FARM HAND TO "DOCTOR"

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 48, 25 August 1923, Page 10

FARM HAND TO "DOCTOR"

ADVENTURES IN A COUNTRY TOWNSHIP

:fjSTFIjU;ENZA ;?A:ND ACCIDENT

PATIENTS TREATED!

> . (II KIKRAPH;—SPICIA^ 10 TBE NIT.)*

-; 1; :; ■ •;, AUCKLAND, This Day: •vFrederick Walter":M>Clennan, .-alleged bogus! doctor, was. charged on Thuisday jrith a breach; of hiß, probation order, and... • .remanded 'fo'ii- a week. ;'■ It ! was -stated that;M'Clennan has an,absorbing passion for publicity and notoriety.•'■ He was,- .found gagged and bound * iri.!' the streefc.iarly this r year, when he told-the pplice a story, of»a sandbagging eniso'de of-,; which:. he-had . been the victim,': his assailants ..'»-.Vafterwards . robbing -•'"■, him. •JTBfeH, the ■'■'•' matter "was investigated, M'Clennan confessed that he had bound and gagged himself in order to. attract attention. This occurred before he /had Tj?eri placed, on probation. After reoeiving*.;thy ..Supreme Court's, leniehcyj 1 -M'Caennjih resided, with his mother; at-her fa&niS Jj'ater he went to San. Francisco as.-:ajn \ ordinary seainanj^" and.! afterwards at^mp.tjed .to. "start..:in. 'bueliMss .as U moteJ and "electrical- expert;- v r a .-iAboutr a, month'agb^he .obtained ?em- . plpyjne'nt- ■. as (aX milker.J'in'. Lower 'I'Waikato, but. the.'lifexofja dairy-farm' hand did notVappe^Jo, him.JaridvAe soctn: left the,36b % and.:T,vent;to': thel township of Te Kauwhata. - f Thefe' he took-- up '"his iresidence in a boarding-house and was accepted as a doctor. Sevaral' of his fel-low-boarders mentioned the nature of their bailments to him, -and it is stated that .their faith in him was strengthened when'he'"treated" them and'gaVe them relief. On one occasion, it ie said, a. lady chanced to sit on a- needle pro-' trading from a cushion. She suffered .pain, •.. and ,waS(..much .distressed to find that'she could not,, locate the needle. As a slight swelling was visible on the injured part she decided to .the .doctor about it," and "set off- to; consult M'Glennan. • After some hesitancy accused, it is stated, agreed to, examine the lady "professionally.'.' The examination was conducted in the presence of a female friend of the lady, but the needle remained unlocated. ?emgj ; -assured that she would be all right:-' the,L Jady returned to her home, ;"wherei;;sli;^..'.was;; much relieved' to find the- mysterious;'■ needle still stuck fast in the cusljian;:''.;;;,;;^ 1 .. While was in Te Kauwhata influenza was yery prevalent, and after he had!.been- introduced round the district by.: any old established resident, his services; ■•were" frequently sought. By dint o'f^the exercise of care ana caution, combined with ah impressive bedside mariner, M'Clennan became popular with' the sufferers. "Quinine and brandy was his i favourite-prescription, which proved efficacious in quite a number of cases. ;M'Clennan ,• set ■ a broken arm for a Maon, »and' is said to have been quite successful'in";treating an injured ankle for an elderly lady. ■ One day a Government employee said he felt, unwell and the "doctor" promptly^ issued him a certificate, the result being that the patient was granted leave.. The -"doctor,'.' it is said, then ;.ordered'the man to " Helensville to got ."le.-henefit, of. the; hot. springs. . '■ M'Caennan first came into contact with" officialdom by reason of his asso»ta. with a.; fatal, accident. : Hubert -i. ™?rner was returning from a day's .shooting with a friend, and was getting through a* fence,'when his rifle'was dis-■char»ed-and- : the -unfortunate man was Kuled mstantaneously,. the charge entering his head. M'Clennan was called and he could "only pronounce life to be -extinct. y^The ; rsequel was, of course, his ,sworn,; .testimony' 1:-IK: the inquest as a duly qualified medical practitioner." ay some chance suspicions were aroused ■and, inquiries were made which resulted m the exposure" of the impbster • ■ ,: X is:- : also. alleged that. M'Clennan posed a s .-an-insurance agent before assuming the role of doctor, and, on one .occasion, he jsaUeged to haye .insured '?.. football team against accident; collecting £6 Iss from the players. , I