CHARGE OF MANSLAUGHTER

Otago Witness, Issue 3595, 6 February 1923, Page 30

CHARGE OF MANSLAUGHTER

A WOMAN’S DEATH. GISBORNE, February 2. After several adjournments the case was taken in the Magistrate’s Court in which Frances Quinn was charged about December 15 last at Gisborne that she did commit an unlawful act on Eileen 'O’Donoghue. which unlawful act did cause her death, ,thus committing manslaughter. Henry Auguste Martin, farmer at Omaranui Station, Wairoa, said that deceased had been employed by him as a generai help during his wife’s absence. Witness was intimate with the girl, and he knew sh.e vvas pregnant when she left for Gisborne. Witness refused to answer several questions. He admitted that he handed the girl a letter containing a cheque which she delivered at, Gisborne. Andrew Joseph Sheerin said that in consequence of a message he spoke to accused, stating that a cousin of witness had got a girl into trouble and wanted to know if accused could do anything. Accused called two days later and said she would do her best. It would cost £4O. Witness met O’Donoghue a few days later and told her to ring up the accused. Other witnesses gave evidence in regard to the movements of O’Donoghue from Martin’s place to an hotel at Gisborne, thence to a private boardinghouse, from which a taxi-driver stated that he took a young woman answering to O’Donoghue’s description to accused’s house. Martha Matilda Parsons, a married woman (sister of the accused) stated that a young woman giving her name as Mrs Duncan, and answering the description of O’Donoghue, met her in the street and asked where she could get board. Parsons offered her accommodation, and within a few hours of her arrival a miscarriage took place. A doctor was called in, and he ordered her removal to hospital, but Parsons stated that the girl refused to go. Four days later the girt went to Napier by the Arahura, giving her name as Duncan. Deceased’s name was not on the passenger list, but she was met on arrival* at Napier by a taxi-driver who knew her and took her to her mother’s home. Mrs Duncan was identified as O’Donoghue by sores on her lips. Shortly after her arrival at Napier she was ordered to hospital, where she was operated on, but she subsequently died. Three Napier doctors who attended deceased, two of whom were present at the post mortem, were strongly of the opinion that the woman’s death was the result of acute peritonitis and septicaemia following induced abortion. The accused pleaded not guilty and was committed for trial.

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