THE KARAMU POISONING CASE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3731, 17 December 1927, Page 2

THE KARAMU POISONING CASE.

CORONER THINKS DONE PURPOSELY.

Hamilton, December Iff. The inquest into the death of Allan Cornall from poisoning by drinking beer at Karamu, in which startling evidence was given in the opening stages, was resumed before Mr. Wyvern Wilson, S.M., this afternoon.

Doris Cheyne, wife of James Cheyne, who was also poisoned but recovei-ed, said Hutt had threatened to poison her about nine months ago. There had been no intimacy between them since Hutt left prison, where he was sent for wife desertion. Hutt had tried to poison her in the kitchen with strychnine, and as a reason told her that if he could not have her he would not let Jim Cheyne keep hei\ She quarrelled with Hutt because she found out he was married, and had deceived her so much. Witness denied telling Hutt he was the only man in the world she loved. She had no idea how the bottle came to be in the car. Hutt was her only enemy in the Karamu district. She knew of no enemies that Cornall had. Witness .denied saying she did not care whether her husband lived or died.

Detective Sweeney was the next witness. In Teply to the Coroner, he said the bottle was not to expert examination for finger W' prints, but was scanned and nine were found. Capsules found in the car had been examined for finger prints also. He did not examine the' car’s windscreen with powder to find finger prints, as he had none.--Referring to the; possession of poison by Hutt, the Coroner remarked there was nothing unusual in that, as he was a rabbit poisoner by occupation. This concluded the evidence.

Giving his verdict, the Coroner said, he had gone full into the matter because of the very strong suspicion that a crime had been committed. That suspicion still remained. “I am quite satisfied,” he said, “that this is not anything accidental. There was no doubt the beer contained strychnine, and there is nothing to lead one to suppose that it was accidental. The evidence of the car occupants was that when the ear broke down and the spotlight was turned on on returning from a dance there were no bottles there.' It is a pity the empty wine bottle with the beer bottle was not examined for finger prints . The poisoner may have touched that bottle. There is no direct evidence that anyone placed the bottle there. The circumstances raise a very strong suspicion, because there is one person, if not two, who had a , strong motive for getting rid of - Cheyne. And if Mrs. Cheyne’s story is to be believed, Hutt made an attempt to poison her a few days before he went to prison for desertion nine months previously.” The Coroner added that the police inquiries had not enabled him* to find anything definite against any person. He could only find Cornall had been poisoned from drinking beer to which strychnine had been added, and he was sure with felonious intent.