago, was resumed to-day. The medical testimony was that a post mortem disclosed symptoms compatible with strychnine poisoning. Thomas Higgins, horse trainer, said he and deeeased dined at-Mas-terton the night before the tragedy. Watson prodneed a bottle of whisky. frnrg which both had a nip. On arrival at Higgins’ whavo at Opnki. they had two more, when Watson departed for home' and witness planted the bottle under his bed between the mattresses. Two apprentice jockeys, Christopher McGovern and Alfred Brown, in witness’ employ, were sleeping in the same room. Next morning McGovern saddled the horses while Brown prepared breakfast, which witness had in bed. Witness later left the whare for the course, and was sure no one had touched the bottle since it was planted. Witness was the first, to "return to the whare, and took the bottle from the “plant,” leaving it on the table for Watson, who arrived later. Witness, with McGovern, then look a horse to Knox, another trainer, a quarter of a mile away, leaving Brown to dress the horses and prepare dinner. Witness and deeeased returned half an hour lnt£J'. poured out two drinks, and drank together. Witness remarked: “It tastes bitter, like salts,” to which Watson replied: “My God, I’m crook.” The latter struggled to the bed, where he lay in agonising pain. Higgins was also overcome and collapsed. Brown .summoned the doctors, who found Watson dead. Higgins expressed a fear of being disturbed, and when a stomach pump was 1 administered he was attacked with violent convulsions. However, he recovered in a few days.

To Detective Kemp, witness said he had two bottles of strychnine in the house, but had not used it for over a year. When the police searched the whare they found only one bottle, and witness could not account. for the disappearance of the half-full bottle.

The Government analyst, in-a declaration, stated that a. sample of the whisky contained strychnine, hut there was no trace in the sweepings of the table on which Higgins left (he bottle standing, or the sweepings from the floor under and around the table. Brown deposed.that when he returned from the course, he lit a lire, put on the dinner, changed his clothes and went to the stable to dress the horses. While lie was at the stables, the house was unoccupied for thirteen minutes. He saw n, bottle on the table, but did not touch it. The Coroner found that death was caused by strychnine poisoning, administered by a person or persons unknown.