THE TRIAL OF THORN

Southland Times, Issue 19502, 17 March 1925, Page 7

THE TRIAL OF THORN

MORE MEDICAL EVIDENCE. DID MISS CAMERON COMMIT SUICIDE? (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright) (Reuter’s Telegrams). LONDON, March 15. Two skulls and two Indian clubs were prominent exhibiits in the Court room at the resumption of the Thorn trial. Three girl clerks testified to Miss Cameron’s nervousness, her worrying over work, and her talk of going mad. James Woods, mental specialist, testified that he deduced from Miss Cameron’s medical history that she was acutely neurasthenic and potentially suicidal. “Amiable, courteous, unselfish, and a general favourite,” was the description of Thorn given by a male witness, who was acquainted with accused. Doctors Gibson and Bronte described the post mortem after the exhumation of the body of Miss Cameron, both deducing from bruises on the neck that death was due to shock, probably the result of an attempt at hanging. Both were of the opinion that a murderous blow would have smashed the skull, whereas deceased’s skull, which was abnormally thin, was only bruised. This was consistent with the theory of a fall. Dr Gibson described shav. ing off a minute portion of skin on the neck and the underlying tissue, for the purpose of a microscopical examination. Both agreed that Sir Bernard Spilsbury was a most eminent pathologist but Dr Gibson described him as sometimes a trifle dogmatic.

Dr Bronte considered that Sir Bernard Spilsbury had made a mistake in not examining the marks microscopically. The hearing was adjourned.