CHARGE OF MURDER

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7970, 29 November 1911, Page 1

CHARGE OF MURDER

ELSIE HOLLAND’S DEATH MRS 0 ’SIIAU6IINESSY’S THIRD TRIAL. PEESS ASSOCIATION. AUCKLAND, November £B. The circumstances in connection with tho death of Elsie Alexandra Holland at a house in First Avenue, Kingslaud, on June 13th last, again engaged the attorn ' tiou of his Honor Air Justice Chapman and a .jury in the Supremo Court to-day, when Martha Jane O’Shaughncssy, formerly known as Ala:;well, was charged with murder. Under this charge the prisoner has been tried on two previous occasions, and on both the jury disagreed, a retrial being ordered. Tho accused, who pleaded not guilty, lias been in gaol since her first appearance some months ago in the lower court, bail having been refused. Air R, A. Singer appeared for the prisoner, and the Hon. C. T. Tole lor the Crown. Air Tole staled that the prisoner was charged with murder as the result of an illegal operation. The young woman, Elsie Alexandra Holland, went to th» prisoner’s house on Monday, .lone 12th, then in good- health and spirits, and at midnight en the next, night she ivai found dead in a room ill that house. •The post mortem disclosed that she had 1 died of rapid septicaemia, the result oil ■ an illegal operation. The prisoner said that.she had not seen the girl till that night, and that she hud been surprised. ’ ; to see her in the house. .The Crown sub- ' mitted that that was an improbable story. , ‘ and that tho prisoner had committed the illegal operation which resulted in Elsie Holland’s death. . James Warner, a laiv writer, who accompanied the deceased to tho Kingslaud tram terminus from .Symons street on Monday- evening, June 32th, was ex- ■ aminod at length. He said that he knew of tho deceased's condition, an'd knew, ■] from what she told him, where she wa* going that night. In reply to Mr : Tole his Honor said. 1 that he would not allow the witness to bo. questioned directly as to - the place, where tho deceased, said she was going. Tho witness said that he. did not go with the deceased to any house, nor did he-feoe -herrgorlo-any-house-.—Ho-did not ■■■ 1 know, it she know. AlrS’O'Shaughncssy. ; Albert Williams, a young man who was barman in the Waverley Hotel in Juna •last, and who,,hhs been in gaol for at- i tempting to leave the Dominion, gave evidence. He' hold to his statement, made, at previous trials,,, that he had t been asked by Mr or Mrs O’Shaughnessy [ on Monday morning, June 32th, to change from tho bedroom next the bath*' room, where Miss Holland died, to abed- , room at,the back of tho house. He admitted that when first questioned on the , point by the detectives ho, had said ho slept in the room next to tho bathroom on the Monday night. Ho did That be- A cause he thought he was doing Mrs O’fihaughucssy a service. . Closely examined on the point by Mr Singer,' the "witness appeared very shaky, on this question,: and. after, contradicting ; himself, said in answer to further ques- i lions, “I do not remember.” , ■' ■ “There is no reason why you should not speak the truth now.” said his ! Honor sternly to Williams. ATn fact, it : is your duty to speak. The truth. In what room did you sleep on the, Monday night?” . ;: , "L slept in the room at the back of 1; tho house,” replied; Williams, moio clearly than he had done before. "Whoso idea was it that you should 'say you slept in the room next to tha bathroom?.’ asked Air Tole. and : witness ■ ~ •' replied "Air O’Shaughnessy’s.” ; Edith McDowell, a stylishly dressed young woman, who had been with Wit- :| Hams at'Mrs O.’Shaitghuessy’s house on 5 Tuesday evening, Juno 13th.' said that while in the., back, .room she heard a girl moaning in another part of the house. ! i Evidence was given by Dr. lirockway and Constable Wainhouse, and the court ' then adjourned till to-morrow. , A ,