MAYOR’S COURT.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2483, 31 January 1871, Page 2

MAYOR’S COURT.

This Day. (Before His Worslrp the Mayor, and W. H. Reynolds, Esq., J.P.) CHARGE OK MANSLAUGHTER. Ellen Waterhouse was again brought up charged with this offence. Mr Haggett, prosecutor, and Air Barton with whom was Mr M‘Leay defended. The first witness exaraii ed was Edward G chrane, husband of the deceased, who stated:.On the 14th Dee. I sent for Mrs Waterhouse to attend my wife She arrived between seven and eight p.m. and went at once to sec my wife who was in bed. Fifteen minutes afterwards I asked her my wife was getting ou and she said she was doing well, that in about half-an-hour I should have “music,” morning, I presume, thatthechild would be born. Thcnoxtmorning She constantly called me into the room to help her to move my wife. I told Mrs Waterhouse she had better get a doctor and a woman, not to spare any expense, because it was needed. She said she would not have a woman in the house at all because she would be in the way ; she would have a doctor when it was necessary. There was no possible need for him then. 1 he child was presenting right, and everything was favorable. My wife was near a change in life, which was the cause of her being so helpless. Another cause was that it was a dry confinement, and my wife’s stomach was out of order. Either at this time or afterwards she alleged all this as causes jor the long labor. In the forenoon of the same day, knowing that there was a prejudice against her oh behalf of the doctors, I coaxed Mrs Waterhouse to get some doctor friend of her own. She said doctors wen; all alike to her ; she had no friend doctor ; she would get a doctor when she found it was necessary ; he was of no possible use then; she knew the cause very well. Either then or a short time afterwards she said she had had 4S hours of the same labor herself ; and a woman in town named Deane had a similar case, if not worse. On the evening of the 15th I spoke to Mrs Waterhouse rather sharply, telling her that I felt uneasy and dissatisfied, that I did not think that things were right, and that there should be a doctor. She spoke to me much in the same way as I spoke to her. She said she knew her business thoroughly and well, she had over 200') cases on her hands, and had never had any bad case but one ; that was the one reported in the papers ; and it was trumped up by the preju dee of the doctors All we wanted was patience : in one half-hour or so of g-od labor everyth ng wool I he ri lit. Mrs Waterhouse seemed tired, and she laid down in my room and slept for an hour. I then called her, and told her my wife was getting uneasy. About two or three hours afterwards, between 1 and 2 a.m. on the l(3th, the child was born. [The witness here narrated a good deal of what has already beep published : how a woman named M‘Nair saw Lis wife, and remarked upon her unusual appearance, which led Mrs Waterhouse to apply hot poultices ; how his wife got gradually worse, until, on the 21st, he sent for Mr Hockeu ] When Mr Hockcn came he asked mo why I did not send for a medical man at the first. I told him it was a matter of economy ; tint Mis Waterhouse had attended my wife before. Ho asked pie what her fees were, and I told him ; also that she had been sick, and I wanted him to see her and have some conversation with her. He said—“No, lie did not! know her, and did not want to know her. If anything went wrong he would sift this case to the bottom.” He told me Mrs Waterhouse was to have nothing further to do with the case, and I said “e.rtainly not.” Mr Horken prescribed for her and I sent to Wilkinson’s for the medicine. Just as be left, my wife’s condition improved. [Witness here described her appearance.] Mrs Wilson who was attending her said it seemed to have worked like a charm. Everything seemed favorable. This was before the medicines were apjiljcd. The doctor said I was to let him know ut half paf,t sjx that evening how my wife was, and t told him by ir,y boy glip was getting on favorably. He did not come out that night or the next morning. When Mrs Waterhouse came on the 22nd, she said she did not like my wife’s appearance, I asked what was wrong, and she replied she v thought she was sinking. I asked if she thought a doctor should he sent for, and she said it wou'd lie better. That day I went to Hocken and told him that I thought she was getting on fcvorihly, but others thought hot. He said he midersto'd by my message that he would not be wanted until Saturday j he had sent a message hy the boy that he could not cpmo that day ; 'but if he was 'w anted' he should be &ent [or early in the morning. He camc ouj, at Lv'clve i)ie nexp day, and asked me how sljtc I tpld hiin the medicine seemed fo Jjavc had the effect of making her sleep, and lie said that was its

effect. On seeing my wife, lie held up his hand and said, “No, thal’snot the kind of medicine.” My wife seemed to be in a kind of stupor. He sent in for. his instruments and tapped her. I asked him if there were any hopes. He said he could give me none ; he was sorry he did not take the tas in hand before ; he would do all he could ; that he pitied me. He prescribed for her again. On going away he said it was perfectly awful that valuable lives should be thrown away, sacrificed and murdered. 1 did nob see Mrs Waterhouse until the day of the examination, and in a conversation I had with her, she said it had been a dry confinement, and I told her that my wife had said that she (Mrs Waterhouse) was the emso of it. She made no reply. Whilst Mrs Waterhouse was in attendance on my wife, 1 noticed her hands were fiequently under the bedclothes. Whilst sho was doing so my wife cxolaiim-d, “You are mauling me to death. I’ll not have it ” At one time Mrs Waterhouse said, “ It's all nonsense, Mrs Cochrane, 1 must assist you.” [We are compelled to hold over the remainder of the evidence.]