A YOUNG WOMAN'S DEATH.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 301, 29 December 1897, Page 5

A YOUNG WOMAN'S DEATH.

PECULIAR CIRCUMSTANCES,

INQUEST TO-DAY.

SENSATIONAL EVIDENCE,

'An inquest into the circumstances attending the recent death under peculiar circumstances of the young woman Susan Harriett Campbell McCallum, formerly of Dunedin, at a nursing hospital in Hep-burn-street, was held to-day at the Prince of Wales Hotel, Hobson-street. Mr E. Baker, J.P., acted as coroner, and the following jury were sworn in : John Abbott (foreman), Wm. Martin, Francis Fowler, John Lindsay, Benjamin Pain arid Maurice Foiey. Inspector Hickson represented the police, and Sergeant Kelly and Constable Hutchiiison were also present. The jury viewed the body of the deceased at the premises of Mr C. Little, undertaker, Hobson-street, after which the enquiry was adjourned to the Prince of Wales' Hotel. MRS METCALFE'S EVIDENCE. The first witness called was Marion Metcalfe, a widow residing in Howe-street. She deposed, in answer to Inspector Hickson : I let the rooms of my house to anyone who requires them. I have just seen the body of deceased. I identity it as that of a woman whom I knew by the name of "Mrs Sparkes." She took one of my rooms early last September. She was quite alone. She told me her husband was away. She took the room by the week. She remained 1 there till last Wednesday, when Dr. Orjfen sent a cab for her and took her to the private hospital in Hepburnstreet. I went with her. I did not know what the place in Hepburn-street was at the time. I did not then know who kept it. Dr. Orpen had previously told me he would send her to the nursing home in Symondsstreet. It was on tUe afternoon of the same day that he told me that. That was the first I heard of her going to a nursing home, Dr. Orpen did not say why he was sending her there. He saw her that morning in her room. "Mrs Sparkes" was in "bed then ; she had been in bed for twelve days. Dr. Orpen attended her all the time. When we got to the hospital two nurses came out to receive her from us ; they carried her in. I did not see the deceased again till I saw her body this morning. When she died Nurse Ogilvie wrote to me to say so, and said that the deceased had made her will, and that I was to take care of her things. Everyone that knew her that I knew spoke of her as Mrs Sparkes. During the time she was at my place several people called to see her. I knew her father's name was McCallum. She told me he was harbourmaster at Port Chalmers and Dunedin. She did not seem to be ill till twelve days ago. Inspector Hickson : Do you know what wras the matter with her ?

: Witness : I knew what was wrong with She had a miscarriage. She told nic and I was with her. The miscarriage occurred a fortnight ago last Saturday. She woke me up in the middle of the night, on Friday, the 10th of December, and wanted me to light the lire and get her somethinghot to drink. I could see the cause of her illness.

The Coroner : She" represented herself to you as a married woman. Did she say who her husband was ?

Witness: She told me his name was Frederick Sparkes, and when she took the room she told me he was in Wellington. When she had been a month in the room she told me where he was then. She told me that he was in Mount Eden gaol, and she showed me the report of the case, a stabbing case, for which he was convicted and sentenced to six months' imprisonment. He was convicted before she came to live with me.

Inspector Hickson: notice her condition ?

When did you first

Witness: I did not notice anything about her. There was nothing to be seen. She told me her period of pregnancy was only six weeks. In answer to further questions witness said: 1 should take her age to be about four or five and twenty. She told me she and Mr Sparks had been staying in another house in which they had a room before she came to me. The day she was taken ill some one came <to see her, a cousin she said. Her visitor was a man. Ido not know his name.

Inspector Hickson : How long did Dr. Orpen remain with the woman the last day he came to see her at your place ?

Witness : He stayed with her about half-an-hour. He attended her every day she was ill except the Tuesday prior to her removal, and sometimes came twice a day, On the Tuesday I sent to Dr. Orpen to come and see her, as she was much worse, but lie was away, and did not come till the next day. Inspector Hickson: I suppose she told you how Dr. Orpen treated her ? Witness : I was in the room on every occasion that Dr. Orpen attended her. She told me she used to see the doctor also in his office in Coombes' Arcade. She knew him some time before she was ill. While she was ill I saw the doctor give her different medicines. He told me lie was giving her quinine. The Coroner : Did he examine her body at all in your presence. Witness : Oh, yes; but I don't know if there was anything unusual about it. The Inspector : Did she tell you of anything else that Dr. Orpen did to her. Witness : She told me she had seen him down at his office. I knew what the object was. It was to procure abortion. She told me so after her visit .to the doctor on Thursday, the #tn: of December, before she ■was taken ill. She did not say how the operation was performed.

The Inspector: She did not say how he attempted to procure abortion ? Witness : ]No; she only told me she had Taeen to see him.

In answer to a juryfaan, Mrs Metcalfe said she saw the deceased taking medicine several times before she was taken ill. Witness could not say what the medicine was. There was medicine there still in two bottles.

In answer to the same juryman Inspector Hickson said the police would take charge of the bottles of medicine referred to.

NURSE OGILVIE'S STATEMENT.

The next witness examined was Elizabeth Ogilvie. She deposed in answer to Inspector Hickson :

I am a hospital nurse, and have a private hospital in Hepburn-street. I have seen the body of the deceased and recognise it as that of Susan McCallum. I last saw her alive at eleven o'clock on the evening of Christmas Day, the 25th inst. I first saw her on Wednesday evening last at eight o'clock, when she was received into my institution. Dr. Orpen came up in the afternoon and said he ■would be there at eight o'clock. He said that she had acute gastritis, and that where she was she was not being properly fed, and that that was principally the reason of her illness. Dr. Orpen £&Ued the next morning to see her. She was in bed then. He did not see her alone. He did not remain more than ten touiutes. He gave her a little treatment, , and passed a tube to remove gas. He told me that when he was doing it. He called again the same afternoon about three o clock, and he also called in the evening. «c ordered some champagne for her in the afternoon, and she received it. When he saw her in the afternoon Dr. A. C. Purchas saw her too. Dr. Purchas saw her again °ext day, but not with Dr. Orpen. th e second occasion Dr. Purchas was ■"Siting, and he went in to see her. Dr.

Purchas did not prescribe any medicine. He performed a slight operation on the first occasion, when Dr. Orpen was present. The operation was to see whether the uterus was empty. The girl died about eleven o'clock on Christmas night. I was present at the time, and also Miss Qualtrough. The girl did not make any statement to me. She did not make a will in my house. Mr Allom,. a Justice of the Peace called to take her statement. I requested him to call to take her dying deposition. I suspected something wrong and I said to her: "If I bring a gentleman here will you tell him the whole story?" and she said "Yes." I had not known Mr Allom previously. I tried everybody whom I knew was a Justice of the Peace in the district, but they were all away. I asked Mr Holland, Dr. Bedford, Mr Peacock, and Mr McDonald, who wouldn't come or couldn't come. Ido not know Mr Clapcott at the top of Hepburn-street. I rang up Dr. Purchas and asked him if he could recommend anybody. She told me to send the cab at once for Mr Allom. Mr AUpm came on the night of the 24th at eleren o'clock at night. I did not send any information to the police.-

Inspector Hickson : If you had suspicions did you not think it advisable to inform the police ?

Witness: Well I took the mildest precautions, and the girl was not dead then. When I had informed a Justice of the Peace I thought I had done my duty. The Coroner: Did you inform Mr Allom of the death of the deceased ?

Witness : No. Inspector Hickson : When was.the body removed from your place ?

Witness : At twelve o'clock on the night of the 25th.

By whose authority ? By mine. By whom was it removed ? By Mr Little, the undertaker. Was there anything suspicious about its removal at midnight ?

No; it's a regular thing in our house. . When did Dr. Orpen see her last? At nine o'clock on the Friday night. What was her condition then ? She seemed to be in a very low condition, but was perfectly conscious. When Dr. Purchas saw her on the second occasion, what did he do ?

He did nothing. He performed the slight operation on the first occasion. When Dr. Orpen last saw her what did he say about her ? He asked me what I thought of her, and I simply said " I think she is very ill." .What was the something that caused you to suspect that all was not right ? Well, she told me she had had a miscarriage on the Saturday week previous.

What was the temperature of the patient on the Friday'?

Ninety-six

And on the Saturday ?

Ninety-six ; it never went up. It was about 97 on the day we received her; it was never normal.

Was there anything remarkable about her feet?

No; except that they were not everydayfeet ; she had a high instep. In answer to further questions Nurse Ogilvie' said she sent a message to Mrs Metcalfe saying that the deceased had made a will, but as a matter of fact she made no 'will. Witness thought that that ■was the easiest way of saying that the deceased had made a dying statement, without divulging it all, and in case she had any valuables which needed to be taken care of. Witness telephoned to Dr. Purchas when Miss McCallum died. .She did not think he was at home at the time ; as it was not he who answered the telephone. She did not know whether Mr Little had any medical authority to remove the body from the house. The deceased was, perfectly conscious, up to the last. She was moaning and tossing about. She had been dying for the last twenty-four hours. She was vomiting incessantly, and was severely constipated. She suffered very acutely. Witness was present when Mr Allom took the statement of the dying woman. Witness saw there was someone implicated.

DR. ORPEN MISSING. Inspector Hickson asked the witness: When you saw there was some one jmplicated, did you not think it was your duty to have informed the police when the girl made her statement ? Nurse Ogilvie replied : No ; I thought that I had done my duty when I informed the Justice of the Peace. I thought that I was thereby exonerated and that it was sufficient precaution. Inspector Hickson : You know that lie has cleared oil—left by the mail steamer ? Nurse Ogilvie: Yes, I have heard so. Inspector Hickson: He wouldn't have gone if we had known about it. We Avere not informed about it till the Sunday.

The Coroner (to witness): But you didn't inform Mr Allom of the young woman's death.

Witness : No.

The Coroner : Let me give you a little bit of friendly advice. When anyone dies in your house again always inform the police. . Inspector Hickson said that the girl was about to be buried when he heard of the affair. The person implicated was clear off from the colony when the police were informed. He didn't blame the lady at all, but he thought the police should have been informed at once.

The Inspector then said that Mrs Garrett, at whose place at the North Shore Dr. Orpen had lodged, was in attendance and would be called to show that when the subpoena to Dr. Orpen to attend the inquest was served at her place the doctor had gone. DR. ORPEN'S LODGINGS. Mrs Mary Jane Garrett, a widow, deposed: I keep a boarding-house at the North Shore. Dr. Arthur Herbert Orpen boarded with me for about 15 months, up to Christmas Day. He left on that day. He got the one o'clock boat for Auckland. He said he was going away for a trip for his health. He left a few old clothes in his room, but not any valuables. He paid me all but a fortnight of his board. He did not say when he would be back again. He spoke of a family in the south of Ireland. I believe he was married. I think he was over 60 years of age, judging bS his appearance. He came from Mrs Sowerby's, in Parliament-street, to me. He was six or seven years with her he told me. He had been talking for some time about going away for a trip for the good of his health. He had had influenza and could not shake it off at all. His departure was very sudden; he called me in and asked if a boy could take his boxes to the boat. He did not come to the house till twelve o'clock that day, and I did not have five minutes' conversation with him. Ido not know whether his family are in the south of Ireland now or not. He has no family here to my knowledge. The inquest was then adjourned for lunch, till two o'clock this afternoon. The Coroner said he hoped to get through the evidence to-day, if possible, but it might last till to-morrow. DR. LEWIS' STATEMENT. Dr. T. Hope Lewis was examined after the luncheon adjournment. He deposed : I have seen the body of the deceased. I saw her once alive —at about 10.30 a.m. on Friday last. I was asked by Dr. A. C. Purchas to give my opinion as to whether an operation of opening _ the abdomen was advisable in a case of a woman who was in the nursing home. I was.in the nursing home at the time seeing another patient". I saw the woman McCallum, and made an examination of her abdomen, and her general condition. I gave it as my opinion that no operation was justifiable or advisable, as_.ga^ was tooi

weak. She was suffering from peritonitis, which is an inflammation of the lining cavity of the belly outside the intestines, with a stoppage of the bowels, and I considered her moribund virtually. She was really in a dying condition. I could advise no medical treatment beyond stimulating. Inspector Hickson: Did you know what she was suffering from ? Dr. Lewis : I formed the opinion that she was suffering from peritonitis, and 1 asked the history of the case. I was informed by Dr. Purchas that deceased was a patient of Dr. Orpen's; that lie had been asked to see her in consultation with Dr. Orpen; that he had done so, and had examined her and found that the uterus was empty; that the womb had nothing in it. I may say that I advised Dr. Purchas and Nurse Ogilvie to at once get a Justice of the Peace to take her depositions. The Foreman of the Jury : Can you say whether the inflammation was due to the effects of a miscarriage ? Dr. Lewis : Oh, I can't say that; I can only say what death was due to; it Mras due to peritonitis. A juror: Would peritonitis be caused by a miscarriage. Dr. Lewis : If the miscarriage was not complete, or if it was caused by interference, peritonitis would be likely to follow. MRS METCALFE KECALLED. Mrs Metcalfe, recalled, deposed: I have handed over to Constable Hutchinson the bottles that were left in the room lately occupied by the deceased. They were in the same condition as they were when she left the room. I also produce the Auckland Savings Bank deposit book which was the pioperty of the deceased. This was left in my charge by Mrs Sparkes.

In answer to Inspector Hickson, witness said she saw the abortion, on the Saturday morning after the deceased was taken ill, in the deceased's room.

DR. PURCHAS' EVIDENCE

Dr. Arthur Challinor Purchas was next called to give evidence. In answer to Inspector Hickson he said : I have seen the body of the deceased. I recognised it as that of Susan Harriet Campbell McCallum. I saw the deceased when alive. On Thursday last, the 23rd inst., I was asked by Dr. A. H. Orpen whether I should be going to the Nursing Home in Hepburn-street, and at what time. I replied yes, at 3.30 o'clock. lam in the habit of visiting the Hospital, and have a number of patients there. Dr. Orpen came to my room to see me about his throat, and lie then said to me: "I have a patient who is suffering from gastritis, and I should like you to see her." Gastritis is an inilammation of the stomach and intestines. On arrival I was shown the patient, and examined her. He then called me to one side and told me that she had had a miscarriage about ten days prior to that date. I asked him if everything had came away. He said that he thought so, but he wasn't certain, that he had not seen the woman until four days after the miscarriage had taken place. I asked him if he was quite sure, aiul he replied that he was. I said: " The proper thing to do is to make certain that the uterus is empty." Dr. Orpen asked me to do the operation. He administered the chloroform, and I performed the operation to make sure that the womb was empty, and applied antiseptic dressing. By the operation 1 mean I "curetted" the patient; that is the surgical term. The deceased was suffering from intense pain all over the region of the abdomen, and was covered with a cold clammy perspiration. On Friday morning while operating at the nursing home I received a message from Dr. Orpen asking me to see the patient and do what was necessary. I examined her and found that her condition was decidedly worse, and in order to do all that I could for her I asked Dr. Lewis. He agreed to see her with me, as an act of charity, but objected to do so with Dr. Orpen.

The inqnest was still proceeding when we went to press. Several witnesses remained to be examined, including Mr Allom, who took the girl's dying depositions.