THE CAIN POISONING CASE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1527, 18 December 1886, Page 2

THE CAIN POISONING CASE.

THE CHARGE OF WILFUL MURDER AGAINST THOMAS HALL. Timaru—Friday, Dkg. 17xh. [Before J. S. Beswick, Esq., R.M.] The hearing of the charge against Thomas Hall of wilfully murdering tha , late Captain Henry Cain was resumed at 11 o’clock, the proceedings being ducted in the Grand Jury Room. Mr White appeared for the prosecution, and stated he did not intend to call any more evidence. He had closed his case. Mr 0. T, H. Perry, prisoner’s counsel, said he intended to call evidence for the defence. In reply to the usual caution, Mr Perry said the prisoner would reserve his defence. Mr Perry then called James Qow Black, Professor of Chemistry, etc., Dunedin, who gave evidence at great length on the analyses made by Drs Ogetoo, Hogg, and himself of the contents of the four bottles of matter taken by Dr Hogg to Dunedin after the exhumation of the body of the late Captain Cain. The whole, of the tests proved the presence of antimony in small quantities. He also tested a quantity of earth taken from the grave but found no trace of antimony, With the object of ascertaining approximalely how much poison was contained in the four bottles he collected the two orange precipitates obtained by the tests, washed them, dried them, and weighed them. Pound the weight to be *OO9 gramme equal to T3BB of a grain of antimony which represents about '271 of tartar emetic. He assumed this to have been got from one-olghth of all the contents of the four bottles. This would give a shade over 2 grains of tartar emetic in the whole contents. He concluded : “ We tested the battles and the soil for nothing but antimony. In consultation between us wo resolved not to look for organic poisons, owing to the lapse of time since Captain Cain’s death. We did not analyse any individual solid separately. . The tests showed only very small quantities of antimony, but decided, such as to allow no doubt that anti- 4 mony was present." Mr White declined to ask the witness any questions. Mr Perry then addressed the Bench, urging that if His Worship committed the. prisoner for trial he would do so to the criminal sessions at Oamaru. Mr White objected, and suggested Christchurch. His Worship said he could not agree with Mr Perry’s contention, and committed the prisoner to take his trial at the next sitting of the Supreme Court at Christchurch.