SOCIAL PESTS.

New Zealand Mail, 18 January 1900, Page 14

SOCIAL PESTS.

A CHARGE OF CONSPIRACIyf.. : William Brown, Abraham Emanuel Abrahams, Harriett Annie Cross, PhilipPerou anct James Armitage Fcx severally surrendered on November 26 at the Old Bailey to answer an indictment which charged them with conspiring together to incite by means of circulars and;|j< ; vertisoments, persons to attempfc.to commit certain illegal acts. Mr C. T, Gdl, Q.C., and Mr Abiugcr defended Brown; Lord Coleridge, Q.C., Mr J. P. Grain and Mr Biren appeared for the other prisoners. The Attorney-Gene-ral, who. with Mr Charles Matthews and Mr Muir, represented the public prose- - cutor, said the case came before the ' court under peculiar circumstances, because the magistrate, after a six days’ quiry dismissed the summons agaifist the defendants, taking a view of thS law which he submitted was erroneous. The prisoners were indicted for a conspiracy to induce women to attempt to commit certain illegal acts. For a -considerable time past there-had been carried cn a business at 1, Ilacknoy road, under the style of “Madame Frain’s' Herbal and Medical Institute.” Brownwas tho proprietor of the business for a considerable number of years up to the end of 1897. The business was a most; lucrative one, for the negotiations fords sale by Brown involved a very large figure. It was purchased by Abrahams,' who was an advertising contractor, atthe beginning of 1898, and he carried it on down to the end of 1898, when he; sold it to Fox. Abrahams was closely connected with the business in the caAT. paoity of an advertising contractor. Cross was ail assistant or manageress. Perou became manager in November, 1898. The principal part of the business con| sist-ed of the sale of drugs and medicines and surgical appliances. The case for the prosecution was that these persons had beer, parties to the sending out ' wholesale of advertisements, which they caused to bo delivered all over tiie? country by women dressed as hospital nurses, inviting persons suffering from’ ailments to apply for medicines. The prices ranged from 4s 6d a bottle to 22a, (xl a bottle. So far as the medical men could tell there was no difference tween a bottle at 11s and one at 225. It was suggested that in the circumstan- 1 ce3 under which the advertisements were issued there was a direct incitement to. commit, certain acts. A large number; ol letters were found on the premises making application for the medicines,' as the result of the advertisem-iits. The medical press eventually took the matter up, and this business was brought to the notice of the authorities at ScotMnd lard. Evidence was then called. One or the witnesses said Abrahams in the conversation - remarked tliafc plenty of money was got out of the business; that one could not be too partieiuar nowadays, and that, although tho police were after .them, bv frequents iy cnaugißg the names of the heads, of, tlio firm it was difficult for tho police to find them out-.” ' On - Tuesday evidence was called rela-i tive to the printing by firms of the circulars and the advertisements whicli were- sent out from “Madame Fraifi’sA establishment in the . Hackuey road.-.-.7 ttnesses gave evidence with regard tqi tlio purc.iase of medicine in response totho advertisements. > On YVedhesday Dr Luff, of St, Mary’s Hospital, gave the result of an analysis which he made of the pills and the mixuies Both .were harmless, though the pills might prove dangerous if taken, in excessive quantities. Mr Gill argued at great- length that there was no case to go to the jury against Brown, hi 3 ni-un contention being that, to constitute an offence, it must be proved that' 1’..?, article supplied was “noxious,”; ' v ithin the meaning of the Act. A person supplying medicine which, was liarmjess to a woman, who took it in the beicr that it was “noxious,” did t° 1 A lO , submitted, commit a crime. Emd Coleridge, supplementing Mr Gill’s * s V km *ttcd that the question must be au “intention” upied with some overt act tending to tho commission of a crime. The At-jG ncy-Genom, replied, contending that, K 1,1 l a Y \r.. t withdrawn from tho jury. 1 , : Justice Darli/ig said that the points • w-ero somewhat difficult keen raised before, and lie . r ?servo his judgment. The trial " as a gaiu adjourned. 1 . .Ji

An eel, 4ft 9in in length. 13m in girth,. : and weighing 281 b, was* caught the other Ua /, ln a water-raco on the Ricton estate, Rangiora, by Mr W. Bain. The taco is only a small one, fed from tlieM CTist river, whence the fish no doubt;,, came.