An Alleged Illegal Operation.

Manawatu Herald, 12 November 1895, Page 2

An Alleged Illegal Operation.

la the Magistrate's Court yesterday (Friday) before Mr Martin, ' John Henry Brown and his wife : Annie Brown were charged with performing an illegal operation on Alice Mary Marshall in July last. Mr . Gully appeared for the Grown, and , Mr Jellicoe appeared for the accused. Mrs M arshall gave evidence as to ' her daughter's visit to Palmerston , North to stay with Mrs Engelberts . sen, a friend of hers. Ten days J afterwards, witness went to Palmer- l Bton, and found her daughter dead. Mrs Engelbertsen, of Palmerston North, deposed that Alice Mary » Marshall came to pay her a visit on l 22nd July last. ] DfMeJntyre, PalßW«ton North, <

said he was called in to attend Miss Marshall on July 29rd, at the house of the last witness. He continued to visit her until her death on the 27th. The symptoms at first chiefly pointed to lung trouble, but subsequently to abdominal trouble, and on the morning of the 27th her condition became hopeless. She waa aware she was very seriously ill, and witness told her he was very anxious about her condition. The cause of death was in his opinion blood poisoning. He concluded she was suffering from blood poisoning caused by an operation — an attempt to procure abortion. His. Worship ruled that any evidence as to what the deceased said to witness was inadmissable. In reply to Mr Jellicoe, the wit* said hi 3 conclusions were partly based on statements made by Mist Marshall. Without her statements he should have arrived at the conclusion she was suffering from bloodpoisoning, but not that there had been an operation or an attempt to procure abortion. She was also suffering from peritonitis, but he could not assign that and the inflammation with certainty to any particular cause. Dr Wilson, of Falmerston North, who made a, post-mortem examination of the body of the deceased, said ha found the cause of death to be septio peritonitis, and he formed ; the opinion that there had been recently an abortion. Deceased had had congestion of the lungs and pleurisy. He could not say how the abortion had been brought about. To Mr Jellicoe : The pleurisy and congestion of the lungs might have caused death. He could uot say what interval had elapsed between the miscarriage and death. He could not with certainty assign a cause for the peritonitis or inflammation. There was an entire absence of all distinct; medical proof that mechanical violence had been occasioned to the womb. Horace Baker, of the firm of Baker Bros., deposed that the accused Brown took a lease of a house in Ingestre street. To Mr Jellico« : He did not know Dr Wright was living in this house, although he had heard so from his collector. Christina Cameron, who said she had been living lately with her parents at Levin, stated that at one time she was in the employment of the accused, when they were living in Ingestre street. She left in the beginning of February last, and went back again about seven months afterwards — she could not remember what month. Dr Wright, Mr and Mrs Brown, and a little girl were then living in the house. Witness had a conversation with Mrs Brown, who asked her if she had heard anything about Miss Marshall. Witness said she had heard a little about her, and Mrs Brown then told her it was in their house the operation was performed. Mrs Brown also said Mr Ellison was the father of the child. She added that Miss Marshall was very bad, and she (Mrs Brown) wanted her to stop, but she would not do so, and that she had given her a bottle of medicine. She said Miss Marshall had left the house in a cab early in the morning, and she believed she had gone to Palmerston North. Mrs Brown said Ellison had given the doctor £25. Mrs Brown did not mention the doctor's nan§>, but witness knew she meant her has* band. Mrs Brown told witness thit Miss Marshall had piasters oil her breasts— she thought Mrs Brown said they were belladonna plaitert. Witness had seen belladonna in .the room where the medicines were kept. Two ladies stayed in the house at different times during the first period for which witness was with the Browns, but none during the second period. The male accused always went under the name of "D& Brown." To Mr Jellicoe: Witness did not know anything that took place at ' Brown's house five months ago between witness' sister, Brown and another man. Dr Wright used to see some of the patients. Mrs Brown told her that the detectives had been to the house. Witness was there at Mrs Brown's request, as she had no other place to stop at, and did not do any work while there. The conversation between herself and Mrs Brown took place on the first day of her visit. Witness had not previous to that been in communica* tion with the police, nor had her sister, to her knowledge. Mrs Brown told her that a man had come there with witness' sister and asked Dr. Brown to perform a certain act, but that her sister bad refused to allow it. Witness left Mrs Brown on good terms, and had not seen her since except in Court. She had no grudge against Mrs Brown whatever. Mr Gully applied for a remand, which was opposed by Mr Jellicoe. His Worship granted a remand till Wednesday, each of the accused being allowed bail in two snreties of 875. The hearing of the charge against Fhos. E. Ellison, solicitor, was ad* [onrned to the same date, bail being illowed as before.— N.Z. Tims*