The Mysterious Poisoning Case in Sydney.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 182, 11 December 1886, Page 4

The Mysterious Poisoning Case in Sydney.

t ■ From files by the Alamedn to day wo learn thai the coroner having dispensed withw ith an inquest on the body of Mr Berndt, who was poiboned by eating sandwiches spread with an arsenical preparation called " Rough on Rats," at Mr mule's Grand Hotel, Wynyard Square, Sydney, ihe Minister of Justice ordered the body to be exhumed and an inquest held. The particulars of the case appeared in our " Supplement " on Saturday. The medical testimony showed that i there was nothing in the appearance of the viscera to denote that deatli was occasioned by disease. It was probably caused by boine irritant poisou. .Louis Uhde sworn, deposed : I am a hotelkeeper, residing at the U rand Hotel, Wynyardsqu.ire. The dead body just \ iewed in my presence is that of Fred Berndt. I have known him some years. During the last eight or nine months he has lodged at my hotel. He was a verj tcmpcwite man. Some daya he would not drink anj thing intoxicating. On Monday evening last Mr Hossack and the deceased were playing dominos for several hours in the commercial room of the hotel. I was in their company most ot the evening. A rat was running about the room. I said, " I -will do for them tonight; I w ill put some poi&on down." Towards 11 o clock I got some bread and butter, took some "Hough on Huts" out of the iron safe in ti.e room. I roughly cut some bread and broke it into small pieces, and put sonic butter and poison mixed upon the slices. It was then within a few minutes of eleven o'clock. I had occasion to go to the low er bar to see it closed. Mr Hossack and deceased were the onlj (persons in the room. 1 said, "Mr Berndt, look atter this poisoned stiill" which I have prepared for the rats, let nobody touch it, and not even the dogs." The bread was on a new spaper v\ ithin tour feet of where they were sitting. They both answered. All right.'' I then left (he room, and returned in about seven or eight minutes, finding Mr Hossaek and deceased alone m it. The former said, on my ciUei-iug the room, " What do you think? That fool Berndt has been eating a piece or tins bread." I asked, 'How did it happen?" Hossack replied, "I was talking through the opening to the barmaid tor a minute, and on turning round saw him chew ing ; told Mm to spit out the bread, saying ' You know Mr Uhde told ub H was rough on rats.'" Witness then said to Berndt, " Did you swallow any?" He replied. "I did not; 1 spat it out." 'I hen advised him to go and see a doctor. He said "1 have not swallowed any" Ihen said, "I think it is advisable to" take an emetic, swallow or not." 1 then sent for some salt and water. He took it, and then went upstairs to his bedroom. I did not see him until the next morning, about nine o'clock. There is no truth m the statement that he went mad, and was running about almost naked upstairs. At nine o'clock on 1 uesday morning I went to his room and saw that he had been vomiting a great deal. Asked him how he was. He replied. "1 feel very weak. 1 ha\ c been vomiting all night. I took sonic mustard and water after I retiied, which made me vomit all night." 1 asked him to get up, saying he would teel better. lie answered, "I will got up by-and-by. I feel rather weak just now." I then left him, and at two o'clock s.iw Dr. Wright in the house. Ho inloi mod me after seeing Berndt that he was very ill, and letta prescription to be made up for him. The medicine was given in accordance A\ith the doctor's instructions. Later on Dr. M'Laurin was called m to consult with Dr. Wright, but deceased sank and died about half-past ten on Wednesday morning. Bj the Coroner : I am quite certain that before leaving the room, atter poisoning the bread, 1 told both deceased and Hossack hot to touch it, as it was poisoned for the rats On tbe Tuesday I said to deceassd, "What made you take that poisoned Dread?' He replied, ' -> I thought it was something nice; and thought you wouldn't let us have it." I said, "It was not very inviting ; you miibt have been very hungry." lam sure Berndt answeredw ered me when I told him the sandwiches were poisoned.