CHARGE AGAINST CHEMIST

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 128, 24 February 1938, Page 17

CHARGE AGAINST CHEMIST

Committed For Trial Charged with unlawfully using an instrument with intent,to procure miscarriage,’ Otto Robert Lahman, chemist, aged 50, Wellington, appeared before Mr. J. G. L. Hewitt, S.M., in the Magistrates’ Court, Wellington, yesterday. After an all-day hearing, accused pleaded not guilty, reserved his defence and was committed to the Supreme Court for trial. Bail was allowed conditional upon accused's reporting daily to the police. Detective-Sergeant P. Doyle prosecuted and Mr. A. B. Sievwright appeared for accused. On the detective-sergeant’s application the magistrate suppressed the girl’s name until the Supreme Court hearing of the case. The first witness was the girl concerned, who said her age was 23 years. She kept company with a Chinese, and was engaged to him. She alleged the operation on her was performed by accused in a room at a Chinese place on the corner of Taranaki and Vivian Streets on December 10.

Constable F. Thomson said he had interviewed accused, who denied that he had performed an illegal operation on any white girl in anv Chinese house. Witness produced a statement signed by accused, which further denied the allegation. Witness was invited to search a room in a house in Brooinhead Street which accused occupied. In the fireplace, which was about half-full of part-ly-burned paper and old clothing, was found the instrument produced earlier in the case.