THE ALLEGED CASE OF WIFE POISONING.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1559, 21 September 1886, Page 2

THE ALLEGED CASE OF WIFE POISONING.

At 2 p.m. yesterday, at the Timarj R,M. Court, before J. S. Bsawick, Esq., R.M., and E. Elwoithy and H. J. LcCrcn, Esq a., J.P.’s, Thomas Hal! and Margaret Graham Houston were brought up on remand charged with attempting to murder Mrs Catharine Hall.

Hediey Yickers Drew; I am surgeon in charge of the Timaru Hospital, and a duly qualified medical practitioner. On July 14th I was called in on consultation in Mrs Hall's case by Dr Maclntyre. 1 found that she was very ill, suffering from vomiting. She was jaondiced, and complained that she was suffering from pain at the pit of the stomach and near the region of the liver. Her pulse was abnormally quick, and moderately but not excessively weak. She was very much depressed and anxious-looking and easily tired. Her face was expressive of aniie*y. I examined externally the different organs, Out did not find anything to satisfactorily account for the symptoms. We prescribed very small doses of ipecacuanha wine, vie,, 5 minim doses. On August 12th, I was called in consultation with Urs Lovegrove and Maclntyre, A few evenings before that I met the prisoner Hall in town. He referred to Mrs HaTs case, and asked me if I had examined with Maclntyre some urine and vomit. fi« referred to the Urine Qnd yomit of the 14th of July on

the occasion of the first consultation. I replied that Dr Maclntyre had brought some to the hospital, nod that we had examined it. He (Hall) asked if we had found anything, anil I replied that we had not found any albumen or sugar. Hall said that Dr Maclntyre had not discussed the case with him, treating him like a child in not telling him anything, and that he could never bo found when ho was wanted. This was all the conversation, and wo parted at the corner of bmith street. This was between 11 and 11.30 in the evening. He asked if 1 would walk round his way with him to the house, but 1. did not go as it was out of my way, and it was an unpleasant, drizzling night. At the consultation with ])rn Maclntyre and Lnvegrove on August i2th 1 saw Mrs Hall ; she was then extremely weak, far weaker than on July 14th. She was still jaundiced, had an anxious expression on her face, and her eyes wsrojsunken. She complained of intense itching all over the body, great thirst, a feeling of something tight grasping the throat, tingling of the hands and feet, and occasional headaches, and she alao ; complained of involuntary spasmodic movement of the shoulder, and slight spasms m the calves of the legs; her lips were sore, and also the nostrils ; her voice was very weak indeed, and her pulse extremely weak and irregular. Her temperature was below normal; the tongue was furred and patched, and red in places. There was a faint blue line on the gums, and extreme tenderness over the stomach and liver, and some tenderness extending over the whole of the abdomen. She had been rubbing her eyelids, and complained very much of the itching in the eyes. She had been suffering from suppression of urine from the previous day, and she had also suffered from occasional diarrhoea ; this information was elicited from the nurse ii the presence of Mrs Hall, who interjected some remarks. Mrs Hall was quite sensible of what was going on. Mrs Hall hac wasted a good deal since the first consultation on July 14, and her skin was dry, while the hands aod feet were peeling slightly. After the consultation we (the three doctors) went from the bedroom to the dining room. Here we were found by the prisoner Hall, who immediately left the room end shortly afterwards returned. On his return Dr Lovegrove gave Hall directions as to what was to be done. These directions were that Mrs Hall was to have nothing but ice water by the mouth, and she was to have food injections by the bowels every three hours. Hail asked if the injections might give rise to vomiting I believe Dr Lovegrove replied No.” Dr Lovegrove asked Hall whether the food had been prepared in copper utensils, and Hall left the room to inquire. On returning ho said that the vessels were lined with enamel. Dr Lovegrove told Hall that there was some inflammation of the stomach present, and Hall asked if the tongue would give any signs of such inflammation. Hall then referred to visitors, and 'said ; “I suppose the fewer the better.” The following day Hall telephoned to me at the hospital that his wife had had a very bad night, and had been delirious, and he thought the slightest shock would send her away. On August ,14tb 1 went with Dr Maclntyre to Mrs Hall’s house. We both saw Mrs. Hall at that time. O.i leaving the house on that day Miss Houston came up to me as I was going out of the door, and said she wished to speak to me. She said, “ I want you to tell me what you really think about Mrs Hall.” She added that Dr Maclntyre would not tell them anything, and- that Dr Lovegrove seemed dumbfounded, nonplussed, or some such expression. I re plied that she should have been present when the explanation was given to Hall in the dining-room. She indicated that she was not satisfied with the reply, and

I told her there was some infl amrnat'on of the siomach. Previous to this, oo the Friday morning, we had made an ex iiminatioa of some urine nod vomit. Dr Maclntyre brought these things to the hospital. On analysis by Reinscli teat we found antimony in both, On Sunday, August 15th, Hall came between 11 and 12 o’clock in the morning to the hospital to see me. 1 think 1 asked him how Mrs Hall was, and he replied that she was very bad. Hall then began talking about Dr Maclntyre, and he said, among other things, that when this case was over he (Dr Maclntyre) would never enter his doors again. Hall added, “ What do you think he’s been doing] He has been fossicking about amongst the pots and pans.” He said he did not mind Dr Maclntyre trying to find out if there was anything wrong, but what he complained of was that he had allowed her to get into this bad state, I cannot remember anything else he said, or anything mors about Dr Maclntyre. Hall then asked about the testing. He asked me if we had found any stuff in the vomit. 1 answered that we had not found any albumen or sugar. He asked me then if I would allow him to come up and see us test, but I cannot remember what answer I gave to that. Prior to this we bad a conversation about Mrs Hall, and the prisoner said she had borne her suffering very well. I answered that I thought so. Hall also asked me if I would go down to dinner on that day, and I said I was engaged to dine with Mr Matthias. Hall said if I had no objection he would walk down part of the way with me, and ho did so up to the house. On reaching North Strset, Hall said he thought he would go to Mr Matthias’ to taste some of il e Lyttelton’s ■ whiskey he had. We met Mr Matthias in the garden, and Hall said he;. would come and taste the whiskey. Mr Matthias said ho had no Lyttelton whiskey, but he would give him some other. Hall went into the room and spoke to Mrs Matthias, who asked after Mrs Hall, but I do not know what he replied. Hall had come to the Hospital two or three times about two years before this time to see me professionally. 1 have been to Hall’s house about three times during the time I have been in Timarn in addition to my professioo >1 visits. I had been to Hall’s house to dinner about three or four months before the cise came on.

Edward George Kerr deposed : I am proprietor of the South Canterbury Times. On the sth of August I went to the office of the prisoner Hall. I sat down to examine e »me papers with him in the office. While I was sitting Hall was standing. He said, “ Excuse me, I wish to speak to my house.” He then rung up the telephone, and said “ Is that you Mary ? Is Miss Houston in ? Tell her I want her.” After a lapse of about a minute be said, “Is that you, MegrimsP By the

way, there is a decanter of wine in the room; put it away; it is not right. It was very foolish not te put it away before I left home this morning.” He then said, “But it doesn’t matter ; put it away evidently to a question from the other end. He then said, “ How is Kitty P” and then, " Yes, yes, all right,” as if answering a question. He then walked across the room to the end of the table at which I was sifting, end-said, byway of explanation of bis conversation at the telephone, “ I have a servant at homo who drinks everything she can get hold of, and I have doctored eome wine for her.” I said, laughing, “A little jalap, I supposeP” he said “ No, eome stuff I got from the little chemist over the road.” Eichbaum’s chemist shop is almost immediately opposite Hall and Meason’s office. We stood talking for two or three minutes, and then Hall went to the telephone again, rang up fais bouse and asked for Miss Houston. He said "Is that you, Miss Houston ? Have you put that away f" a and after a slight pause " All right,” as if in * in reply to an answer given. Hall then returned and we resumed our conversation as to the accounts, and in about four or fire minutes he was rung up. He went to the telephone and answered the ring. He said “ Is that you, Miss Houston f” and after a pause said, " What! my mother there, and wants something to drink. Giye her something,” and added, as if in answer to a question, “ Look in the cubpoard, and I’ll wait.” He stood waiting for an answer, and then said “Oh! I have the key in my pocket,” putting his hands in his pocket at: the same time adding " Say nothing at all,” and then, as if in answer to another question, “ Give - her nothing.” That was all I heard. Cross examined by Mr Joynt: lam a Jus- ' tice of the Peace and Hall knew it at the ' time. Mr White asked that the information be altered from Catharine Hall to Hate Emily Hall. Tbia was done.: *: Mr White ; That will bo the case, Your Worship. The usual caution having been read over to the prisoners, Mr Beswick asked counsel what course they intended to pursue. ! Mr Joynt s Hall reserves his defense. Mr Hay, on behalf of the female prisoner, said that he wished to address the Oourt, contending that no prima facie case had been made out against his client, but if the Bench bad made up their minds to commit he would not waste their time. . Mr Beswick asked if any application was to be made as to the place o‘ committal. Mr Joynt. said that he understood him (His Worshi;) to i>»v that he intended to send the case to Christchurch, ,but on Mr Beswick saying that he did not. recollect haring made any such statement, counsel argued in favor of that course being followed. Mr White siiid that the Crown would offer no objection to this if the forgery esses were also sent to Christchurch^ Mr Joynt opposed this, as prejudicing the prisoner, but on it being explained to him that, Mr Ferry had applied for a committal to Christchurch on the forgery chargee, he withdrew 'his opposition. The prisoneis were then formally committed to lake their trial at the nsxt sittings of the Supreme Court at Christchurch. Mr Hay applied that Miss : Houston bs admitted to bail, bat after hearing him the Court declined to entertain the application. The prisoner Hall was then recommitted to Christchurch on the forgery charges. In answer to Mr Joynt, Mr Beswiok said that Hall would be detained in Timaru until the trial.