The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-03-09
.PLOTTERS COULD
KILL WITH DROP
re-
OF vIRILE FLUID
Planned To Use Indians
Arrow Tip Poison in At
tempt on Lloyd George

London. March Subtle poisons,
an infinitesi1nal drop Of which would
cause death If introduced in wound.
were revealed as the tools by which
the four plotters against the life OF
Premier Lloyd George and Minister
Arthur Henderson sought to accom-
plish their end, in testimony offered
at the Old Bailey trial Of the four
today.
The Crown called two expert toxi-,
cologists and Psychologists. Both de-
livered a bewildering analysis OF the
effect of various poisons found by
Herbert Booth, Scotland Yard inspec-
tor in the possession OF Mrs. Alice
Wheeldon. Miss Hetty Wheeldon and
Mr.. and Mrs. Alfred Mason. the quar-
tet on trial for the poison plot"
John Webster, assistant scientific
analyst to the Home Office and
pathological chemist OF wide reputa-
ton, testified he received from Chlef
Inspector Parker of Scotland Yard
a box containing four glass Walls. Two
he found contained strychnine hydr-
chlorate and two a substance similar
to curare, a poison formerly used by
South Americans for tipping their ar
rows. He gave technical evidence OF
these drugs.
DR.. Bernard Henry Salisbury, path
ologist for the Home Office, corrobo-
rated DR.. Webster's testimony. He
estimated that half a grain Of the
strychnine hydroch1orate would be IA
tai, but said there was no evidence of
the exact amount Of curare necessary
to kill, as it was a rare poison, al
though known to be OF extreme dead
Illness.
Through both Drs. Webster and
Salisbury the prosecution identified
the four glass Walls. Later the Crown
will connect these deadly poison car
riers with the defence through In
spector Booth, who posed as friend
of Mrs. Alice Wheeldon and became
her confidant in the alleged plot, re-
ceiving the poison, 1t is alleged, from
her.
The Crown is ready to prove by
Booth that Mrs. Wheeldon's plan, APP
proved by her fellow conspirators,
was to use the curare ION a dart, like
rust, mixed with a,1ittle Of the strych-
nine powder, and an airgun to propel
the dart would be sufficient"
The strychnine was described as
fest administered by the mouth, al
though it's injection also was recon-
mended. Mrs. Wheeldon, Booth said,
boosted that all would cause death
in twenty seconds.
Testimony offered yesterday indi-
Gated that the conspfratorsAamong
whom Alfred Mason is an expert
chemist. known as toxico1ogist-
planned to poison the prime minister
by poisonAd nail driven into his
shoe when 1t was left outside the
door OF hotel room for cleaning and
to do away with Minister Arthur Hen
sderson by penetrating his skull with
a poisoned nail or dart"
After laying the ground for it's case
by revelations as to the various pol
sons. the Crown next proceeded with
evidence of the Scotland Yard agents
who worked on tho case to show In
terchange of letters and kilograms be-
tween the four conspirators to prove
their complete completely.
Evidence was offered to show how
the detectives kept check on every
letter mailed by the quartet, by copy
ing such messages and resealing them.
Several of the letters, as revealed by
the Crown. discussed a mysterious
parcel and Its delay in arriving at
Mrs. Mason's home. This parcel, the
Crown proposes to prove, contained
the poison,
Considerable amusement was af-
forded by the reading of several LETT
ters written by Miss Hetti WheeIden.
Although school teacher, she adopt
ed an tlliterate style In writing. One
of these slahgi1y and nisspe1led
phrasee told about various activities