SUPREME COURT

Evening Star, Issue 16264, 6 November 1916, Page 4

SUPREME COURT

CRIMINAL SITTINGS. \ Moxdat, November 6. ' l . (Before His Honor Mr Justice Sim.) The quarterly criminal sittings "com- ) menced at 10.30 this morning. —Grand Jury.:— The following grand jury were sworn in: James Brown (foreman), David C'rawforo, Samuel P. Mirams. Eric T. Moller, William Ewing, James Knox, George E. Floury. William Coiiston, jun. ( William G. Love, Henry C. Anderson. Peter Johnson, 1 James F. Peebles, Claude T. Lee, William R. Gordon, Gordon Cosscns, Berthold H. Nces. Edward W. Walden, Douglas M. Speddmg, John Miller, and John A. Brown. > —His Honor's Charge.— His Honor, in addressing Die grand jury, said that the calendar on thk occasion comprised only two eases, and ho did not, think they would have any difficulty .n , e.ther of them. In one case a. man of 70 I years of age was charced with indecently aRS-iulting a, gn-1 of five years of age. lii the other case a, Chinaman was charged ' with obtaining monev by a. false pretence. It appeared that he went to Balclufha, and set himself it|i there as a doctor. He jjub.hshed .advertisements in the two local \ papers, in which he undo very largo claims I m regard to his wonderful' powers ae a J healer. He said he was a, physician anil ,' surgeon, and might be consulted at hi<* ■ rooms, and signed himself "Chinese specialist." It appeared from, the depositions that a Mrs Sandford, who was suffering from a. burst varicose vein, read ono of th« advertisements, and. being attracted bv it consulted accused. He said he would curi it, and he treated her from about May 1| to August 29, during which time her 'liu? band paid accused altogether £42 2s. ThaJ was the sum accused was charged with obs taming by false pretences, and the falsa • pretence rolled on was that he represented he was a doctor and that he could cure) a hurst varicose vein. Mrs Snndford said that accused said to her that he was a, doctor, and that ho had cured many legs like hers. Her husband also said that accused paid he war. a doctor. The suggestion made by the Crown was that he was not a doctor at all. According to the evidence of Detective Hnmmcrkv, accused said that ho was not a Chinese doctor, but ™ everybody called him a. doctor. He added that he look no notice of what they called Imp. The detective asked him what qualifications he had for treating sickness and he said that his father and grand! father had been doctors in China, and that he(learnt a little from them. He'left homewhen he was 16 years of age to come to .New Zealand, wherei he had been following unskilled labor. Of course, accused was not on the medical register. Tho jury might feel no doubt in their mind trom the evidence that accused was simply a quack, but before a, quack could brin* himself within tho criminal law he must make some false representatiom Before they could bring in a true bill for obtaining money by false pretences the jury must be satisfied that accused made some representation regarding a matter cf fact that ho knew to he untrue. TOTJK BILLS. The Grand .liny brought in true bills against Kwong Sang (false pretence) and Maior Samuel Georgo Meo (indecent assault). v —A Chinese "Doctor.''— Kwong Sang was charged with at Balclutha obtaining £42 2a from Henry Sandford by means of a. falso pretence. Mr A. ('. Hanlon appeared for prisoner, who pleaded not guilty. The Crown Prosecutor (Mr W. C. MacGregor, 1v.0.) outlined the facts. Accused, he said, went to Baklutha. emne,. months ago and inserted an advertisement in tho local papers that ho was a Chinese physician and surgeon, rnd could euro many diseases. MrsSandford, -who was suffering from a buret varicose Vein, saw accused, who said that ho was a doctor, and h.d cured a lot of legs like hers. Ho started to work on a. cure, giving her lotions and powders and other medicine, but the principal treatment wins apparently two things—onions and salt. Ho instructed Mrs Sandford and her husband to boil large quantities of onions and muko • a poultice with a- powder, at the same timo heating a largo quantity of salt, and putting it to tiie woman's i'eet as a pack. Ho was paid different stuns by Mr San d ford. The leg did not heal, 'i'lto wound was smaller «.b tho finish, but no tetter. Accused, after he had got £42 ?s. then went away, and that ended the matter. Part of his conditions was no cure, no pav. In this case he certainly did not cure, but lie got very well paid. Two oilier persons would give, evidence. One man, who suffered from a bad knee, was tokl by accused that he could cure him, and lie received the came treatment—onions and salt. Another man suffering | ro m rheumatism also received the same treatment at a, cost of about £7, with no result. Ho tokl them .that he was a, doctor. When spoken to by Detective Hammerly accused said that ho had not done anvthin.r in medicine until reoent years; when he practised in Ha-wera, Damicvirke, and tho Auckland district. After having Bu.lclutha accused camo to Dunedin, with tho object of netting up practice here, hut his arrest stopped it. It might lx> said that people who went to such men as accused were foolish, and no doubt they wee But when tliey saw such an advertisement as the ono in this case thev were inclined to believe that the man was a. skilful doctor and that he might possibly have'soma method ot treatment superior "to that t onducted by the medical profession. Tha danger was that in serious complaints such as cancer, which accused claimed to cure, an. infinite amount of mischief •nicrht be worked. He (Mr MacGrcgor) did not suppose that in any of the three ca<?e* wmch ho had mentioned accused did much harm_ or much good. Evidence was"given bv Yep Rang. William Anderson, David G. Alstie, Louisa band ford, Henry Saudford, John Cecil Mieddan, James Wilson, and Detective Ha.minerly.

Mr Hani on contended that it had not been proved that accused did any thing with intent to dcfrawl. It was pctfocfly evident that accused thought that lie could cure his patients. One witness, in fact, had said that ho had cured, him. Thcra was .---ame merit in onions, said learned counsel; mid ;\s for salt, it was -tot only used by Chinese, but by duly-qualified medical practitioners. The cv.r.d va-v, proceeding .at 3 p in.