MANSLAUGHTER CHARGE

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 35, 10 August 1934, Page 5

MANSLAUGHTER CHARGE

ACCUSED COMMITTED FOR TRIAL

After a hearing lasting a day and a half, during which many witnosses wero examined and cross-examined, the case in which Clara Nicholson, alias Naylor, a married woman, aged 52, was charged with unlawfully using an instrument, thus causing the death of a young woman, and thereby committing manslaughter, was concluded in the Magistrate's Court yesterday. The accused, who pleaded not guilty, was committed by Mr. B. Page, S.M., to the .Supreme Court for trial. Bail was renewed. N Detective-Sergeant Revell appeared for the police and Mr. J- Meltzer for tho accused. The first witness yesterday afternoon was Dr. G. E. C. Cotton, who aid he attended the deceased at Nurse do Burren 'a home. The room in which the deceased was was clean, and tho house generally appeared to be clean. lie visited the deceased on three occasions. To Mr. Meltzer, witness said when ho attended the girl there was nothing about her condition to cause him grave concern. Dr. C. G. Kemp said that he visited the girl at her home on June 20 and j found her in considerable pain. »She was removed to the hospital tho same day, and on examining her he found she was suffering from localised pelvic peritonitis. Dr. P. P. Lynch, pathologist at the Wellington Hospital, who made a postmortem examination of the deceased, said that death was caused by general peritonitis arising from i perforating injury. Detective N. W. Baylis said that under tho guidance of Miss Metcalf, he and two other detectives and the police matron visited a house in Adelaide Road. The accused was in bed, and when she was told it was alleged she had committed an illegal operation, and when the deceased and Miss Metcalf wore described to her, she shook her head and said it was "all fibs." Detective; Murray searched hor purse and founa £3 7s 2d, and she said that was all the money she had. He then discovered two £5 notes and the accused could not give a satisfactory explanation regarding them. She said she was getting £2 10s a week or less. The accused's bed and bedroom wero in a filthy condition. In the bedroom were found two thermometers, a glass syringe, a midwife's sign, a quantity of medical books, a basin and jug, a wire instrument, and a bottle containing disinfectant. The accused and her husband wero the only occupants of the house-.