STRYCHNINE IN TEA.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 26 June 1913, Page 6

STRYCHNINE IN TEA.

SUPPOSED ATTEMPT TO POISON.

TWO YOUNG WOMEN CHARGED

STORY OF LOVE AND JEALOUSY

MELBOURNE, June 14

A roiiuu-kiule case of attempted I poioUihig iias engaged the atuuuon , of the authorities during th) past tew i days, and has led to bho surest ot two voimg women. Underlying tin aii'air' is Uj'o.a, old story of love and ka,ousy. At Bank street, Ascot Vale, ilu.it- lives a.jha Florence May ] Kin<' ami her husband, who works m ; the n.uvi-13 offiL-j'of ulw Railway l>e-' parUu.it, a.id , thoir 1/-months-old child, tm Saturday .night, a woman visited Mrs KiLig, and, giving her name as Mis*, lloß*rs, stated that sh' had a patrol for her husband from his sister-: n-law at Lcluica. Mrs Kin" invited the caller m, and alter a general conversation the baby was brought out for inspection. Muss Ro-g--rs. however, expressed her disliki ot' i-iu'.dren. She remarked that she had not had time for a meal since lunch, and Mrs King hospitably prepared some tea. She then put the baby to b.d, and on returning to the room noticed something peculiar about rhe cup of tea she had left on the tabl). It had a cloudy appearance, and there were traces of powder on th>*abl». An awful suspicion flashed across her mind—was an attempt bang made to poison her.-' Taking a risk, she tasted the tea. It was bitter. She drank no more. She did not feel justified in making an accusation, however, and a tew minutes later Miss Rogers departed, saying that she would sie Mr King at* the station. When the husband came home his wife told him what had happened, and on examination, the tea was found to contain enough strychnine to kill a dozen people. Ths motive for the attempt on Mrs King s life was explained by Mr King, who said that about a, year ago a young-woman; formedVa-a attachment" for him, and when he was married sin became violently j-alous and per. eecuted him in eyery direction. The hysterical, tteepmg of the two women concerned in the affair broke the silencs of the City Court this morning. Both, were dressed ivel), and were ooviously suffering 'greatly frooa the position ttey were in. : Call the case of Claries Maud Cowell and Ehz-. abeth Louisa Barry," said /Sergeant Shaw. Still crying, the accused entered the dock, Cowell being an a state of collapse. "He ruined my life. In ruined my life," she muttered continually. "He came into my life and broke my heart." : "You are charged,", said the ;s-:rgeant. addressing Cowell, ."with having, on June ■ '7th,- - !at c Vale/ unlawfully, con- ' spired with Elizabith,Louisa Barry to kill and murder Florence May King, this was the -signal'for another hysterical outbreak, which was renewed when a similar charge was read to ; Barry. Both women covered their faces with their hands during the proceedinars, and refused'to reveal their features. A detective .had to support Cowell practically all the time ;thp case was .being heard to prevent • her fr<jm falling to the floor. . Detective' Napthme, in ..evidence, placed i-he facts narrated above before the . Couri .''Yesterday continued; "in company, with JDeteetive ,Brophy, I" interviewed Cowell. She denied' any knowledge , of .last Saturday's occurrence. "Then I eaw Barrv, who admitted that Cowell and herself purchased -,' the strychnine about six "weeks ago in Collingwood. I took a statement from Barry to the effect, and afterwards I read it to Cowell, who said,k .yas true. She told me that she had been cruelly treated by King, who had ruin :d her and had absolutely broken her heart, and that she wanted to get rid of Mrs King." At the request of ..witness a remand was'granted until next Fridav. An application for bail was Te j;u63d -by Mr Dwyer, P.M, At the subsequent bearing jta* s om . mittad for JplaU - - '" Cowell Cole's Book Arcade. She is 26 years of age, and of prepossessing appearance. Barry, who is of the same age", was waitress- at the Hopetoun Tea, Rooms, Collins street.