Vandeloup,
faultlessly dressed, and as cool and calm as possible, was also in
Court; and Dr Gollipeck, as he awaited his turn to give evidence,
could not help admiring the marvellous nerve and courage of the
young man.
The Government analyst being called, was sworn in the usual way, and
deposed that the stomach of the deceased had been sent to him to be
analysed. He had used the usual tests, and found the presence of the
alkaloid of hemlock, known under the name of conia. In his opinion
the death of the deceased was caused by the administration of an
extract of hemlock. (Sensation in the Court.)
Q. Then in your opinion the deceased has been poisoned?
A. Yes, I have not the least doubt on the subject, I detected the
conia very soon after the tests were applied.
There was great excitement when this evidence was concluded, as it
gave quite a new interest to the case. The question as to the cause
of death was now set at rest--the deceased had been murdered, so the
burning anxiety of every one was to know who had committed the
crime. All sorts of opinions were given, but the murmur of voices
ceased when Dr Gollipeck stood up to give his evidence.
He deposed that he was a medical practitioner, practising at
Ballarat; he had seen the report of the case in the papers, and had
come down to Melbourne as he thought he could throw a certain light
on the affair--for instance, where the poison was procured.
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