WELLINGTON SCANDAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2187, 9 October 1920, Page 3

WELLINGTON SCANDAL.

Case Against Doctors. GRAVE IMPROPRIETY ALLEGED. An aftermath of a case prominently before the public some time ago was revealed in an application to the Full Court at Wellington yesterday under the Medical Practitioners Act, 11)14, to have Drs. Francis Wallace Mackenzie and Henry Arthur Herbert Claridge removed from the roll of medical practitioners on tire ground that they ■were guilty of grave, impropriety in a professional respect by. being concerned with the abduction from her parents of a girl, Edith Kathleen Strangman, aged 18 years and three months.

Air P. S. K. Macasscy represented the New Zealand Medical. Board, and Mr C. P. Skerrctt, K.C., with him Mr A. Pair, appeared for Dr. Mackenzie, and Mr H. F. O’Leary for Dr. Claridgo. Mr T. M. Wiiford watched proceedings on behalf of Howard Nattrass and Edith Strangman. On the Bench were their Honours Sir Bassett Edwards, Mr Justice Chapman, and Air Justice Hcrdmau. CHARGES AGAINST DOCTORS Mr Macassey. said that the proceedings were taken under section 22 of the Medical 'Practitioners Act, which provided that if any registered medical practitioner, in the opinion of the Medical Board, was guilty of grave impropriety or infamous conduct or was convicted of an indictable offence, he should be liable to be : struck off the roll. The charge against Dr. Mackenzie was that on 17th -March, 1919, he committed a grave impropriety in conspiring with one Howard Nattrass, the seducer of one Edith Kathleen Strangman, aged 18 years and three months, a patient of his, to take the said Edith Strangman out of the custody of her parents and deliver her to the said Howard Nattrass. Further, that in, pursuance of such design he had taken the girl to Nurse Vicars’ private hospital in Brougham Street, and with the aid of Dr. Claridge took her away without the knowledge or consent of her parents, and without the knowledge or consent of the matron delivered her to the said Howard Nattrass. The charge against Dr. Claridge, said counsel, was similarly one of conspiracy with Howard Nattrass and with Dr. Mackenzie to take the girl from the custody of her parents and deliver her to Nattrass, and further of assisting Dr. Mackenzie to remove her from the private hospital without, the knowledge and consent of the matron. STORY OP THE CASK

The proceedings arose out of a ease heard some time back, said Mr Macassey, dealing with an attempt by Nattruss to take by force possession of a young girl out of her parents’ control and from her parents’ house. The. girl, Edith Kathleen Stranginan, was born on the 28 rd November, 1000, and at the time of the abduction was some 18 years and il months old. She lived with her parents and was employed as a. typist, by the Nattiass and Harris Motor Company from June, 101.1!, up to 4th February, 1010. Nattrass was a married man. He seduced Edith Stranginan, who became pregnant about December, 101. S, a fact which was not known to her parents .tntil about the middle of February, 1010. About the end of January, 101.0, Edith Stranginan consulted Dr. Mackenzie. who subsequently informed the girl’s mother that her daughter had adenoids, and must, have, an operation performed. He asked the mother to fix a date for talcing the daughter to the Brougham Street /irivatc hospital. Mrs Strangmau agreed, but no date was fixed. On the 4th February Edith Strangmau stayed away all night. Her parents went to Nattrass’s office the following morning, and after considerable difliculty learned that the girl had gone to Napier. Strangmau reported the matter to the police, and went up by train to Napier after his daughter. Nutlrass went also by motor to Napier, and took the girl away to Mount Egmont and hack to Wellington. Her father went to the police lo obtain possession of the daughter, and took her home. About a week .Inter she complained about her nose, and Mrs Strangmau took her to Hr. Mackenzie, who advised her to have her examined by Hr. daridge. A. few days later, continued counsel. Dr. Glaridgo examined the girl at the parents’ house and said she was pregnant about throe and a half months. On the 7th March Dr. Mackenzie called at the Strangimms’ house, and mentioned to Mrs Strangmau about the nasal operation , recommended. They went to Dr. Claridge, and the mother was kept in one. room, while Nattrass appeared and talked to the girl. Dr. Mackenzie told Mrs St.rangman to have the girl taken to Nurse Vicars’ private hospital at 8 o’clock that night. The girl wars taker, there /md put to bp.i. ALLEGED ABDUCTION,

Pics. Mackenzie ami Claridge and Xattrass mot at Claridgc's house. that nisfht, and arranged lo go to the hospital to take the girl out, and hand her over to Xattrass - . The throe men nroceedcd in X,a Grass's car to the Brougham Street hospital at 11.30 that night. Mackenzie entered first, and the other two men remained outside. Mackenzie spoke to the night nurse, and asked for writing paper to write a prescription. He spoke to lldith Strangman, and told her to get her things as they were going to take her away. She put a dressing-gown-over her nightdress and got into Xattrass's car. and drove away to Dr. Claridgc's, where she got some clothes. The pair wont away to Wnikanac, and remained there three days. Dr. Mackenzie remained at the hospital, and when (he matron, who had heard (he talking in the kitchen, came in to sec what was the matter at such a late hour, the doctor told her that the girl had escaped. The matron told him to go and inform the parents. Mackenzie went .to the Strangmans’ house about midnight, and said; “Your daughter has gone—she seems either to have walked in her sleep or rung up Xattrass.” Mr Strangman said lie would go tor the police. Mackenzie said: "Leave her alone, she’s over age.” Then ho ran down the road pursued by another daughter, and got away. The doctor was too fleet, for the daughter. . When the father was informing tlm police, Mackenzie and Xattrass got: the girl away from [stand Day try a motor launch to Picton. The lather went over to Picton by the Patecna and got his daughter. Xattrass went over hv a. smaller boat and found the father’and girl had left for Wellington. He immediately chartered a very feist motor launch and recrossed the Strait at about 28 knots, Immediately on Nattrass's return the girl disappeared again. The family looked tor the daughter, and one night toumi Dr. Mackenzie and Xattrass coming out of a theatre with her. The father knocked Xattrass down and the other man with him knocked Mackenzie Mown. The father took the girl home again. From the middle of April the girl was kept at home. One Sunday, however, in .Tune, 1910, when she was allowed to go to the church, she disappeared once more, and her parents had never seen her since. It was understood that the child had been horn. The parents took civil proceedings against, Xattrass for damages and the ease was compromised. Air Macassev submitted that Xattrass in sending the girl to Dr. Mackenzie desired to have abortion procured. Counsel understood that Dr. Mackenzie’s defence would be that the girl’s parents wanted an illcga operation, and the girl was removed to save her from this. THE EVIDENCE. Isabel Chrlstel Vickers, matron o' the Brougham Street private hospital o.jid Alisa - Strangman was sent to hei hospital as a nasal case. She firs heard of the girl’s escape at nndrdMit and asked that her parents be informed. She did not accept patients from Dr. Claridge. ~ William Strangman. InDic oi the save evidence that on the night girl’s disappearance Horn the hospitak when Dr. Mackenzie came to his Chouse. Mrs Strangman suggested telephoning to the police but Dr Mackenzie ridiculed the idea, arm made an excuse and ran away down the street. On one occasion after hidaughter's disappearance, he had met

Nattrass and Dr. Mackenzie and his daughter coming out of a theatre. Ho spoke to his daughter, but Dr. Mackenzie tried to take her away. Witness slapped him on the face, and ho disappeared in the crowd. Witness took his daughter home. Witness’s brother also was present Ho struck Nattrass. The statement that witness had made a proposal that an operation for abortion be performed by I>r. Claridge, witness declared war. an absolute be. Nattrass tofd him that if be laid not gone to life police he would have had his daughter fixed an. Witness never found any letters a ritten by Nattrass to his daughter, but sonic (produced) were found under her mattress at the .hospital and banded to witness’s solicitor, Mr Skerrott, who .said that the letters showed that Nattrass had never' desired an operation, and was always against it. The case was adjourned till Monday.