ALLEGED CHILD MURDER.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXII, Issue 8794, 23 April 1907, Page 2

ALLEGED CHILD MURDER.

Per Press Association. Cheistchubch, April 22. • A young man named Alfred James Gore Hollyer, who has been employed in a Christehurch warehous'e for some time past, was arrested at Belfast yesterday morning upon a charge of murdering an illegitimate child of which he is alleged to bo the- father. Tho mother is a Dunedin girl who came up to Christchurcb, where the child was born. The accused appeared before the Magistrate this morning and was remanded till the 30th.

Supposed Poisoning of Accused

Christchukch, April 22. Hellyer, the young man who was charged with child murder this morning, was suddenly taken ill this afternoon at tho police cells at the Hereford street depot, whither he had been removed from the Court. It was at once apparent to those in attendance that his condition was grave in the extreme, and Dr Symes .was hastily summoned. He found the prisoner suffering acutely and in a very grave condition. The symptoms pointed to poisoning, probably with prussic acid. The doctor ordered the patient's removal to the hospital, and a stretcher and an express being hastily requisitioned the patient was conveyed to the institution as speedily as possible, arriving there a few minutes before 3 o'clock. A careful search of the cell was then made under the direction of Inspector Gillies, and a few small fragments of soma kind of whitish tabloid were found. Cyanide of potassium is sometimes put up in this form. It is understood that, similar tabloids had been noticed in the 'possession of the prisoner, and ho had explained that he used them as a remedy for toothache, from which he had been suffering.

Later. Prisoner died shortly before 8 o'clock to-night, presumably from poisoning. It appears taat Hellyer whon searched the previous day was found to be in possession of a phial containing whi to tabloids or crystals, which with his other belongings was taken from him in the usual way. Early yesterday morning he asked the watehouse keeper to give him the phial, explaining that he wanted to use the contents for the purpose of deadening toothache pains, from which ho was then suffering. The constable complied with tho request, and gave the man the contents, retaining possession of the phial. It is presumed that the phial contained a form of cyanide' of potassium, but an analysis of the stomach is being made, with the object of ascertaining definitely what caused death. Hellyer was a young man of about 25 and had been employed at a locsl warehouse. He came -to Christchnrch from Dunedin where Ins people live. The police are still searching for the body of the child alleged to have been murdered by Hellyer, but so far without success. ■■'