WOMAN FOUND GUILTY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17181, 11 February 1930, Page 10

WOMAN FOUND GUILTY

ILLEGAL OPERATION SHOCKING REVELATIONS (Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND. Inst night. The trial of Maud Herbert, charged with illegally using an instrument on a young woman wlm subsequently died, was held to-day. When the young man who married deceased in hospital was giving evidence, Mr. F. W. Schramm, counsel for tin- defence, asked him why he had not married her sooner. Mr. Justice llerdman reproved counsel for asking such a question, saying he should have some regard for the plan’s feelings. Mr. Schramm replied Ilia! witness was an accomplice, in the charge being dealt with, but Ills llaimr closed Iln> incident hy remarking; “Vou do as 1 tell you.” His Honor, in summing up. said the evidence had hardly been challenged. Except in one respect, the evidence was clear and definite, ami lie imagined that it would lead the jury in one conclusion only. If il did that, Mien public duly, which tin' jury was there to perform, required ii In find a verdict of guilty. Reviewing the evidence in regard to the question whether i 1 showed that accused had performed the illegal operation, His Honor said that, in addition to the evidence of the young woman (taken in hospital), there was very frank and candid evidence given by the young man who subsequently became her husband. The technical point hud been raised that, the girl and the. man were accomplices of accused, but there was a substantial body of evidence 'to corroborate that given by t hem. Ive.i'erring to the evidence of the detectives who arrested accused. His Honor said he had tried many eases throughout New Zealand, but he doubted if in any other there had been such shocking and extraordinary evidence as had been given in the court of this trial. He put it to the jury whether accused’s conduct, upon her arrest had not been such as Would suggest, that she hud committed the offence, the circuiirstancigs of which were being invesliga'led by (lie police. The jury, after a retirement of a little more Ilian an hour and a half, relumed with a verdict of guilty. His Honor: 1 agree entirely with your verdict,, gentlemen. Ido not see that you could have come 'lo any other conclusion in this case. Prisoner was remanded fur sod cure until Wednesday.