ILLEGAL OPERATIONS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 2545, 20 February 1923, Page 3

ILLEGAL OPERATIONS.

ACCUSED COMMITTED FOR TRIAL.

Gisborne, Last Night. - After several adjournments, owing to the illness of the principal witness, the charges against Frances Quinn, a married woman, 30 years of age, and Albert Ernest Harris, aged 41 years, of having unlawfully used an instrument for the purpose of performing an illegal operation, were proceeded with at the Magistrate’s Court." The case against Quinn was taken first. The principal witness said she had been for some weeks seriously ill in Cook Hospital. When witness was pregnant a man named Harris took her to Quinn where an instrument was used. A weelt later, the instrument was again used. Witness paid a third visit and underwent the same operation, but with no effect. On yet a fourth occasion witness visited Quinn, but no operation was performed on account of the presence of visitors there. Mrs Quinn said to witness that she was fixing up Miss O’Donnoghue later and was taking Miss O’Donnoghue out in a taxi shortly before eight that night. Witness and Harris drove in Harris’s car to near Qjiinn’s house and saw Mrs Quinn and 'Miss O’Donnoglme in a taxi. Witness and Harris went out in the country. Mrs Quinn asked the driver to stop the car. Witness and Mrs Quinn got out and an operation was performed by the latter. As a result of this operation, witness had to go to a private hospital, then to the public hospital. Medical evidence was given to the effect that the young woman was suffering from blood poisoning and had apparently been tampered with.

-The police stated that on her arrest, the accused said the girl concerned had never been in her house.

Aecusd, who reserved her defence, pleaded not guilty and was committed for trial. ,

Ip the charge against Harris, evidence was given on somewhat similar lines. The principal witness said accused became intimate with her. She told accused of her condition and lie gave her drags, then said he , would make arrangements with Mrs Quinn to “fix her up.” Detective McLeod said accused, before his arrest, stated that he knew the girl but that no improprieties had taken vplace. Accused denied that the girl had told him of her condition and that he had never taken her to .Mrs Quinn’s or given her pills. x Accused also pleaded not. guilty and was committed for trial.