Alleged Murder.

Manawatu Herald, 2 December 1902, Page 2

Alleged Murder.

THE DEATH OP LOTTIE AN CELL.

Great interest was taken at Napier in the trial at the Magistrate’s Court, of Thomas Frederick Moore, chemist, of Waipawa, and bis housekeeper, Mary Ann Mills, jointly charged with the murder of Lottie Ancell, of Wellington, who was found dead in Moore’s shop on the 30th October. Mr H. S. Cornford prosecuted, and Messrs Cresswell and Lusk appeared for the accused. The Wellington witnesses examined on Friday were Ada Ancell (sister of deceased), Arohibal Wilson (contractor and undertaker), Mr Maclaurin (Government Analyst), and Detective Boddam.

The case for the prosecution was that deceased, who had been employed as book-keeper at the Clarendon Hotel* papier, went to Moore’s shop, where it was alleged an illegal operation was performed on her by Moore, assisted by his housekeeper* as a result of which the young woman died. Evidence was called to show Miss Anceli’s movements after arriving from Napier at Waipawa, and the action of Moore and Mills after Ancell had gone upstairs into Moore’s dental surgery. Beonie Marlin, a barmaid at the Criterion Hotel, Napier, who had been an intimate friend of deceased, under cross-examination, stated that Miss Ancell bad informed her that she thought she had injured herself. The deceased said she was going to Wellington by train, and was afraid she would be very ill. Witness told deceased that she looked like death, and that she (witness) did not expect to see her again. Deceased replied, “ I don’t care, I would like to din.” The last thing deceased promised witness was that she would go away to a place where she was not known. She never at any time mentioned Waipawa or the name of Moore. Each time she referred to a cfeemist she said ha was in Wellington. Dr John Ross, practising at Waipawa, who was called in by Moore after the girl’s death, stated that all methods to restore respiration fruitless. Ho noticed on pressing the chest that there was an escape of air from certain parts of the body. Small air bubbles were observed in in the ventricles of the heart. Certain internal abrasions found by him during bis post-mortem examination could only nave been caused by some hard instrument. These suggested to him at the time something as to the cause of death, because when he examined the abrasions by microscope he satisfied himself that they had been made before death. The statements made at the inquest by Moore and Mills suggested convulsions. He concluded that death resulted from air embolism of the lungs. Air could only enter the lungs by an injury or by an abrasion. The only abrasion present in this case was one be described. He had heard of a process by which this condition of affairs could be brought about, resulting in sudden death. It was possible, by some of _ the instruments produced, to inject air and bring about the results shown in this case, and the Lottie Anoell’a case were consistent with such process. The hearing of evidence had not concluded when the Court adjourned.