FATAL DRINK.
DEATH OF YOUTH.
Per Press Association. DUNEDIN, Nov. 2. The Balclutha police advise that Leslie John Taylor, aged 19, whose parents live at Paretai, died yesterday afternoon after swallowing some poison. Deceased and another youth were on a fishing expedition and they visited an abandoned gold mining claim. Here they found a bottle, the contents of which Taylor tasted from curiosity, dying almost at once. -Manawatu Standard, 2/11/1931.
A FATAL DRINK
YOUTH ACCIDENTALLY POISONED
An inquest was held in the Balclutha Courthouse yesterday afternoon to inquire into the death of Leslie John Taylor, aged nineteen, who dropped dead on the river bank near the mouth of the Molyneux on Sunday afternoon. Mr W. Roy, J.P., presided as acting coroner over a jury of four.
Alexander Blew, a schoolboy of fourteen, said that on Sunday morning he had gone out fishing with his cousin, the deceased, who was then in good health and spirits. They had some lunch together at about 1 o’clock, both partaking of the same provisions, and later in the afternoon, while walking along the river bank, they came on some sluice boxes and stopped to examine them. Taylor picked up a glass jar containing some liquid and alter pouring some of it out on the ground he held the jar to his lips and drank some. He remarked that it had a funny taste, and then they walked on again. After they had gone about 80 yards Taylor began to stagger, and then almost immediately he fell to the ground and groaned once or twice. Witness was frightened, and ran to find help, and on returning with Mr Balloch who lived in the neighbourhood, he found Taylor still lying in the same position. Mr Balloch said he was dead.
Herbert F. J. Rakiraki, miner, said that for seven months past he had been working a gold claim on an island known as “The Spit,” near the mouth of the Molyneux river. On Saturday morning he paid a visit to his claim and shifted some of his belongings on to higher ground, as he thought there was a possibility of flood. Among the material was a bottle containing a solution of cyanide of potassium. He was aware that the mixture was poisonous, but owing to the isolated nature of the place he had not thought to observe any special precautions as to its keeping. He used the “copper plate" method in order to obtain the gold, and the cyanide of potassium was used to keep the plate free from verdigris, thus preserving the quicksilver on the plate and allowing the sand to pass oft freely.
Constable Feeley gave evidence that he had visited the scene of the occurrence and had found there the solution which was proved to contain cyanide of potassium. There was no other bottle in the vicinity.
Dr Alexander Macfarlane stated that he had examined the body, and from signs he would state that the deceased had met his death by taking cyanide of potassium, which was one of the most deadly of poisons. One mouthful of such a mixture as was produced would he ample to produce fatal results inside ten minutes.
The jury returned a verdict that death was caused by accidental drinking of cyanide of potassium, no blame being attachable to anyone. The Coroner expressed the sympathy of the court with the relatives of the deceased, and added that the poison should have been kept under lock and key, and further should have been labelled “ Poison.” -Evening Star, 3/11/1931.
In Memoriam
TAYLOR. — In sad and loving memory of Leslie John Taylor, died November 1, 1931.
The flower we plant upon his grave, May wither and decay,
But our love for him who lies beneath, Will never fade away.
They miss him most who loved him best. — Inserted by his sorrowing parents, sisters, and brothers, Paretai. -Otago Daily Times, 1/11/1932.
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