EXTRAORDINARY CASE OF POISONING CATTLE.

Southland Times, Issue 1058, 18 November 1868, Page 3

EXTRAORDINARY CASE OF POISONING CATTLE.

(From the ' Nelson Examiner,' 27tli October). A case of considerable importance was heard before the magistrates at Motueka, on Saturday last; a man named Brookes, a painter being charged with having poisoned a horse and two cows belonging to Dr. Park, grazing in a paddock adjoining his own. The case was adjourned from Saturday to Monday to enable an analysis to be made of the stomachs of the dead animals. The evidence elicited on Monday was to the following effect : The search-warrant issued resulted in the discovery of the same pigment (Schele's arsenic green) within prisoner's dwelling-house. A small quantity of green powder that was found on the floor of his paint shop, proved, on being analyzed by Dr Bond, to bs the same as the contents of the stomachs of the cows. A pot of green paint was also tested, and proved to be the same. The paddock was bare of feed, but the garden attached to prisoner's house had a good growth of grass on it, and the cattle had evidently been accustomed to put their heads through between the rails, and it was there that the powder was found in quantity. A small patch of grass within a yard or two of the house was found to have been cut or pulled and it had evidently been placed, with the poison sprinkled through it, close to the fence. The rails and post at the end of a private footpath from the honse to the paddock were smeared with the same powder; and a quantity of it was discovered on the ground as if it had been spilt by some one whilst climbing ov e r. The nostrils of the cows were green with ifc, and the horns had marks of green on them, looking as if they had been guided by a hand which had held the powder The prisoner has been committed for trial, and is now in gaol, having been brought over in the Lady Barkly to Nelson yesterday.