TUESDAY'S SITTING.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 174, 16 October 1886, Page 4 (Supplement)

TUESDAY'S SITTING.

The hearing was resumed this morning in the presence of a full Court. The female prisoner looked in much better spirits, and was thoroughly composed. Hall keenly watched the proceedings, and wan repeatedly in earnest conversation with hia lawyer's head clerk. £. Hume Cameron, station manager, Waimate, said he had dealings with the firm of Hall and Meason, but he had not given Hall a promisnory note, nor had he borrowed money from the firm in January, 1885. He had a statement from Hall that he had £1,575 of witness's money in his hands. The securities he received represented about £500, in addition to which he received £440 in cash. Walter Palariet, Deputy Commissioner of Stamps, produced the will of Henry Cain, and letters of administration, with will attached, of the late Jane Cahi. Miles Jefferson Knubley, solicitor, Timaru, was also called to produce e< me trust deeds. He deposed that Mrs Hall had a life inte est in some of the property, and her yearly income theref • om wo-ild be £225, but under another deed the property was mortgaged for £2,000, ani Mrs Hall was entitled to half the profits, the rents going in liquidation of the mortgage in the first place. Including the mortgnge this property was worth £4,000. Witness, as one of Captain Cain's executors, got instructions from Hall to transfer certain deeds. Witness wag closely questioned by Mr Perry as v ,to the value of the settlements*, moat of which he admitted were now unealeable. The Woodlands property was valuable, and had been cut up into building sites. The unsold portion was woroh about £7^ooo. The trustee held mortgages amounting to £4,000 over the sold portions. Re-examined : Under the Woodlands^eatatea trust provision was made for Mrs Hall's children. The Attorney« General said the Crown had other witnesses as to the value of the properties, but he did not think it necessary to call them. His >Honon concurred ithat it was un« necepeary precisely to fix the value of trust settlements.

„ The Nurie'a Evidence. Hannah' Ellison (nurse) waß then called, thug opening a new branoh of the evidence. Witness Bald she went to" Mrd Hall'e 1; two days before she was oohfijQedi atid remained tilr ] now,^6ceiS ! pying 4 "lihe "pame tooxn-.' ■' She h'ttdQfc K^^d time i 'dttrJng t helr ;! corifiri'em>»nt,

HuY ' displayed unuauir gympfftifrß till about the third day (June ; 22) after confinement. ' fifhe then retched >, good de«& and was sick. Witness had Been a nureo ten years, and never before attended anyone iwho was sick after confinement. ' She repeated the story she told in Court before as to the attendance oh Mrs Hall.' The male prisoner used to bring her breakfast. The sickness continued off and on for some time, mostly after meals. Witness gave Mrs' Hall oysters about a week after her confinement, and Mr Hall told prisoner she enjoyed them very much. The day following Miss^ Houston gave her oysters. She came with a plate, on which were four oysters, and some thin nice bread and butter. She said, "Mrs Hall, here's some nice fat oysters and some nice bread and butter." Mrs Hall ate three, and said she enjoyed them very much. She apked witness if she should take a fourth. Witnesß replied, *' I don't think it would hurt you." She ate <be fourth oyster and finished the bread and butter, and in about an hour after was very sick. The sickness lasted, off and on, all night. Mrs Hall complained repeatedly. Mr Joynt objected, on the ground that neither prisoner was present ; but the Judge ruled that evidence of her sufferings pould be given. They were facts as to her condition, provided no conversation was detailed implicating any person. Witness continued : Mrs Hall complained as if she were gasping in bar throat, a choking sort of feeling. She had been very sick. Nothing like that had occurred after her taking two oysters on the day before. • She was pick the whole of the day following taking the four oyaters, and her bowels were very much relaxed. Her face *was yellow before the sickness came, with a blue tinge under her eyes. On the sickness from day to day ahe had a kind of warning that she was going to be sick. Her face in ordinary sickness used to be vejry yellow, and occasionally she would complain of pain in the pit of her stomach. Her face never altered much, except getting thinner, till August 15. Witness recollected Mrs Hall : eoing for a drive. Her health was pretty good on her return. She felt very weak and tired, and was Bick through the night. The meals for Mrs Ball were sometimes prepared by Mary Haeeen, sometimes by the prisoner, Houston, and sometimes by the witness. Mise Houston was supposed tobelady's companion, She and Hall dined together in the dining-room, Mrs Hall joining them when able, otherwise Hall or H-uston would take he> dinner in. Witness referied to the consultations between the medical men, and stated that on Saturday, August 14, she got some ice out of the bathroom, Hall assisting. The ice was strained and put into a jug. The jug was placed on a chair in the bedroom. She took ice more than once thit (Saturday) night, and passed a very bad night. Next morning she eaid, "I have drunk the ice water, and it has made me very sick. Goodness knows what is in it"; I don't." She referred to the ice-water she had taken during witness's absence from the room, and while Hall was with her. Witness tasted the ice-water, and it was very bitter, and made her very sick. She poured some of it into a clean cup. When Hall returned to the room his wife asked him to taste the iced-water ; it tasted so nasty. He put it to his lips, and sard he could not account for it— that some mistake must have bean made in pouring the water out of the jug. Miss Houston came in and said : "If it does taste nasty, Mrs Hall shan't have it to drink ;" and ehe took the cup out of the room. She returned with the came cup, and a clean piece of muslin on it, and some fresh iced water, which witness had poured into a clean cup which she took from the kitchen, and put into a bottle, which was quite clean. On Mr Joynt's application, the whole of the exhibits were brought into Court_and ranged near the witness-box, but so that witnesses might select for themeelvea.

Evidence of the Poisoning. The witness continued : She corked the bottle, put it into her pocket, and afterwards gave it to Dr. Mclntyre. The bottle now marked (B 1, new exhibits) Hall gave her, saying, " This is the brandy for injection." She was directed by the doctor to use injections* every few hours. This injection waa not used, but was given to Constable Egan as Bhe had re-, ceived it. At the doctor s request, and afc Mrs Hall'a also, she secured some of Mrs Hall's vomit which the doctor got. Hall always seemed pleased when a consultation took place. (Witness selected from the exhibits the bottles ■he had given to Dr, Mclnsyre). The bottle now marked (Z 16) she gave to Dr. Mclntyre after the arrest. This was a new exhibit, but wituees could not cay whether it contained vomit. The bottle (B 17) was also a new exhibit. It contained wine, and was given to Dr. Mclntyre after last consultation. Immediately after the consultation between Drs. Mclntyre and Slackpole, Mips Houston commenced to move bottles in the bedroom. Witness requested her not to move them and she replied that Dr. Stackpole said she was to give Mrs Hall her medicine. Witness said ••Dr. Stackpole told you?" and she replied in the affirmative. Witness said, "If Stackpole had told me I was not fit for my position I would have given it up to you. Ido not recognise Dr. Stackpole as our doctor, but Dr Mclntyre." She said Houston replied t( Pr. Mclntyre is a fool." (Laughter.) Mrs flail has not been eick eince the prisoner's arrest. She hae improved in health, and has been able to drive about Some time after the arrest, Mrs Hamersley called witness's attention to a keroeene tin which was in the garret in Hall's house. There was no access of this garret except through Hall's bedroom. The kerosene was on the floor in a dark place. She had not previounly known of the existence of this place. Besides the ke-osene there were rage there. She was supposed to give the medicines always to Mrs Hall but Miss Houston gave them sometimes. So far as she was aware nothing was put into Mrs Hall's food or drink to cause her to be sick. His Honor : You did not put in any antimony or colchicum (laughter). Witness (decisively) : No, Your Honor. To Mr Joynt : This was Mrs Hall's first confinement. With the exception of a very bad cold and cough, she was in good health up to her confinement. Witness knew of no medicine being given her before her confinement. The first consultation was brought about because Hall expressed a wish for it. Mrs Hall wished to have Dr Drew associated with Dr Mclntyre. Witness was present during the consultation, but Hall was not. They expressed to witness no opinion as to the result of that consultation. Thereafter she saved some urine. Both Dr. Mclntyre and Hall wished it. Hall got anxious about his wife's illness, and expressed a' wish to have Dr. Stachpole. Old Mr and Mrs Hall were very .anxious also.. . Witness was present at ■ a consultation . between Drs. Stackpole and Mclntyre, Neither doctors seemed .to understand Mrs Hall's complaint.' Dr. Stackpole eaid he thought it was caused by her brain being; affected, He suggested that ice should betripd, and would allow no solid food. She began to improve for a little while after the confinement.

She made a wonderful recorery considering Bhe waß^Bick. , ,She jßaid she tpok,uo brandy while* she Was out •'driving. /Hall always wished all things clean, and Bhe invariably washed all tfie vessels after administering medicineß Bottle; (213) had con- > tamed medicine before) she used it, but she/ washed it with soda and water, and was quite positive that nheifcaveHhis bottle to Dr. Molntyre. . The Court at 1 30 adjourned, Mr Joynt, intimating that he Would settle down to cross-examine after lunch. Hannah Ellison (cross-examined by Mr Joynt) eaid : Mrs Ball, as far as I could know, always appeared to be very healthy. This was her first child. She had not been very well for a little while before her confinement. She had had a severe cold and cough. Epecacuanha was given to her after her confinement. I gave her no medicine before her confinement, and do not know of any having been given to> her. The consultation of July 14th waa the first one between Dre. Mclntyre and Drew. It was brought about because Mrs Hall expressed a wish for it. Ta the best of my knowledge I do not know who named the doctor. I know Mrs Hall wished to have Dr. Drew with Dr. Mclntyre. I was present at the whole of the consultation. 1 don't think Mr Hall was ; to the best of my belief he was not in the* room at the time. The doctors went into the dining-room, where Mr Hall was. They did not express to me any opinion as to the result of the consultation. I saved some urine and vomit, and gave them to Dr. Mclntyre. Both the doctor and Mr Hall wished that. I don't remember either of them saying what was to be done with thevomit and urine. I was instructed to give Mrs Hall smaller quantities of food and drink, and oftener, and I carried out these instructioue She improved at times for a little while, but then she would go back to the sam o condition. The consultation between Dr. Idfcackpole and Dr. Mclntyre waa because Mr Hall was so anxious about the etate of his wife. He eaid so both to Mrs Hall and to me. Old Mr and Mrs Hall were also very anxiousto have Dr. Stackpole.. At the time the doctors went into the dining-room it seemed to me that neitherof the doctors knew what was the cause of her sickne??. Dr. Stackpole eaid he thought it was the brain that was " affected." Dr. Stackpole eaid it would be better to try ice, and keep her on lime water, with a little scalded milk . She waa to have no solid food. For a little while she improved. My rule when nurße ig to allow a lady to go out when able on the tenth or eleventh day after confinement. Mrs Hall went into the smoking room on the eleventh day. On the Sunday following, fourteen days after her confinement, she went into the diningroom. From that time she generally used the same food as the others unless she took a fancy to something else. The male prisoner always wished me to havg everything cleaned before I used it, and to wash every vessel as soon as I had given her medicine. I always washed them myself in a basin I had in the room, just with plain water. Hall suggested that MrB Hall's evacuations should be analysed. It was before the first consultation. I d r't know what became of the bottles on that occasion. I did not hear from the doctors. I made up bottles several times by Mr Hall's wisb. I do 'not know who took them from the house. The doctor got pome of them He did not get the first ones. I did not hear that he got any of them. I heard Mr Hall say that he did not analyse any of the first lot. On the Saturday before the arrest he asked me to make up two bottles for Mr Lovegrove, and two for Dr. Mclntyre— one of urine and one of vomit Those would be the vomit and urine of Friday, August 13th. I don't know that the doctor received either of them. I have heard it spoken of, but don't know. 1 have reason to believe they got them. I have attended ladies of a bilious nature I have seen them have bilious attacks. I have had nothing to do with men with bilious attacks. People who are bilious are yellow in the skin. I don't remember seeing people who were sicK, and ■ who were blue about the lips. Mr Hall was very attentive to his wife. Always, so far as 1 have seen, he showed a desire to make her comfortable and happy, and would get anything she wished. He was sometimes with her in the evening. He had business in the evening, and used to write in the dining-room. I have never seen any appearance of bad feeling between them. I have never seen anything like a dislike or aversion on hiaparttowardsber. On the Sunday morning of the day of the arrest, Mrs H*ll seemed better up to about nine o'clock. She had been very Bick about four in the morning, but ice had been given to her. Shortly before that she bad taken the ice out of the jug. The ice remained in pieces on the muslin- in the jug, and she took- some and wetted her lips with the water. From 4to 9 o'clock she was brighter thaa she had been for several mornings. She was always very bright when well. After. l had been in the ioom a little while, she vomited, but not much. She was very ill all day, and retched a great deal from time to time during the day. ? She took nothing after I came into the 'room. During the day she took only the ice. She would not take the iced water. She had injections of Liebeg'e extract of beef, and pancreative and brandy. Still she was sick off and on all day. She did not throw up much, but was retching during the day. I gave the jug to Inspector Broham. I did not notice how much water was in it; there would be no more than had trickled from the ice. Dr. Mclntyre spoke of her being bilious once or twice ; he thought her liver waa wrong. Bilious people would be more likely to vomit than others, Mrs Ht.ll said eho never was bilious. On the Wednesday after the arrest we went to Mr Hall's room to search for a brandy flask, and Mrs Hamersley Baid she smelt kerosene. We then went into the garret and saw a tin of kerosene on the floor* Kerosene was used in the house, but it waa kept in a shed. There had been a decanter of wine in the bedroom, which Hall told me wae nob fit for his wife to drink. He eaid there was something in it, but I do not recollect him saying it had been doctored for Mary Haesen, the servant. I never saw her take any wine, nor have I any knowledge of her taking drink. I recollect one morning Mrs Hall asking me to go tothe cupboard where some wine was left to see if Hassen was there. I went, but did not see anyone. Dr. Mclntyre and Mr Hall's houses were connected at night by telephone. Hall would complain that the doctor was not at his house often enough. I have not a good memory. I had an illness which weakened my memory. I have not talked this case over with Mr White, but have told him. what I knew. At the final, consultation v Dr, Lovegrove , was present, at Hall's wish, and Dr. Drew at Mrs Hall'd. . Thereafter I administered injections. Hall always appeared to be in trouble when his wife was sick. The ice was in the bathroom, where there were several bottlee containing chemicals and a bath, that photographs were washed in. I never saw Hall practising photography, or any photos of hia about the place. , By Mr' Hay : —Witness also nursed Mrs :Hall in October 'last, year. Miss Houston; was not -there, then. Witness did net know

what Mies Houston's: duties~wer©.'~Mi«j Houston had, od one occasion, brought a jar for vomit to be ptft in and sent to iho doctor. She also used to -telephone to Mr Hall to aend tor the doctor. She was always anxioua to know what Sort of a night Mrs Hall' had had; vbat her food had been, &c. Witness was offended when Houston said that Dr. Stack pole bad told her to interfere with her (witness's) work. She knew Dr. Staokpole very well, and had often, nurßed him. Witness had never seen any letters written by Dr. Stackpole to Miss Houston. Mrs Hall was still unwell, and would not like witness to leave her. Until Mrs Hall called her attention to the night ehe had the oysters, it never occurred to witness that these had anything to do with the caee. The witness had been afraid that Mrs Hall's sickness had been caused by her taking too many oysters. She asked the doctor if she had done wrong in allowing Mrs Hall to take the four. He said, "Oh, no." As far as witness could see, Miss Houston and Mra Hall were very close friends. In addressing her, Mrs Hall would most likely call her " Miss Houston," and sometimes "Megrims." She always called Mrs Hall •' Kitty." On the night of the arrest ebe was instructed by Inspector Broham to search Miss -Houston. The latter was asked if she had any pockets, and said that she had not. Witness searched her, but discovered no bottles. She was surprised at the arrest, and eaid te Miss Houston, " They are not going to take you away, child." Mies Houston said, "It can't be true, Mrs Ellison. There must be some mistake " Mr Hay : Did you say, " I know, child, you are aa innocent as the baby." Mrs Ellison : I did not say that. What I said was, "If you are innocent, child, you'll soon get out." Miss Houston seemed quite agreeable to have her boxes searched, and offered every assistance. I continued giving vomit and urine to Dr. Mclntyre until after prisoners were committed for trial. Re-examined by Mr Whito : It was very shortly after Mra Hall's confinement that Dr. Mclntyre said the sickness was the result of the liver. Neither Hall nor Houston had eaid in witness's presence that Mary Hassan took drink. She never heard Hall complain to Dr. Mclntyre about his inattention in attending Mrs Hall. The Court rose at 5 p m.