ALLEGED MURDER.

Otago Witness, Issue 1947, 18 June 1891, Page 11

ALLEGED MURDER.

Wanganui, Jane 4. A woman named Caroline Peyman was arrested to-nighfc on a charge .of performing^ an illegal operation in the case of a young woman named Emily Kate Spicer, aged 22, a domestic servant. Since the arrest the young woman has died. Mrs Peyman will be brought up tomorrow charged with murder. Spicer'a depositions were taken before she died.

June 11.

The adjourned inquest into the circumstances surrounding the death of Emily Kate Spicer was held to-day before Acting-coroner Liffton. Mr David Hogg watched the proceedings on behalf of Mrs Peyman, who was in custody on a charge of performing an illegeal operation on the deceased. Annie Cockburn, of Marton, deposed that deceased was her daughter by a former marriage, was 22 years of age, and was a domestic servant^ She last saw a her alive in the middle of Mtrch at Mr A. J, Parsons', where she was employed. She told witness that she was fngaged to be married to Harry Meehan. Deceased bad been in the lunatic asylum, Welliugton, for five months in 1888. She received intimation on the 4th that her daughter was dying.

A. J. Parsons, a settler in whose service the deceased was, gave evidence as to her exceptionally respectable conduct. She left his house complaining of being ill.

Henry Charles Meehan, who had baen keeping company with deceased for five months previous to her death, detailed conversations with her. In accordance with her letter he went to see her at Mrs P«yman's on May 30. She was then as white as a ghost, causing him to remark: " Good God, what's up, Kate ! " She told him what had happened. Ha next saw her on the 3lst, when ?be f ppeared to be cheerful. Had witness known her position he would hava been prepared to have married her at once. He was to have married her in October. Ha had no knowledge that she bad ever been insane.

The mo3t important evidence was given by Dr Binns, who had been called to see deceased on the 31st May. Mrs Peyman described her symptoms and told htm deceased was a married woman. The gicl became much worse and on Thursday told him that she was not married, the riug she wore having been given her by Mrs Peyman. Dra Tripe and Connolly were called in, and deceased told Dr Connolly, in the heating of witness, that Mrs Peyman, on the 28th May had performed an operation on her. Dr Tripe took her dying depositions, but not in Mrs Peymau's presence, as deceased was not strong enough to be cross-examined. Witness, by direction of the coroner, made a post morte n examination, assisted by others, and considered that death was caused by peritonitis, resulting from a puncture caused by the use of an instrument. In his opinion the puncture was not self -inflicted. Deceased stated that when Mrs Peynoaa performed the operation she charged her £5.

June 12.

The inquest tonching the desth of the youog woman Kate Emilj Spicer was resumed to-day. Dra Connolly and Earle gave evidence in corroboration of that given by Dr Innes. Dr Tripe gave evidence that, aa a justice of the peace, be had taken down _the dying declaration of tbe deceased, which was made of her own free will, and in the full belief that she was about to die. The statement was pat in as evidence, and was to tbe effect that Mra Peyman had performed an operation on her, for whioh she paid her £5. The nurse gave evidence that the deceased had made a similar statement to her. Sergeant-

major Anderson deposed to finding certain articles in the possession of Mrs Peyman.

The jury returned the following verdict : — "-That Emily Kate Spicer came by her death at the bands of Caroline Peyman, and .we record a verdict of wilful murder against the said Caroline Peyman."