Your jurors beg leave to inform you that we have carefully
considered the evidence before us and find that Orena Riddell came
to her death from prussic acid poisoning, the same having either
been taken in mistake or administered by some party or parties
unknown.
The above verdict expressed the conclusion of the Coroner's
jury which had heard all the tangled evidence regarding the death
of the young wife of the local veterinary surgeon. The mystery was
heightened by the absence of apparent motive.
The stories that Dr. Roy Riddell was financially involved were
shown to be greatly exaggerated, as he had made enough money to
enable him not only to pay an uncle who had advanced the cash for
his college education, but also to start buying a house and farm.
Then the terrible suddenness of the death also made the events
difficult to explain, as neighbors had seen Mrs. Riddell 20
minutes before her husband found her dead and she appeared to be
in the best of spirits.
Coroner Ellis, who indicated in his summing up that he believed
the woman was the victim of a carefully planned murder, urged this
fact as a proof of his contention and made his whole charge
strongly against the one person who had been in the house.
When the verdict was given the crowd, which had waited
patiently during the hour and a half spent by the jury in
consultation, received it very quietly. There seemed to be almost
a feeling that the indefinite form of the jury's conclude made it
certain that the facts of the woman's death would never by
explained.
Dr. Riddell arrived early, in company with his lawyer,
Mr. W. S. Brewster.
The husband of the dead woman is an undersized man with a very
cool and self-possessed bearing. He had a small though rather
intelligant face, a high prominent forehead, topped with a thin
crop of hair.
He never grew excited even when Crown Attorney Ball asked him
three times if he could tell of any enemy who would desire his
wife's death.
Dr. Riddell showed emotion only once during the long
examination, and that was when he described the appearance of the
body as it lay on the floor. He stopped for a minute and bit his
lip convulsively, then proceeded again with perfect composure.
His alertness was indicated by the manner in which he tried to
correct statements made by the Coroner regarding the effect of
prussic acid poisoning, but Dr. Ellis would not allow him to speak
to the jury.
He explained his financial standing very clearly and showed
that though he had purchased considerable property since his
marriage and had mortgages on the land, he was able to pay his way
with the money earned by his practice. He was meeting all his
liabilities.
THE ANALYST'S REPORT
At the opening of the inquest Coroner Ellis read the report of
Provincial Analyst Ellis which showed that prussic acid was found
in the stomach of the dead woman. The letter from Dr. Ellis
contained the following statement: "I have found about
seven-tenths of a gram of hydrocyanic acid, equivalent to 35 grams
of the dilute hydrocyanic of British pharmacopeia, in the
stomach."
The first witness called was Mr. Geo. Chambers, manager of the
local branch of the Traders Bank. He told the Coroner that he had
in his possession at the bank an insurance policy of the
Confederation Company on the life of Dr. Riddell for $2,000. This
had been made payable to the bank as security for money which
Riddell owed the bank. He also assigned his book accounts for the
same purpose on March 12, 1909.
When questioned by Mr. Brewster, the witness told what he knew
of the financial affairs of Dr. Riddell. He owed $63 to the
Traders Bank at the present time, so that Mr. Chambers thought
that he was in good shape.
Dr. Roy Riddell gave his evidence in a very collected way,
referring to his notebook at times to assist his memory and never
appearing in the least nonplussed even by the Crown Attorney's
most disconcerting questions.
He was asked first to explain why he told the Crown Attorney
that his life insurance policy was payable to his wife, when as a
matter of fact it was made out to the Traders Bank. Dr. Riddell
said that it was a misunderstanding. The policy has been in the
bank ever since he took out the insurance. He thought it was made
out to his wife because he believed it eventually would be.
"Where were you between nine o'clock and 9.15 o'clock, on
the night of the tragedy?" asked Mr. Ball. "You have not
yet explained that."
The witness said that he could not remember all the events of the
day and then time at which everything happened. He would not
attempt to answer the question.
"Do you know of anyone who has a grudge against your
wife?" was asked.
"No," replied Dr. Riddell.
"If anybody poisoned your wife, you have no idea what would
be the motive?" inquired Mr. Ball.
The witness declared most decidedly that he could not suggest
anything which would throw light on the subject.
The witness was given a chance to correct a statement made last
week regarding the keeping of poison in his house. He said that
there might be prussic acid there, but he had not bought any for
some time. He used a good deal in his business.
The witness gave full particulars of his financial standing. He
owned a house which cost $1,500, and there was still a mortgage of
$1,000 against it. He also purchased a farm last August paying
$500 in cash. There was a mortgage for the remainder of the cost,
but he could not tell the amount though he thought it was for
about $3,900. He had earned the money paid on both properties.
"You consider yourself in a good financial
condition?" enquired Mr. Ball.
"I came here three years ago with $1,000, less than nothing,
and have got on very well since then," was the reply.
Returning to the story of the tragedy, the Crown Attorney
desired to know if Mrs. Riddell had prepared to do the washing on
June 7. The witness could not remember, but said that she did not
feel well the day before.
"Can you give any reason for your wife's death?"
asked Mr. Ball again.
"No, I cannot say. I think of reasons and then something
crops up to knock my suspicions on the head," replied the
witness, hesitating for the first time.
"Have you ever told anyone that your wife once attempted to
take poison?"
To this question, Riddell replied with an emphatic negative, which
he repeated when the Crown Attorney asked if he knew the name of
anyone who would interested in his wife's death.
He could make no suggestion to help in the unraveling of the
mystery. He had been dazed on the night of his wife's death, and
had since received most of his information from newspapers.
Witness did not try to find out the cause of the sudden death.
"I cannoot remember making enquiries," said Dr. Riddell.
"If you knew my dazed condition at that time you might
understand why I cannot remember details of what happened."
Dr. Riddell said that if there was prussic acid in his office
he had forgotten about it, but his wife could not secure the
poison there.
The witness was asked to tell why he wished the post-mortem
examination to be held on the night of his wife's death. He said
that he was in a hurry on account of the health of his
mother-in-law, who suffered from heart trouble.
When questioned by his own counsel, Mr. Riddell said that when
he was going home on the night of the tragedy he met two young
ladies on the street. After finding the body he ran out to give
the alarm. He saw the same young women again when he did so and
added that three minutes could not have elapsed between the two
events.
Mr. Brewster brought out that Riddell did business amounting to
$3,800 last year. "Then," the lawyer said, "you
have excellent prospects here, and their is nothing to lead you to
commit any crime."
"There is nothing," said the witness.
NO EVIDENCE OF STRUGGLE
Mrs. Crossthwaite, the neiighbor to whom Dr. Riddell went with
the news of his wife's death, was recalled. She heard the doctor
come home on the night of Mrs. Riddell's death, but could not say
how long afterwards it was that the doctor came to her door too
get her assistance. Mrs. Crossthwaite saw Mrs. Riddell's body and
said that it lay as though she had turned round after using
the telephone and had then fallen on her back. Her clothes were
not disturbed as though there had been a struggle.
Miss Hattie Crossthwaite said that she met Dr. Riddell on his
way home and saw him again three minutes later. In the meantime he
had found the body of his wife.
THE CORONER'S CHARGE
Dr. Ellis, reviewing the evidence, commented at length on Dr.
Riddell's conduct. He thought it most extraordinary that the man
had concluded at once that was dead. "Would any ordinary man
run at once without enquiring if she was in a faint?" asked
the coroner.
He insinuated that Dr. Riddell acted in a very strange manner
when he ran through the village telling about his wife's death
without having made any enquires.
He said the evidence showed that prussic acid has caused the
woman's death and argued that it was therefore either suicide or
homicide.
Dr. Ellis also told how long it would take to effect death by
poisoning. A frail little woman like Mrs. Riddell could be knocked
down and when rendered unconscious would be an easy victim for a
murderer, who could pour the poison down her throat. The whole act
would not occupy more than 30 seconds.
