YOUNG WOMAN’S DEATH

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26032, 8 February 1950, Page 8

YOUNG WOMAN’S DEATH

CORONER’S COMMENT AT INQUEST

EVIDENCE OF ILLEGAL OPERATION

“This is at the moment an unsolved, and possibly an unsolvable, crime,” said the Coroner (Mr Rex C. Abernethy) at the inquest yesterday into | the death of Noeline Patricia Brown, aged 19, a waitress, who died on September 17, 1949. Detective-Sergeant R. S. Smith conducted proceedings for the police. Joan Eveline Toohey, a sister of Noeline Brown, said she understood that her sister was pregnant. On September 16, witness spent the night at her sister’s flat. Her sister complained of being ill and had a miscarriage. She became worse and seemed seriously 511 during the night. Witness tried to get a doctor and finally got Dr. Bellringer about 5.30 a.m. on September 17. Her sister was taken to the Public Hospital where she later died. From what her sister told her. witness understood her sister had had an illegal operation but witness was not told where or by whom.

The Coroner: You are on your oath, you know, and you swear you do not know the identity of the person who performed the illegal operation on your sister. Is that true? Witness: Yes.

Ronald Trevor Hall, a taxi driver, said he knew Noeline Brown and kept company with her. About two months before her death she told him she was pregnant and he accepted responsibility. He suggested that they should go to the North Island and get married when they were both free to do so„ Later she said she had decided to have an illegal operation. Witness tried to persuade her not to do so and spoke of the risks. On September 15 he met her at the tearoom where she worked and took her to her flat. She said she did not feel well and would not go to work the following day. She made no mention of an operation. He saw her the fcilowing day and there was no mention of an operation. On September 17 Mrs Toohey called to tell him her sister was very ill and had been taken to hospital. He was unable to give any information about the identity of the person who would do the illegal operation. Reminded by the Coroner of his oath, witness said he knew nothing of the operation. Dr. R. W. Bellringer said he was called to see Noeline Brown on September 17. He described her condition and said she told him an instru- x ment had been used. He sent her immediately to the Public Hospital. He had not attended her before. Dr. A. B. Pearson, pathologist, said he conducted a post-mortem examination on the body and, in his opinion, the cause of death was toxaemia due to peritonitis . following abortion. Detective-Sergeant Smith said that, with Detective N. Wylie, he began inquiries on September 17. k He interviewed all the witnesses and numerous other persons but could get <io evidence which would result in establishing the identity of the person who performed the illegal operation from which Noeline Brown later died. The Coroner returned a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence. Other Verdicts | In the following inquests, in which Sergeant L. P. Ricketts conducted proceedings for the police, the Coroner returned verdicts in accordance with the medical evidence: — Athol Richard Butcher, aged 66, a retired labourer, died on November 10, 1949, from heart failure due to coronary occlusion. Charles McFall, aged 65, a pensioner, died on December 6, 1949, from heart failure associated with uraemia due to chronic nephritis. Albert Edward Clarke, aged 52, a storeman, died on January 3 from heart failure resulting from coronary artery disease. Geoffrey Robert Holland, aged 28, a rubber worker, died on December 7, 1949, from asphyzia due to inhalation of blood from his tongue, bitten during an attack of epilepsy. William Charles Kilday. aged 41, a carrier, died oh August 11, 1949, from heart failure due to toxic myocarditis.

The Coroner returned a verdict that Jessie Juanita Honeybone, aged 40, a married woman, died on November 23, 1949, from toxaemia resulting from gangrenous inflammation of the womb. Sub-Inspector J: McKie conducted proceedings for the police. Inquest Adjourned The inquest into the death of Margaret Rice Gilbert, aged 35 a married woman, who died on October 9, 1949, was adjourned sine die pending the return to Christchurch of the Government analyst (Mr N. P. Alcorn), a witness. •

Evidence was given yesterday by Dr. L. R. Chapman, who had attended Mrs Gilbert. He said he had not prescribed any barbiturate, but had told the husband to give her aspirin. He saw the packet and they were the ordinary tablets. There was no sign of any barbiturate in the house.

Dr. A. B. Pearson, pathologist, said that, in his opinion, death was caused by asphyxia due to barbiturate poisoning. When the inquest was first opened, evidence was given by the husband, William James Gilbert, who said that his wife became ill early on the morning of October 9. About 3.30 p.m. that day, when he was in the garden, his wife called him and he found that she had got out of bed and was unable to get back. They both thought she had influenza. In the evening his wife appeared to be getting worse and he telephoned Dr. Chapman, who prescribed three aspirins every three hours. About 9.30 p.m. he again telephoned Dr. Chapman, who came to the house straight away. The doctor sent Mrs Gilbert to hospital in an ambulance and drove witness there in his car. Dr. Chapman told witness on the way that his wife’s condition was serious and, after their arrival at the hospital, he was told that his wife was dead.