HOMICIDE LAW.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19141, 26 October 1927, Page 9

HOMICIDE LAW.

SIR A. CONAN DOYLE'S OPINION. INTEREST AROUSED IN BRITAIN. (BT CASUS—F&ISS ASSOCIATTOB—COPTWOKTV (AUSTRAIIAJT AND X.Z. CABU ASSOCIATION - .) (Received October 25th. 7.5 p.m.) LONDON, October 24. Great interest has been aroused by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle*s assertion apropos of the Davis case that there should be a law under which three medical certificates, checked by a justice of the peace, would allow the putting away of a person whose case was hopeless. It would be only humanity and commonsense. Sir Arthur says he would add, however, that it should be done t)t the-re-quest of the sufferer when he is capable of making the request. ''l am of the opinion that a terribly deformed child should always be painlessly removed." [Albert Davis, aged 28 years, was charged with the murder of his infant daughter. Accused enlisted in 1919 at the age of 16 years and married in 1920. After the birth of several children his wife developed tuberculosis and died in childbirth. Accused took over tho housework and care of the children, but tho youngest child developed septio pneumonia and gangrene of the face. Davis finally placed the child in a bath, went to tho police station and said: "I have drowned my baby." Medical evidence showed the child would not have lived more than a few days at tho most. The judge, in commenting on the case, said the father was driven to distraction by the sufferings of his child and decided to put an end to them. Had t»e poor child been an animal instead of a human being then, instead of the father being blameworthy, he would actually have been liable for punishment had he not done it.]