GIRL'S ABDUCTION.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 October 1920, Page 5

GIRL'S ABDUCTION.

| THE MEDICAL CASE. DR. MACKENZIE'S EVIDENCE. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Oct. 12. The medical case was continued before the Full Court to-day. Francis Wallace Mackenzie gave evidence that he graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 1885 and commenced to practise in Wellington in 1887 as a specialist on the nose, ear and thront. He voluntarily seceded from the British Medical Association. He first examined Miss Strangman on February 26 for adenoids. While examining her heart he had suspicions that she was pregnant. On his second visit he told the girl's mother of these suspicions and examined her in her mothers presence. There was a wound on her body and he thought the girl had been interfered with. The wound might have been caused by disease. He said he would like to get a second opinion, as he was not an expert in the treatment of women. He proposed Dr. Claridge.

The mother consented to an operation for adenoids. The mother asked witness if anything could be done to relieve the girl's condition. He gave the opinion that interference might ruin the girl's health and it would be better to let things tike their course. The same night the father called and said he wanted abortion procured on his daughter. He offered £uo. Witness advised the father not to have anything of the kind done. Several times Strangman called for the same purpose, with a like result. Nattrass called and warned him against having anything to do with the parents' scheme. Witness had been very ill and his memory was not good. Nattrass showed witness a letter containing an appeal to Nattrass to have an impending operation prevented and requesting him to ask witness to help. Witness deprecated Nattrass' idea of going to the police. Witness had previously frightened the girl about the idea of an operation for abortion. On the day of the abduction, witness and Nattrass planned to take the girl from the hospital, hide her for a few days, and then send her to friends at Nelson. Witness made all arrangements and discussed them with Nattrass and Dr. Claridge at the latter's that night. Nattrass suggested that Dr. Claridge should accompany them. Witness went into the hospital and found the girl asleep. He sent the nurse away and awakened «he girl who did not comprehend, what was wanted of her. Witness went outside and asked Dr. Claridge to see what he could do while witness had tea with the nurse. When informed later by the nurse that the girl had gone, he went to tell her parents. He did not say she had been abducted. Witness did not run awfiy ivhen the police were mentioned. Replying to Mr. Justice Edwards, witness said he regarded the girl as his employer, not the parents. Witness did not tell Detective Rawlesthat the girl consulted him on February 5, and he did not decide not to operate on the girl for adenoids until after he spoke to her on the day of the abduction. Had witness consulted Nurse Vickers he was sure she would have helped him to save the girl. The happenings at the hospital were not pre-arranged. There was no plan tWt the girl should he driven to Dr. Claridge's house. Witness had considered the question of clothes for the girl. Dr. Claridge came in accidentally and acted the part of the good Samaritan.

Mr. Justice Edwards said he -was afraid the "movies" liad as corrupt an effect on old people as on the growing. EVIDENCE CONCLUDED. COURT RESERVES JUDGMENT. Wellington, Last Night. At the hearing of the medical case, Dr. Mackenzie said Dr. Claridge knew the medical aspect of the case, but nothing more than that. Nattress tqld .him all about it when they were nil together. Witness unfolded the proposition lie had to make. He believed the first thing hn told them was that they were going to take her away. They had a long talk about it, and Nattrass and Dr. Claridge looked up a book of law to ascertain the legal position. -The book was called the Justices of. the Peace Act. 1 (Laughter among learned counsel). Witness said he was responsible for the scheme; he was the "brains'' of it. Mr Skerrett: "Well they might have got a more ingenious inventor." Sir Bas9ett Edwards: "And the others were responsible for the law." Witness said he had considered the moral aspect later on. Witness denied having told Detective Rawle that Nattrass was not assisted by him. As a matter of fact he had done the whole ihing himself, and he did not need assistance. He had not mentioned the .scheme to Dr. Claridge till Nattrass came. This finished the evidence. Mr. Skerrett said he was not prepared to take the responsibility of calling Miss Strangman, because it "was only on the ground of giving testimony against her parents that her evidence was relevant. He had no objection to her being called and examined by an officer of the Court. Sir Bassett Edwards said counsel must take their own course, and Mr. Macassey said he was not prepared to call her. Mr. Skerrett (Dr. Mackenzie's counsel) then addressed the Court. He contended the letters written by Nattrass and the girl were genuine letters, and went to show there had been no conspiracy on the part of Dr. Mackenzie, who was acting purely for the girl's benefit. Counsel went on to show that the parents could not obtain a writ of habeas corpus, as the girl was over the age of IS years, and could live with whom she pleased. Counsel quoted many authorities in support Mr. O'Leary, on behalf of Dr. Claridge, stated that the case against his client,

es in (.lie case of Dr. Mackenzie, was Dr Clariclge's own story. He submitted that on the night of the visit to the 1 hospital, Dr. Claridge was caught at an unguarded moment, and did not have a full opportunity of considering what lie was going into, and committed an error of judgment. He acted on the spur of the moment. Counsel contended that what was done on the night of the abduction was not done in pursuit of his profession. Mr. O'Leary said his obligations to the patient had ended, but the Bench dissented from this view, holding that Dr. Claridge did enter the' hospital in his capacity as a doctor. Mr. Maeasscy (for the Medical Board) ■".lbmitted that Dr. Claridge knew, when he examined the eirl at mid-dav on the

day of the abduction, she was going to be taken way. He said these doctors had come before the Court and endeavor.cd to blacken the character of the girl's parents by swearing that they approached them with a view to abortion being procured. Judgment was reserved.