THE MELBOURNE POISONING CASE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1750, 14 June 1888, Page 4

THE MELBOURNE POISONING CASE.

At Melbourne the coroner's, inquest concerning the death of Mr Edward; Gillett has resulted in the committal for jaurder of Mrs, Spann. The circumstances were as follow: Gillett »was a man of means, and went to Btay at Mrs' Spann's' restaurant. He was drunk /from March 17th to the! day of his death, April 27th. Once he made out a will on an old paper bag, leaving £3500 .to Mrs Spann. The latter then got him sober, and took him,to a solicitor, where: he imade relatives got. him away, but Mrs Spann allured hinl back. She even offered a person ,£l,O toget him away fro,j».bis.i:elatiyes, OnA otfeasion" she went to meet Gilieit * at ss 'the 1! "Geelong > Bteamer, representing herself as his sister. s The steward recommended her, if jshe was -his eis'terj 4o* get him .out; of Spann's restaurant-; as they were a bad lot. On April 26tb, in the evening,,Gillett asked Mrs. Spann to give him his sleeping draught., She gave him instead a dose of glacial acetic acid; which caused his death. The question wad whether she gave him the poison in mistake or on purpose. One fact that weigbe.d. strongly with the jury was that acfetic acid has a very strong' smell, which few persons could fail to discover,•'and which rendered it unlikely be given in error for any other The yetdict occasioned a good deal of public but Mrs Spain's action in keeping Gillettj drinking so long has placed her in a bad light. The jury was composed,oj seven, .and', by) fiveito two they declared Mrs Spann guilty of wilful murder j , !