The Serious Charges in Christchurch. Dr. Russell Committed for Trial. Christchurch, Jan. 18.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 188, 22 January 1887, Page 8

The Serious Charges in Christchurch. Dr. Russell Committed for Trial. Christchurch, Jan. 18.

The case against Dr. Russell, Mrs Bowern, and her brother and sister (R. J. Wilaon and Mies Wilson) was taken this morning. The girl concerned, a geaeral servant named Annie Connolly, appeared to have coneiderabo difficulty in remembering the various conversations, which were of the first importance for establishing the charge. In effect her statement was that for some time after going to Mrs Bowern's— her age then being 16 yearsshe got in rrouble by Wilson, with whom she cohabited, Mrs Bowern knowing they did so. The intimacy continued about two months. Conversations took place after the girl difcovered her condition, Mrs Bowern and Mies YVileon being present. Ultimately, Miss Wilaon went to see Dr. Russell, and Mrs Bowern paid him ten guineas, which had been provided for the purpose by R J. Wilson. Counsel for the defence raised the point that the witness might incriminate herself by relating what the doctor did. The witness left the Court until the point had been argued. Mr Beetham, R.M., held if the witness was willing, that it wus not necessary or desirable, in the interests of justice, for the Bench to caution her, and he would not allow counsel to interpose by doing so. The evidence was then resumed, when the girl described the operation performed by Dr. Russell in terms similar to those employed in the previous cases. Detective O'Connor's statement was as follows : — I was at the house nearly an hour, as 1 did not like to hurry him too much. I said, "Well, doctor, I can't wait any longer. You must come away now." He then put on his boots and coat, and said be wanted to speak to his sister. He went to the end of the passage and was speaking to his sister. I was three or four yards from him, anJ standing in the passage I heard hie sister scream, and say, " Oh ! you must not do that." Hooked over and saw that the doctor had a bottle to his mouth (bottle produced ; it contained a quantity of wine-like liquid.) There was no cork in it. Then I rushed over and took it from him. Some of the liquid from the bottle was streaming down his beard and chin. I called Detective Neill, who was in the next room. I got hold of the doctor and said : '• Now you must come away at once." He caught hold of the jamb of the door and said, " No, you are too late now." I've done it I wanttodieinmy own house. We dragged him along the passage as far as the top of the stairs. He then got hold of the jamb of the office door. We tried to pull him away from there, but could not do so. We pulled him into the office, where he fell on his face, We carried him downstairs and out into the street. He was kicking violently the whole time. When we got him in the hall we sent for a cab. We were taking him along the terrace when the cab met us. We put him into the cab at Manchestpr-atreet, and drove from there to the police station and right to the Hospital, where he was attended to by Dr. Westney, and got pick. He said there several times that he wished he could die, and that it was better for him to die than disgi'ace a hundred families. He then handed me a piece of paper and asked me to give it to his sister, and not to open it I opened it. It read 1 : "I am betrayed for doing the best I could to save two families. Telegraph to Louie not to come. Pay all debts. There is quite enough, and a little for Louie and Eva. Kiss them for me. I cannot stand this, and must die. God have mercy on my soul. Good-bye.— C. J. Ruesell. M.D." Mrs Bowern's statement to Detective Pender was to the effect that she was the wife of Joseph Bowern, and lived at St. Alban's. About 12 months ago she got into trouble with a gentlemaD, who went to England, and having heard of Dr. Russell she went to him at his own house. She told him that she was separated from her husband, and that she was in trouble. He said the only thing he could do was to put her under an operation, and could not do it under ten guiueae, for which he performed the operation. After she got better he told her if she were to tell that he would get ten years. He asked if anyone knew about it. She said '* No." When she found Bhe was again in trouble she wrote to him, and asked if he could do the same for her again, Her sister brought the letter back from Dr. Russell, who wrote on it to the effect that he had a letter from the police-station, and that that he could do nothing for her. The same night she went to him and asked him to show her the letter he received from the police. He said it was not at hand, and he advised her to leave Christchurch. She told him that if there was a divorce case she thought he would get into trouble for what

be had done, Ho said he could not help it. He could do nothing for her. One of the witnesses, Mrs North, whose unwillingness was evident, made a sensational -statement to the effeot that Mis ; Bowern had told her about the burning of an immature child that was alive. She did not know whether it was her own or the servant's. In the second case against Dr. Russell and a woman named Richards, an operation was alleged to have been performed on a servant girl with whom Dr. Russell had been intimate. Jane Richards, who was charged with Dr. Russell in this case, was acquitted, it being shown that she had no knowledge of what had taken place. At the Police Court on Saturday afternoon the girl Connolly deposed that her child was born alive. She saw it move, but did not know whether it breathed. Mrs Bowern told her that Dr. Russell told Bowern to burn the child. < The child was taken to the kitchen. Bob Wilson was there. Mrs Elizabeth North swore that Mrs Bowern told her that she was mixed up in the matter to st.ye disgrace to her brother. Bowern also said she bad to watch the fire. She saw the child raise its hand when on the fire. Another witness, a married woman named Perrin, said : — Mrs Bowern told me the child was burnt on the kitchen fire. She told me she could not touch it herself, but waited till her brother came, and that her brother put it on the fire. Mr Beetham : Of course that is not evidence against Wilson ? Mr Stringer : Oh, no. Dr. Westena, surgeon at the Hospital, deposed that the instrument produced would bring about abortion. The detective deposed thatNvhen he arrested Miss Wilson Mra Bowern said, "You mind and keep your mouth shut, and don't know anything " Dr. Russell, Mrs Bowern, and Mjbs Wilson were committed for trial. The Bench, after consultation,, decided that there was no evidence against Robert Wilson, who was discharged. The Bench refused bail for Russell, bufc admitted the women to bail in two sureties of £250 each. Joseph Bowern (Mrs Bowern's husbaud) and hor father became sureties.