CHARGE OF MURDER.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1226, 7 September 1911, Page 4

CHARGE OF MURDER.

i THE KINGSLAND MYSTERY, 1 MEDICAL AND OTHER EVIDENCE. ( (By Telecranh.—Press Association.) Auckland, September 0. 1 Tho hearing of the charge of murder ! preferred ngainst Martha Jano O'Shaugh- \ nessy in connection with the death of Miss ; lilsie Alexandra Holland at the residence ■ of the accused, Kingsland, on or about • June 13 last, was continued at the Auck- | land ■ Supremo Court to-day. Dr. Walter Scott Jlrockway, who was J telephoned for early oil the morning of , Wednesday, June JI, and visited tho | house of tho accused, stated that tho ] young woman was dead when lie arrived. Jfo inquired why a doctor had not been sent for earlier, and accused replied that she was not aware tho deceased was so ill. Mr. Tole intimated that tho next witness to be callctl was in a delicate state of health, and suggested that the Court bo cleared while her evidenco was being I taken. ILis Honour: I am not prepared to do that in a murder trial. The witness, a woman about 30 years of age, said that on July 13 accused performed an operation on her. Under cross-examination tho witness ; said her husband was a plasterer, and they had one child five years old, having been married seven years. They camo direct from London and landed at Wellington. In November last she had been recommended by a neighbour to go to Mrs. O'Shaughn'essy, whom she had never previously seen. It was the first occasion on which an illegal operation had been performed on her. Why did you want tho operation performed?—" Because wo haven't got a home, and 1 wanted to work to help my husband get on." Have you told your husband about tho operation ?—"No.' The witness said sho was first seen by Detectives Quartermain and Cox about a month ago. The morning after she left the Hospital she gave them a statement. It was in tho morning, and a neighbour was in the room with her at tho time, but tho latter left upon the arrival of the detectives. Sho made another statement about a fortnight later. Dr. Milsom, who in conjunction with Dr. Bull carried out a post-mortem examination, gave detailed evidenco as previously on the result of his findings, and pronounccd that death was due to blood poisoning, the outcome of an illegal operation. He declared that the presence of the perchloride of mcrcurv tabloid in the deceasod's mouth had nothing to do with the young woman's dentil. Tho corrosive poison had l>eeii put in the mouth immediately aftsr death or just before death. Under cross-examination witness was asked: ITavo you formed any estimate of how long the original infection of tho germ which caused blood poisoning 'look place before the death of tho ■woman?—Thero was a wound as recent as within 4S hours before death. The wound was trivial. Did you say previously that the wound in question occurred no less than d 8 hours before death?—l noticed that on the depositions, but it was never my opinion. I corrected that in the Lower Court. Did you make the statement at tho inquest?—lt was cither a slip of my tonguo or of the coroner's pen. But you said in evidence at the Court that you made the statement?— Yes, but 1 explained to you then. But when you added "I think it would have been more correct to say (hat the wound occurred not more thaii IS hours before death," that is a guarded retraction and not a correction. They are your own words. You signed the depositions? —Yes. _"Well, then, we are faced with tho position that there has been an extraordinary and dangerous mistake in tho coroner's depositions. I think you are aware of the fact that if the wound was eauscd within 4S hours before d-eath it could, not have l)eon inflicted by Sirs. O'Shauglinessv?— No. Haven't you discussed the matter with the others in tho prosecution?— The case has been mentioned, but not rcconstructed._ You see tho importance of the question of tho 48 hours?— Yes. That is why the matter has been noted. Dr. Stanley Arthur Bull said that on Judo It last, in company with the last witness, he made a post-mortom examination of the body of Elsie Alexandra Holland. Ho found no external marks of violence except a corrosion near the mouth caused by some artificial dye. This corrosion could have been caused by the tabloids produced. It was limited to the mouth and a small portion of tho upper part of the gullet. There was no trace of this poison in the stomach. Mr. Tole: What are these tabloids used for?— For antiseptic purposes. They are highly poisonous. When was this corrosive matter placed in the mouth?— Either after death or immediately before when the patient was uncon soious. And what was the cause of death?— Septicaemia, as the result of violence. The Court then adjourned till to-mor-row.