Traces of Arsenic Discovered in the Girl's Stomach.

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 108, 27 June 1885, Page 3

Traces of Arsenic Discovered in the Girl's Stomach.

It will be well remembered that at the inquest on the body of the girl Margaret OBrien, who died suddenly at Mr Courtneys residence on Saturday night, Dr. Knight mentioned that he had preserved the content 8

of the stomach for analysis. Instructions weir© subsequently given to Mr Fond to have an analysis made, and this is now proceeding, and will be completed to-morrow. It has transpired that there are ample evidences of the presence of arsenic in the stomach, and the fact that Dr. Knight considered the appearance of the body indicated that death had been caused by some irritant poison, would appear to leave no doubt on the subject. One of our reporters saw Mr Pond on the subject, but he naturally enough declined to give any information until the inquest is hcli to-morrow afternoon. It is howevor, a fact that the detectives have been inquiring at the various drug ■tores with the object of diaeovering whether the girl had purchased arsenic at any of them. If the girl has destroyed herself no motive whatever can be assigned for the deed. 3ho was in good health and spirits, and there .is no reason to believe that she was in trouble of any kind. It is just possible, however, that she may have unintentionally partaken of something containing arsenic. The adjourned inquest will be held to-morrow afternoon, when the jury will be furnished with the results of the analysis, and will have a further opportunity of unravelling the mystery.