POISONING CASE.

Waikato Argus, Volume VII, Issue 487, 14 September 1899, Page 2

POISONING CASE.

(BV TELEGRAPH.— PRESS ASSOCIATION). Wellington, Last Night. Commissioner Tdnbridgk was thia morning able to communicate to the Press a few brief particulars of the poisoning case at Ohau, on the Mauawatu line.

Mrs Giles, described as the wife of a platelayer on the railway, was this morning arrested by Chief Detective McGrath on the charge of attempting to murder Mrs West. The accused appeared before the Court at Levin and was remanded for eight days. Mrs West is in a very precarious condition, and her dying depositions have been taken. The parties live about a quarter of a mile from each other. There have been long-standing neighbours' quarrels between them, but towards the end of last week this was to a certain extent patched up, and Mrs West accepted the invitation of Mrs Giles to pnj r her a visit, which she made on Saturday afternoon. Upon her arrival at Mr.s Giles' house Mrs Giles gave her a cup of tea, vvhich she drank. Mrs Giles then pressed her to accept a second cup. In handing it to her Mrs Giles told her she need not stir it, as she had already stirred it. Mrs West thereupon drank the tea and immediately fell ill. Mrs Giles said she did not care about her being ill in hei hou&e, and persuaded her to go home. Mrs West then left the house and was taken worse on the road home, vomiting violently. She was found by a settler in a collapsed condition, and the police were subsequently communicated with. Some of the vomit was sent to Dr. Skey, the Government Analyst, who found abundant traces of arsenic. They are both middle-aged women.