Alleged Illegal Operation.

Manawatu Herald, 16 November 1895, Page 2

Alleged Illegal Operation.

The adjourned hearing of the charge against J >bn Henry and Annie Brown of committing an illegal operation upon Alice Mary Marshall was resumed, at the Magistrate's 0 >urt on Wednesday morning bef.re Mr J- C. Martin, S.M. Mr Gui y appeared to proseuuto on b.-half of the Crown, and Mr Jellicoe conducted the defence of the accused. Isabella Solomons, who had been a servant in the employ of the ac~ cusdd from Jane till October of this year, gave evidence that two young women stayed at the house, and while the second young woman was there Ellison came to h > house two or ihree times and v ua ly b ought fruit or something ».f ihtt kind. After the second young woman went away a third cams, and Mrs Brown told witness that if any one came and asked if this young woman stopped there witness was t:> say no. Another young woman cime one Thu sday morning between 10 and 11 o'clock, and went away up country by the 6 o'clock train on the following morning. Thii was the diy before " £>r " Brown went to Sydney. This fourth young woman stayed in the same bedroom as the previous young woman. Gross-examined : Dr Wright's full name was Thomas Cole Wright, tie was attending to patients during the time witness wa9 there. She did not know whether " Dr " Brown was assisting Dr Wright or vice versa. 6he did not know whether Ellison wa^ consulting Dc Wright or not. Ellison on each occasion that witness aaw him at the house went to the bacu bedroom where the young woman was. Dr Wright had the run of bbc hou<e, and, as far as she could see, was as much master as •• Dr " Brown. Annie Patcuett, a young widow, of Chrisfcchurch, deposed that between June and Sep ember she had a small shop in Cuba sireet. Mm Brown sometimes came to this shop and nought .things. She one day spoke o witaero about Mias Marshall's death. Ms Brown said that the young lady had been sick at their (the Browns') h »use, but that they had not had anything to do with the •peration. Also that Ellison had hrought hf r ther* ; that she had remained f<ra f«-w day*, and Ellison ihcn sent a cab fir her to catch a '.rain in the morning. Mr* Brown aid she did not want Miss Marshall to go, but she p rsisted in going by cliat train. She said further thai "Dr" Brown had attend- d Mias Marshall at E lison'a office ; that Miss Marshall had tak^n sick in the street, and been brought by Ellison to the Brown*' house. Cross examined : Witness was married ij Christ's Church, Sydney, about 10 yean ago. Witness lived with her husband for about four years before he went to the hospital, where he died some four years ago. He was in the Hospital two years. After her husband's death she lived with a friend at North Shore, Sydney, for about three years at a eoatytioner'f ibop kept by ft Mr

and Mrs Gibson. She went under her own name daring that time. She bad gone under the name of Miss Wilson daring part of the time, and when she first came to New Zealand she went under the name of Miss Wilson. She kept that name until she took the shop i in^CuDlS street, when she took the name of Cameron— her maiden name. Sbe took the name of Wilson because she cared for someone of that name, and lived in the same house with him. She was living with this man in lodgings in Sydney, but before the others in the house they acted the parts of brother and sister. She had since seen Wilson in Wellington for two or three days. She carried on the business in Cuba street as Mis? Cameron. Her male^eifflf visited her at the shop some^m^ Some of them may have beetttaanaed men ; she did not know. She left" the business — did not know what became of it, but left it and her creditors to take care of themselves. She went to Sydney, was there only two or three days, and then ctme back, and took a situation in Christchurch as barmaid at the Terminal Hotel. Re examined: There was no quarrel at Chriitcharch between witness and " Dr " Brown. After the luncheon adjournment, Lily Beach, aged 14 years, said sht had been to the house of Mr atid'H* Brown at service for five weeks aftflr Cissy Cameron left. Mrs Brown told witness there was a young lady friend in the back bedroom who was not in very good health, and that she (Mrs Brown) would attend to that room herself. Witness was not allowed to go to this bedroom for about a week. She never saw the young lady. About three weeks after this a young lady came to the house. Cross-examined : Dr Wright had the run of the house. Both Dr Wright and "Dr" Brown saw patients who called. Christina Cameron, recalled, said that Mrs Brown stated that Miss Bridge had been to her (Brown's) house and a child was there born to her. Mrs Brown asked Miss Bridge if she wanted the ohild, and when she said no, Mrs Brown got some chloroform and poured it on the child and that killed it. Cross-examined: Witness stated that she was in the employ of Dr Frikart as type-writer for about two weeks. "Dr" Brown was Dr Frikart,s brother. Mrs Brown told witness so. Mr Jellicoe : Are you aware that you have stated that Mrs Brown confessed to you the crime of murder ? - Witness: Yes. Mr Jellicoe : And for how much did you say she had confessed that she had murdered the child. Witness : She did not say the fall amount, only that there was £8 still due. Mr Jellicoe : You are sure you are not making any mistake. Witness: No. Mr Jellicoe : You still adhere to what you have said, although it : might take away this woman's life. Witness: Well, I was sent here to tell the truth, and I am telling the truth. Mary Bridge deposed that she was a single woman living in the country with her mother. l - ' The witness was here warned by Mr Martin that she n«ed not answer any questions that m^t*>taidgj|» criminate herself. f ** Continuing her evidence, witness said she went to the house, of tha accused, and Mrs Biown 'like* her had she amount of money required, £25. Witness only had £17, and Mrs Brown took the £17, and said the balance could be paid later on. At this stage the Court was cleared for a few minutes, Mr Martin slating that he did this with relupance ; but thinking it perhaps advisable in the present case. ■$-*<-; "•&%# The witness, continuing her Imdence, stated that a man. performed an operation upon her. Cross-examined : Witness did not suggest that she wanted anything improper done to her. She thought she was about three months advanced in pregnancy when she went to the house of the Browns. She did not remember seeing any n^as at the house until the day she wenf; away. Her reason for saying that a man had performed the operation upon her was that she had judged from his voice that it was a man. She was certain a miscarriage had taken place at Browns. : Mr Jellicoe : I am preparing upon her evidence to lay an information. At 5 o'clock the case was adjourned until Friday afternoon, and the same bail was allowed the accused as previously. - N.Z. Time*. vik>