POISON IN TEA.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3229, 27 May 1911, Page 4

POISON IN TEA.

CHARGES AGAINST TWO GIRLS

A remarkable charge of administering poison with intent to murder was before the magistrate at Birmingham recently, Alice Jackson, IS, a press worker, and Betsy Shannon, 12, a schoolgirl, being brought up. Mrs. Mary Ann Shannon, mother of the youngest girl, said she was the wife of a window cleaner, and met Jackson at Bromsgrove in October when she and her husband were hop-picking. The girl was dirty and neglected, and said she had no home. The witness took pity on her, dressed her so that she could live with them, and brought her with them to Birmingham. She was a good girl till Christmas, when she went to a wedding and stayed out all night. The witness scolded her. She replied, “You’re always on me; I will do you in yet.” Little notice was taken of this threat (Mrs. Shannon said), but at the beginning of March she became unaccountably ill. After being attended by a doctor she recovered. On March 11th she came downstairs. Jackson had gone to work, and the witness was having breakfast. She left +he house temporarily, and on returning she sipped her cup of tea. It burned her throat, and 'vas bitter. She said to her daughter, “B°tsy, have vou been doing anything to the +ea ?” The girl began to cry. and said. “I nut so’ 11 © crystals in.” adding that Alice told her to do so. as she wanted her (Mrs. Shannon’s) black dress. The witness saw Jackson at midday, and producing a bottle containing the tea, . asked her to taste it. She refused, saying she knew what was in it. Later the same day Jackson made an allegation affecting Mrs. Shannon’s husband. When confronted with him she denied having made the statement. According to police evidence. Jackson when arrested said: “Three weeks ago a girl at the works told me it would kill anybody. I gave a piece to Betsy, and told her to put it in her mother’s tea, as she was always grumbling.” Both defendants were committed for trial at tlie assizes, Jackson being detained in custody.