ILLEGAL OPERATION

Greymouth Evening Star, 9 September 1927, Page 2

ILLEGAL OPERATION

PERFORMED AT CHRISTCHURCH. DEATH OF MRS TOOHEY. “That the deceased, Martha Isabel Toohey, died at the Greymouth Hospital on July 7 from toxaemia, following an illegal operation performed upon her at Christchurch between June 12 and 21. There is no evidence before the Court to prove who performed the operation.” The foregoing verdict was given at Greymouth to-day by Coroner W. Meldrum, after the evidence was concluded in the inquest concerning the death of the late Mrs Isabel Toohey, or Arney Street, Greymouth. The inquest was opened on July 11, and, after formal evidence of identification had been given, was adjourned sine die in order to allow further enquiries to be made. To-day, eight witnesses were examined, the proceedings being conducted by Detective Murch, while Mr W. J. Joyce represented deceased’s relatives.

At the request of Detective Murch, all the witnesses were ordered out of Court, with the exception of Drs. MeBrearty and Moore, and Sistei' Kirk. Dr J. W. Mcßrearty, tile first witness called, said that on the evening of June 22, he was called to the house of deceased, in Arney Street. Mrs Roberts was present when he arrived there. He saw that the patient was very ill. On taking her temperature, he asked if everything was all right regarding the menstruation period. Mr Joyce contended that statements made against anyone by the deceased could not >be admitted. The doctor said she did not*, incriminate anyone else. He heard someone say “She had a miscarriage at Christchurch on Friday.” He asked, “Where?” but received no reply. He could not say whether the patient herself said she had a miscarriage, or whether someone else said it. He had his back to the patient when he asked the question, and was facing the light to ascertain her temperature. She had a high temperature and a rapid pulse. He did not then make a detailed examination, but communicated with Dr Moore, and had her removed to the hospital. On July 9, he conducted a post mortem examination, at which Dr Moore was present. Death was due to peritonitis and toxaemia, following septic abortion. Detective Murch: Can you say from your examination if an instrument had been used? —Yes, something had been used. The Coroner: To procure abortion? —Yes.

Dr J. F. C. Moore, Medical Superintendent of the Greymouth Hospital, said that deceased was admitted on the evening of’ June 22, about 9.30. tie examined her the same evening about 10.30, and concluded that she was suffering from a form of sepsis. She volunteered the information that she had had a miscarriage at Christchurch, and said that she had been “fixed up” there. At 11 a.m. ’on the following day he operated with the object of ascertaining the condition of the internal organs. Following the operation her progress was satisfactory until June 27, when she developed pneumonic symptoms, but after that site improved again. About July 3, she developed symptoms suggesting inflammation proceeding frbm the lower part of the abdomen, probably a late secondary result of the original condition, but so far there was nothing alarming. Her condition remained the same until the morning of July 7, when she collapsed, and developed dangerous symptoms. She became rapidly worse during the day. An attempt was made to relieve her condition by a small local operation, but it was unavailing, and the patient died at 4.45 p.m. There was no external evidence of injury. He assisted Dr Mcßrearty at the post-mortem examination on July 9, and corroborated Dr Mcßrearty’s evidence. On July 7, he communicated with the police about 11 a.m.

PATIENT’S CONFIDENCE. Detective Murch cross-examined Dr Moore as to why ha delayed communicating with the «, lice until shortly before her death. Witness replied to the effect that it would have been betraying the patient’s confidence. When it became obvious that she was dying, however, he decided to do so. Had she recovered, he would not have* reported the case to the police. Sister Kathleen Kirk, of the hospital staff, said she attended deceased. She first saw the patient on the morn-

Ing after her admittance and attended her most .of the time until her death. On the first morning, she questioned deceased about her illness. Deceased said she had been to Christchurch and had had a miscarriage. She said she had given £2O to a woman to perform an operation. Witness.had no further conversation with deceased on that subject. \ George William McGirr, plumber, employed by Larsen Bros., said he had known deceased about ten years. She was employed as housekeeper at his place for about six months. The house was occupied by his father and brother, sister and himself. Deceased left, about the middle of May, and he did not see her very often after that. He did not make any arrangements to marry her, and never led her to believe that he was going to marry her. He intended to visit Christchurch in June to attend a plumbing examination, but could not get the necessary leave of absence from work. He did not know deceased had gone to Christchurch until her brother (Hugh Brown) said he had received a telegram asking if witness was going over. He did not actually read the telegram and did not know who sent

Detective Mu'rch: You know that deceased died as the result of an illegal operation?—No 4 This is the first you have heard of it?—Yes. Jessie Roberts, married, residing in Swanson Street, said she had known deceased since she (witness) was a little girl. She went to Christchurch with Mrs Toohey in June. It might have been on June 7; she was not sure. She went over to be a witness at Mrs Toohey’s wedding to George McGirr. The marriage did not take place, as McGirr did not go to Christchurch. They returned to Greymouth on June 9. She received a telegram (produced) while at Christchurch, and opened it. She then handed it to deceased. Th.e telegram stated that McGirr was not coming over, as he could not get time off. Witness went to Christchurch again with deceased on June 11. Witness Went over to go to the Christchurch Hospital, blit did not go there. Deceased said She was going over to get softie things for her house. "'She did not ask Witness to go with her. She denied telling -the police on July 9, that deceased asked

her to go with her. Witness did not go to the hospital because she got a letter from her husband after she reached Christchurch. She was troubled with her ears, but had not made previous arrangements to visit the hospital. She did not know that deceased was again going to Christchurch until eight o’clock on the morning they left. They stayed’ at the People’s Palace at Christchurch. Witness did not. know whether deceased’ usually stayed there. They occupied the same room. They stayed until dinner-time on the Sunday, the day after,they went, over froth Greymouth. Deceased went away after dinner, but witness did not know where she went. She said she was going to visit friends. Witness did not accompany deceased anywhere in Christchurch on the’ Sunday, but they went to see Mrs Rhodes, 180, Brougham Street, Sydenham, on the Saturday night, just after tea. They remained at Mrs Rhodes’ place about two hours. They had tea at a place in town, not the People’s Palace. It would be between 9.30 and 10 p.m. when they left Mrs Rhodes. The Rhodes’s were friends of witness. She had known Mi’ Rhodes all her life, and Mrs Rhodes about three years. They returned to the People’s Palace after leaving Rhodes’ place. Mrs Toohey did not say who her friends were when she left on the Sunday. Witness remained at the People’s Palace until the following Thursday, and then went to Rhodes’s, where she stayed until the following Tuesday,' the 21st. She could not stay at Rhodes’s earlier because they had visitors, Mrs Rhodes’s brother, his wife and two children. She always stayed at Rhodes’s when in Christchurch. Her husband knew before she left Greymouth that she was going to stay there. Hugh Brown also knew. She told them to send any telegrams to Rhodes’s place. Detective Murch produced a telegram signed byffHugh Brown, reading “Any luck in drawing?” Witness said that the message referred to horse racing at Auckland. Detective Murch: What horse? Mr Joyce objected to any questions relating to betting, and the Coroner upheld him. In further reply to the Detective, witness said she could not remember the exact words of the reply she sent to Brown, but she just said there was “nothing doing,” or something like that.

Are you positive that the telegrams had no bearing on the condition of Mrs Toohey?—Absolutely none! Continuing, witness said she did not see deceased again at Christchurch until she met her at the railway station the day they returned to Greymouth. She did not ask Mrs Toohey where she had been. She did not see deceased between June 12 and 21. The next time she saw deceased was on the night she Was taken to the hospital. She did not tell witness what was wrong with her. Before Mrs Toohey died, witness visited her at the hospital, and deceased then said that she had pneumonia. BROTHER’S EVIDENCE. Hugh Joseph Brown, brother of deceased, said that after Mrs Toohey left McGirr’s she remained at home until she went to Christchurch early in June. When she went to Christchurch the first time, she told witness she was to be married. So far as witness knew, McGirr was to be the bridegroom. Witness sent the telegram (produced) stating that McGirr could not get time off to be married. Witness did not know where deceased went the second time she was away. He did not communicate with her while she was away. He thought she had gone to Hokitika. He knew Mrs Roberts had gone to Christchurch, but had no idea where she went. Mrs Roberts was a friend of his, but not

a “personal” friend. She told him on the Friday night, at tier" place, where she was going to say, at 180 Brougham Street, Christchurch. He had arranged to send any correspondence to her there. It was to refer to the Auckland races on the following Saturday. He and Mrs Roberts always made bets together and she was to act as his agent at Christchurch. He did not know why she did not go to 180 Brougham Street. He sent Mrs Roberts a prepaid telegram (produced): “Any luck in drawing?” He received a reply from her: “Nothing doing. Letter at Post Office.” He received a short note, stating that “she could not get the business fixed up.” The business was betting on the

Auckland trots. Neither the telegram nor the reply had any bearing on the condition of Mrs Toohey. Witness did not know the Rhodes’s and had never received any letters from them. He did not write to Mrs Roberts at their place. He did not previously deny, when questioned by the detective, that he sent the telegram to Mrs Roberts. He could not remember what the detective said about the telegrams, but remembered being asked about it. Detective Murch: I have no reason to tell lies! Witness: Neither have I!

Mr Joyce: You have his evidence on oath that he sent the telegram and what it referred to. It is no good bullying the man! Detective Murch: I am not bullying him.

Witness, in reply to the detective, said he did not make any statement about the telegram because he knew an inquest was coming on,, and he did not want’to be mixed up in it. After

the inquest was opened, however, he told the detective all he knew, and then refused to answer any further questions, but did not say he refused to answer on the instructions of Mr Joyce.

Mr Joyce: You are guessing. That is generally a safe guess! Benjamin Rhodes, labourer at the Addington Workshops, and residing at Sydenham, said that, to his knowledge, he- had seen her only once in his life. She spent a Saturday evening at his place with Mrs Roberts, whom he had known all her life. He did not notice what time the women arrived. He had been interviewed by the Christchurch police, and believed he told them that the women had tea at his place. It was a “late tea,” because he did not get home until after 7 p.m. The women left that night, and he never saw Mrs again. He saw Mrs Roberts later, when she came to stay at his place. So far as he remembered, she came on Thursday and stayed until Tuesday. A telegram arrived for Mrs Roberts and he sent it straight to the People’s Palace. He did not know Hugh Brown before last evening, and had never previously met Brown. Witness first heard from two detectives that Mrs Toohey was dead. He asked the detectives not to go “tormenting him” at the workshops, but they went out there after promising not to do so. It was then “all over the place.” /

Detective Murch: I suppose they knew what they were doing! Witness said he first heard of the death on July 14, when he returned to Christchurch from Wellington. He was at Wellington four days, owing to the death of his brother-in-law. He did not inake arrangements with any-

body to' have Mrs Toohey taken to any place. She appeared to be in good health. Ho was interviewed thfe? times by the detectives at Christchurch. Ho never received any telegrams from Mrs Roberts respecting Mrs Toohey’s condition. He knew Tom Jones at the Club Hotel, Sydenham, but did not have any correspondence sent to him there in care of Jones. He did not boast in the workshops that the police had no chance of bluffing him. He had no friends by the name of Best at Christchurch, and could not give any information as to Mrs Toohey’s movements at Christchurch. Mrs Ada Florence Rhodes, of Sydenham, stated that she had met Mrs Toohey only once, when she accompanied" Mrs Roberts (whom she had known about three years) to witness’s place. Mrs Roberts usually stayed with witness when in Christchurch. She had neVer seen Mrs Toohey and knew nothing of her movements at Christchurch. She first heard of Mrs Toohey’s death when the detectives interviewed her on July 14 on her return to Christchurch from Wellington. This concluded the evidence, and the Coroner delivered his verdict as ate led.