AN INTERCARGILL SENSATION.

Evening Star, Issue 10402, 25 August 1897, Page 2

AN INTERCARGILL SENSATION.

ALLEGED ILLEGAL OPERATION.

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INVERCARGILL, August 25. ■ Before Mr Poyntoin, S.M.j and Mr Chester, J.P., to-day,. Caroline Matthews, wife of Richard Matthews, of Invercargill, solicitor, was charged that on the 15th October, 1595, she unlawfully permitted to be administered to her a noxious substance with felonious intent, and the information jointly charged Richard Williamson Hall, of Invercargill, solicitor, with unlawfully counselling and procuring the Baid Caroline Matthews to commit the said offence. The information was laid by Sergeant Macdonell. Mr T. M. Macdonald prosecuted; Mr Solomon appeared for both the accused; Mr A. C. Hanlon to watch the proceedings on behalf of Dr Torrance.

The Magistrate ordered the court to be cleared.

In opening the case Mr Macdonald said that Hall went to the Bluff at the end of September, 1895, saw Dr Torrance, and told him that his (Hall's) housekeeper was in trouble and he was anxious to get her out of it. Hall added that Mrs Matthews had not been able to do anything herself, and begged for the doctor's assistance. Dr Torrance declined at that interview to do anything", but at a later interview he yielded to Hall's persuasions and consented to assist in effecting the object Hall had in view, but the doctor explained to Hall the risk there was being run to the woman's health. Mrs Matthews went to lodge at the house of a Mrs Gorman, who, noticing the preparations Mrs Matthews was making, asked her what they meant, whereupon Mrs Matthews jumped out of bed, fell on Ler knees, and begged her not to tell the police. Mrs Gorman upbraided her for coming to her house for that purpose, and was leaving the room when Dr Torrance called, and Mrs Gorman refused to allow him to see Mrs Matthews. Subsequently Mrs Gorman saw Hall, and something was said by her about giving information to the police. Hall said that, if she would not do so, he would give her £IOO, and he invited her to go to his office. She went, and he gave her a cheque for £5 and a promissory note for £95. The promissory note, however, was not stamped; Had told her to get stamps and put them upon it and he would initial them. Later on she came to Invercargill with the promissory mote, and asked him either for the money or that the stamps should be properly initialled. Hall asked her to call at his office at two o'clock. She called, and saw Hall in the presence of a person called "Jack," who turned out to be a man named Walker. Hall then said that she was blackmailing him, and. she got frightened and left. She saw a solicitor, but was informed by him nothing could be done. The Crown also proposed to submit evidence showing that in 1894 Mrs Matthews had procured a similar result to that now charged. Mr Solomon said he would not bother now, but would object to that evidence at the proper time.

The first witness called by Mr Macdonald waa

James Torrance, medical practitioner, residing at tho Bluff, who said that he knew Hall, and saw him at the Bluff about the end of September, 1895. They met in the street. Hall said, in effect, that Mrs Matthews wan in trouble, and aßked whether witness would do anything to help her to get out of it. Witness replied that he did not care to have anything to do with it. He believed Hall said she had been taking drugs, and witness said she had better go on as she had been doing. Witness believed he also said that she had better see someone in Invercargill. Nothing else passed at that interview. A week or ten days later Hall called on witness at the Bluff and said that matters were still the same, and advanced reasons why something should be done. On account of reasons given witness consented, at Hall'B request, to see Mrß Matthews. She oalled on him a fow days afterwards. He questioned her and formed an opinion from what he learned that there was no justification for doing anything for her. She gave as an additional reason that another medical man had given her certain advice. [Witness here described the advice he himself prescribed.] She was not then, so far as he remembered, staying at the Bluff. Hall called on witness a few days afterwards, and said that in the event of anything taking place he wished to have her away from Invercargill, as he wanted to keep matters quiet. Hall asked where she could stay. Mrs Cameron's or Mrs Gorman's name was mentioned. Mrs Cameron and Mrs Gorman were the same person. It was understood that she should go to Mrs Gorman's. Witness said he would do something for him. He could not say that Hall asked him on that occasion to do anything, but he did on the first occasion. .Witness understood by "doing something" that he was to .* give drugs or something of that sort. What he actually said was he would help them in their trouble. lb was decided that Mrs Matthews was to go to the Bluff. That was all the conversation. She did go there, and witness saw her. She said she was in much the same state as when she last saw him, and requested him to do something. She got into an excitable state, fell on her Knees, threw her arms round him, said it was the first time this had occurred, and hoped to God it would be the last, and entreated him to do something more for her. Witness replied that he would. [Witness detailed the treatment he then prescribed.] She called again a couple of days afterwards. He said she waa in much the same condition. He could. Dot say whether she called at the surgery once or twice after he gave her the medicine. Next day—he .thought it was the loth—he received a message, and in consequence went and saw Mrs Matthews. Mrs Gorman met witness as he was leaving the room. Witness called again that day shortly afterwards. He had not been sent for. He took her some medicine. The patient by that time was in a very excitable state. , He had heard her crying and singing OUfc that Mrs Gorman had locked her in. As he was leaving the room on his first visit that day he saw Mrs Gorman, who refused to allow him to go into the room. He persuaded Mrs Gorman to take the medicine in. Witness went to the house later on. He had met Dr Young during the day; as a matter of fact, bad rnng him up from the Bluff. He bad also sent a message to Hall by telephone, letting him know that an exposure was imminent and he had better come down. He had no donbt he said in the message to Hall that Mrs Gorman was threatening, and he had better come down. He did not accompany Dr Young to Mrs Gorman's. Hall came and saw him, and he dared say he told Hall that Mrs Gorman was threatening she would get him (Hall) into trouble and into gaol. Witness upbraided Hall for getting him into trouble to a certain extent. Hall said he was very sorry, and would go along arid see Mrs Gorman. Witness saw Hall again that day, and later he led witness to understand that matters had been settled satisfactorily with Mrs Gorman. In the evening witness went and saw Mrs Matthews. Mrs Cooper, her mother was with her. Before Mr 3 Matthews left the Bluff witness spoke to her about talking too freely about the matter. She denied it, and cried a little. A week or two afterwards he saw Hall, who said that the matter had been hushed up, and he told witness how he had got the better of Mrs Gorman. Hall paid witness the fee to pay Dr Young, and witness paid it. It was a fee of three guineas.

To Mr Solomon: It was possible that Hall desired to avoid exposing his relationship with Mrs Matthews, and that that was what Hall referred to when ho spoke to witness. When witness suggested Hall should go to a medical man in Invercargill he did not mean for the purpose of getting a drug administered illegally. What he meant was that Hall should consult someone about the woman's condition. Witness had no intention of giving drugs with an unlawful object, nor did he administer them with that intent. The luncheon adjournment was here taken. On resuming, the cross-examination of Tr Torrance was continued. Witness said he did nob tell Mrs Matthews what he was prescribing for her. The drugs that he prescribed were frequently prescribed medicinally {n the quantities" in whioh he pre* '

scribed them, and in such quantities they wer e "L no way noxious to life or health. Mr Henderson, speaking on behalf of Mrs Matthews, Baid he had no questions to put just then. ", - -

The reexamination of the witness,was then proceeded with.

Mr Macdonald; You agreed to do what they wanted you to do ? Witness said ho agreed to help them. Iney might have understood it was to procure the result they aimed at, but he never intended doing anything unlawful. "~ Mr Macdonald wa ß pressing the question, when His Worship said he did not think it necessary. When a man promised to help another out of a trouble the inference was it was out of the trouble stated. Mr Macdonald: You eay the drugs you gave her would not produce the result she wanted ?

Witness: Yes. But that result did take place, and you say you do not know how. Why, then did you afterwards blame Hall and Matthews for getting you into a mess ?—Well, from any point of view you look at it, it is a nasty business. I thought ray action was bound to look suspicious in the eyes of the public, and might affect my practice and also my professional status. To Mr Solomon: No drugs were mentioned by Hall in his interviews with tne. Mary Gorman's examination began at 3 25. So far it is not particularly important.