THE TRIAL OF MRS. HEARN.
READINGS FROM BIBLE AT DYING SISTER'S BEDSIDE.
ARSENIC IN CORNISH SOIL: QUESTIONS BY THE DEFENCE.
HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, WEDNESDAY JULY 15, 1931.
R.M.S.P. PROSECUTION CONCLUDED.
WHAT LORD KYLSANT EARNED: FROM £48,000 TO £3,000 A YEAR.
LORD MAYOR AND COUNSEL.
bates paid away. The calculations
Mr Matthews: While the three years' average system was in ex istonea wo reserved tax on the whole of the current year's profile, which meant that we brought for ward from the previous reserve two-, thirds of the tax of the proceeding. year and one-third of the year bo- foro that. That was all holdin
reserve.
Lord Mayor How, in face of the
Bodmin, June 19.-Evidence of) And they joined in the responses. Tho case for the Crown was con Gospel roading and prayer, in So far as you can tell they seemed cluded at Guildhall on the "sum did not include the earnings of the fact that there was a dobit in 1921
which Mrs. Hearn joined, at the bedside of her sister, "Minnia" Everard, was given at Bodmin Assizes yesterday, when the trial was resumed in which Mrs, Hoara is charged with the murder by poison of her sister and of Mrs
· Alice Thomas.
A Devoted Sister,
start to finish in all that she did So far as you could judge, from Mrs. Hearn, gave the impression of being devoted to her sister 1- Yes, sir.
of over £000,000 in respect of the trading of the R.M.S.P., was in- come-tax payable?
to welcome you and appreciate what monses against Lord Kylsant and 100 per cent companies, interest you did f-Yes.
Mr. Harold John Mortand arising received on investmotits, or ronte re- out of the affairs of the Royal Mail | caived from promises lot.
Mr. Matthows: There wero large Mr. Fulton: What thu Steam Packet. Company.
repayments of E.P.D. which.are. practice in regard to payment-called profite for income-tax pur- Payment of the 3,000 yearly mini- mum was made quarterly in each year, and in the following year after the accounts were made up the balones was, where earded, paid over usually in instalments,
And in her ha sister, did she seem genuinely sympathy for her grieved at the illness of Afinne
Counsel in the case are:-For tho prosecution, Mr. H. du: Parog, K.C. and Mr. Patrick Devlin for the defence, Mr. Norman Bir-Yea kett, K., M.P., and Mr. D. M. Foot."
Mrs. Spear said that Miss Everard Hearn used to rub her legs. suffered from neuritis, and Mrs.
Mrs. Hearn may have used weed In 1998, it is quite possible that
The Lord Mayor was invited by counsel for the Crown to commit the two defendants for trial. Ho ro
oryed his decision. h
The munimonses against Lord Kyl saat allege that ne chairman and managing director of the RM8.P., in May, 1927, and May, 1998, he concurred in so doing, annual re made, circulated or published, or
Lord Mayor Will you tell me
money in respect of chairman or whether Lord Kylsant drow any
respect of the calculations of the 100 per cent, companies.
poses
Mr Matthews also added that the company had made large deposits for BP.D. purposes, and it was afterwards found that the liability was very small.
Known to Tuland Revanne, k
Society, was the first witness yea killer in the back garden, or shortly ports of the directors of the com- managing director or otherwise in the income tax authoring the fact
Mr. Edward G. Roberts, cashier at Barclays Bank, Launceston, and a Fellow of the Royal Microscopical terday, and said that it was part of his work to compare hand-writing.
Mr. du Pareq: Will you look at this letter addressed to Mr. Thomu and signed A Hearn'? Now compare it with this letter signed "A. Faithful. What do you say
aftorwards, without your knowing
Lord Mayor Did you disclose to
your very that during all these you large sums of money had been lost Mr. Casin: Not to my know in the tre
account 1-Oh, yes. These figures were known to the ford Mayor: Wore there any Government authorities! To the
Inland Revenue, certainly. the 100 per cent. companies over and above the amounts sat out on
pany for the years 1926 and 1997, Minine" Mr. Birkett asked whether when which be know to be false in a
Everard complained about the medicine she was not material particular, with intent to rather bysterical
deceive the shareholders of the comledge. about the, handwriting 1-I beliovo plied, "but frightened of being of the company, is alleged to have additional payments in respect. öf
Not hysterical," Mrs. Spear ropany. Mr. Morland, the auditor
it is the same handwriting,
Now look at this "register" from St.. Leonarda Private Hotel. What do you say about the signature
poisoned."
Mrs. Poskitt, of Doncaster, naided and abetted him
ister of Mrs. Hearn and Miss It is also alleged against Lord "Mrs, Ferguson"-I am not pre- three days, sho has waited just Kylsant that on June 29, 1999, he this schedule --Yoz.
Everard, was next called. For
pared to accept that as the same handwriting,
If it were written by the same person that would not be ordinary was when she passed her in the which he knew 'to be falso in a handwriting -It cortainly does not appear to be the same.
outside the court only a few yards made, circulated or published or from her sister. Her first glimpse concurred in so doing, a prospectus of Mrs. Hearm for several months)
Mr. du Parcq showed Mr. Roberts A letter signed A. Hearn" asking for a tin of weed-killer.
י
Mr. Roberts said that he thought tho handwriting was the same as that of the letter addressed to Mr. Thomas:
An Untidy Garden,
dock.
They exchanged a glance, and then Mrs. Poskitt turned to face Mr. du Parcq, who examined her.
"The Old Trouble."
She stated that when she visited Trenhorne House she found her sister suffering from the old trou-
Yot in the balance-sheets, publish ed year by year the company showed
to their shareholders that they had
What was the nature of the draw.made a substantial profit?-In 1923.
it was not called proât.. ings 7-Quite small,"
pure
Lord Mayors It was called ba“ Banon for the year,
Were they directors' fees material particular; with intent to and simple or were they anything induce persons to entrust or adelsSo far as I know, director the City of London Police, stated
are
vance property to the company. Counsel for the prosecution Mr. D. N. Pritt, K.C., and Mr. Eustace Fulton-
Following the withdrawal of Sir,
fees only
Mr. Cason said, the sum they Would amount to was quite small- something like £800 ar £500,
Mr. Cason added that in respect
Detective Inspector Stubbings, of
that he served two summonses on Lord Kylsant on May 10 at his re- sidence. After reading the BUI
the reason they have picked on me? mous Lord Kylsant said, "What is
ble. It had begun by being.gastric John Simon, K.C., Sir Patrick of the Moat Transporta Company. There are a number of other direc
Mrs. Elizabeth Spear, a widow, Jiving at Trenhorne House, Lewan- as time went on. Sho had weak-rounsel for the defence, Lord nick, nid that Trenhorne House, ness in the legs and tingling sen. was really two houses, of which she sations. She had been ill off and Kylsant was represented by Mr. occupied one and Mrs. Hearn and l'on for 20 to 30 years, . .* Wilfred Lewis and Mr. Morland by the late Mrs, Hearn and the late While she was there she (Mrs. Mr. F. J. Tacker. Mr. Henry Poskitt) and Mrs. Hearn did the cooking and shared the nursing. O'Hagan and Mr. Elder Jones held watching briefs for the R.M.S.P. Company.
Miss Everard the other,
Looking at a photograph of, Mrs. | Hearn's garden, she said: “It was not kept so untidy as that, Mrs. Hearn did not have time to | look after it properly, because she was looking after Miss Everard."
Mrs. Spear said that she could redall no conversation with Mrs. Hearn about the woods in the garden; neither did she see any signs of wood-killer having been used, though she did not often go into the back garden,
Mias Everard, she continued, did not enjoy good health... Some time in April or May, 1939, Mrs. Hearn naked her to go and help her with her sister because she (Mrs. Hearn) did not feel very well
Miss Everard was in bed in her room. They had a chapter from the Bible and prayed together.
Mr. du Pare: Were there any occasions when" Miss Everard, said anything to you about her condi- tion Yes Somo tame in May, Mrs. Hearn cams 'and told me her sistor was worse. I went to 800 Miss Everard, who said that the medicine was too strong for her and that it was going into her hande and loga
Mrs. Hearn, who was there, also said that her sister had had too strong a dose of medicine.
Mr. du Parcq Did Mrs. Hearn say what the medicine was 1-Yes, she said it was medicine iu, case af emergency to be taken when Miss Everard was in more pain than usual.
During your visits, did Miss
visits, Everard tell you from time to time how she was feeling 1-Yes,
Mrs. Spear on the Two Titnesses. Mrs. Spear said that she wont to see Mrs. Thomas while she was ill Mrs. Thomas complained that she had lost the use of her legs, and she (Mrs. Spear) thought it was very much the same as in the other
case.
Mrs. Poskitt identified a letter as coming from Mrs. Hearn, and Mr: du Pareq road the letter to the court, passages of it being as follows
Mr. A. T. Cason, formerly chief
accountant of the FM.S.P., was re-
esiled, and produced a schedule of
"Our dearest Thisse Minnie had rather a bad attack again a week last Saturday night. She was certain figures for the yours 1918. very bad and sick, but it did not 1918, last so long. -
Journ
We have not Lord Mayor: Do those seen anything of Mr. Thomas for some time, but he came it
come within the purview of the Minnie was feeling very bad. chargea?
Mr. Fulton: It was our
view
"Before we could get her to bed she fainted right away. We lifted her on to the bed, and afterwards that it was desirable that gures she was sick. We thought we for those years should be forthcom
ing.
should like a doctor. He inid be would send some powder and that
it would do more good. than medi Lord Mayor: Who thought it cine. Mr. Thomas went in for it desirable? on Sunday. We do not want you to worry. We hope for better things for all of us!
Mrs. Poskitt identified a number of letters written to her by Mrs Hearn giving news of the state of
Minnie's honith.
Mr. Fulton: My learned leader
and I.
Mr. Morland said," "I under-
Lord Kylant's director's fees were £100 per annumo.
suppose I must; appear to answer Mr. Cyril Gordon Matthews, ea-
the summonses.
On the evening of the same day sistant accountant to, the R.M.S.Pho saw Mr. Morland at his resid said that from 1921 be dealt with once, and read to him the sum the taxation matters of the R.M.S.monses relating to aiding and abet-
ting Lord Kylsant. P. and the R.M.S.P. Meat Trans ports Company. He apportioned the Excess Profits Duty between the R.M.8.P. and the individual sub
diary concerns. The liabilities of On June 9 witness saw Lord the R.M.S.P. and the Meat Trans- Kyleant in the precincts of that ports Company were treated as one. offence in respect to the issue of Court, and charged him, with sa Amounts reserved for E.P.D. para prospectus in 1908. Lord Kylant poses from 1913 to 1921 inclusive replied, "Thank you, I under-
stand."
With this evidence the case for
totalled £2,280,600,
The final liability of the RM.S.P. and the Meat Tranports Company was found to be £340,417, leaving an ultimate free reserve of £3,990,183. In 1921, said Mr. Matthews, £300,000 was transferred to write down the investments of the com pany. In succeeding years various sums were credited to profit and lom account as follow:
+140
1922 · £100,000 || 1025 1923 £100,000
51900-***
£300,000 £550,000
Replying to a question by the Lord Mayor as to whether or not defending counsel objected, Mr. Mr. du Pareq read passages from Lowis said: "I do not think I can some of them, and, selecting one, pointed out that it stopped ab object. The years 1918 and 1919 are ruptly, as evidently the bottom of material to the question of the pro-written off investments and the reat' the letter had bean cut off.
1924 ... £330,000 1927 £232,788 Lord Mayor: Only £300,000 was
Awent into one or other of the ba
fance-sheets.
The Judge examined the letter spectus. It covers ten years. closely, and said: "It has clearly previous document only covers eight been cut off, because you can sco years, and this schedule takes it the topa, of the letters underneath back a further two years,” Did you cut it off!”
Mrs. Poskitt No.1
Mr. Tucker: That makes it clear"
The Judge handed the letter to it is not evidence against Mr. the jury-box, saying: "There is land. no doubt at all that it has been cut."
Turning to Mrs. "Poskitt, be saids Didn't you really cut a piece oft: that letter yourselft
-·!!
BO.
Mr. Fulton: Apparently that is
The Lord Mayor was putting a Mor-question to Mr. Fulton when he noticed that counsel was consulting with Mr. Morgan, the Treasury solicitor.
"
Lord Kylsant's Drawings.......
Mr. Cason produced figures show.
middle of a sentence and looked
Fulton,
ing the drawings of Lord Kylsant The Lord Mayor stopped in the Mrs. Poskitt: If I did, I have under the agreement by which if the quite forgotten.
The Judge: It follows, then, company paid a dividend of 5 per across at counsel. Mr. that you do not remember what was cent. Lord Kylsant received as noticing that the Lord Mayor's at. teation was focussed on him, said:
in the rest of the letter--I do not chairman per cent, of the grows After the funeral of Mrs. Thoinas, know. The letters were often Mrs Spear also said, Mrs. Hearn writton at different periods. The earnings, and if the dividend foll came back to Trenhorne House and bottom might have been cut off be below 6 per cent. he received £3,000 said that she could not stay at cause, there had been some change
year. Lord Kylsant drew; Treuhorne Farm any longer, be in circumstances If it was cut cause people seemed to think that before it came it might have been the tinned food was poisoned to omit something that had chang Mr. Birkett: Did Mra. Hearned, because the letters were some want you to come in to have even times written a week before they. ing prayer with her and Miss were sent. Everard Yes.
Did you always read a special
passage from the Gospel-I ask this.
for a special reason Yes, some
In 1020 In 1021 In 1822
In 1923.
248,337
42,004
23,376
90,045
In 1924
28,430
Miss. Everard's 30 Years of Bickness.
Answering Mr Birkett, Mra
In 1025
27,165
In 1993, (when tho dividend fell to. 4
per cent).
In 1927
3,000 20,8427
times from the Gospel and somePoskitt agreed that if she had Did you have little service and wanted to conceal the letter she
-times-from-a-hymu book we
could have done so.
then did you prayin Yos. She described at length"
Mr Cason-skid that in 1998--- dividend of 5 per cent, was declar.
I beg your pardon, my lord."
Lord Mayor: I should think so. Mr. Fulton: I thought you were addressing the witneen
Lord Mayor Even so, it is not usual for counsel to carTV ONE conversation while I am speaking Provision for Income-tax;"
1
Repeating bir question to Mr Falton, the Lord Mayor said: "I' presume that these transfers from 100% to 1927 from the ultimate free
Was the first Gospel ronding from illness of Miss Everard, and saidd, and he made provision in the reserve to the credit of the balance
John kiv., the passage beginning; Let not your heart be trouble
not
earlier that she suffered 30 years ago from books for Lord Kyleant's per devi severe stomach trouble and had cent, commission, but he did
neuritis. In 1910 she went into
draw it. Sheffold Infirmary, add
Mr. Fulton For what reason Mr. Cason: He did not wish to
Yes. I suggest that the first Gospel reading was earlier than June,
Mr. Birkott: At that time, all Listen to this, (Mr. Birkett read. from a document in his hand. those years ago, did she suffer from Mira Spear canle in one day linger pausitis of the brought her little Testament and body and stomach trouble Yes, read John xlv, and prayed a very They were very-severo pains at nice prayer" ? You ANN
I suggest that was in April, not June 1-It may have been
times, todė
Mr. Caso added that- in 1929 there was no dividend. The amount
Were there times when the was calculated on the earnings of neuritis was so severe that she had the H.M.S.P. fleet, including any not the full use of her arms and ships chartered by them, after de ducting proportions of through rate cost of forwarding, and re-
After that you went quite frea quently and performed this service, lege 1-Yos. for them -Yea
(Continued on Page 4)
sheet of the R.M.S.P. enabled the company to show's profit, although I think that the loss shown on the figures is in round figures 2401,000 a year,1'----
Mr. Fulton Your nasumption i quite right
made large payments to the Inland Revenue pending the decision, and when the decision came the Inland Revenue made reppyments from time to time to, the commany,
Mr. Fulton: practice in regard vision for incon
laking "pro-“
stand but I did not expect you would serve them here. In fact, I office in the morning." understood, you would call at the
the prosecution was closed,
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