WOMAN CONVICTED

Hokitika Guardian, 11 February 1930, Page 3

WOMAN CONVICTED

OF ILLEGIAL OPERATION

By Telegrapn—l’er Dress Association J

AUCKLAND, February 10

At the trial of Maud Herbert, when the young man who married the deceased in the hospital was giving evidence, Mr Schramm, counsel for the .defence, asked him why lie had not married her sooner.

Air Justice jHerdman reproved counsel for asking such questions, saying that he should have some regard for the man’s, feelings.

Mr Schramm replied that the witness was an accomplice in the charge being dealt with, but His Honour, closed the incident by remarking: ‘’You do as I tell you.” His Honour in summing up, said that the evidence had hardly been .challenged ,except in one respect. The evidence was clear and definite, and he imagined that it would lead the jury to one conclusion only. If it did .that, then the public duty which the •jury was there to perform required it to find a verdict of “guilty.”

Reviewing the evidence in regard to the question as to whether the accused had performed an illegal operation, His Honour said that, in addition to the evidence of the young woman (taken in the hospital), there was the very frank and candid evidence given by the young man, who ultimately, had become her husband. The technical point had been raised that the girl and the man were the accomplices o,f the accused, but there was a substantial body of evidence tc corroborate that given by them. Referring to the evidence of tli detectives who arrested the accused. His Honour said that he had tried many cases throughout New Zealand .but he doubted if in any other there had been such shocking and extraordinary evidence as had been given in the course of this trial. He put it to the jury whether the aceused’c conduct, upon her arrest, had not been such as would suggest that she ha' 1 committed an offence, the circumstances of which were being investigated by the police. The jury after a retirement of a little more than an hour and a-lialf returned with a verdict of “Guilty.” His Honour: “I agree entirely with your verdict gentlemen. Ido not see that you could have come to any other conclusion in this case.”

The prisoner was remanded for sentence until Wednesday.