INVERCARGILL SENSATION.

Colonist, Volume XL, Issue 8958, 27 August 1897, Page 2

INVERCARGILL SENSATION.

(Per United Press Association.) I^tsbcaboilxi, August 25. la the aotion against Biohaid Williams )d Hall, aolioUor, who ia oharged with procaring J iiaes Toriaaoe, a medioal praotitioner, to administer to Caroline Matthewa (vita ol a> solicitor^ whose htiaband, bad bsen living apart from het)< si noxious drag with illegal intent, and againßt Mrs 1 Matthews, oharged with allowing the drag to be administered, Dr Torrance was further examined to-day* Dr Torranoe stated that about September' 1895, Sail asked witaesa to assist his houße* keeper cut of trouble. Witnesa'deolined, bat abeut a fortnight later, on reasonb being gives why som thing ettould be done*, as the woman was in danger, wifnesß gave her a ooxrpla of laxa iva pills. Subsesfaefltty an understand' iog was arrived at that the wnnaa shouli leave Invercargill fjr the Bloff to seourd ptivaoy, and at the boarding home of Mra Gorman witness gave her a liquid extract ani pill 3. On one' of these visits Mrs Gorman would not allow him' to eater the patient'i room, and he te'ephoned to Hall that an exposure was imminent. Hall came down and led witness to believe tb.it the matter hid been settled satisfactorily with Mrs Gorman. Witn633 visited Mrs Mat hews in the evening and found that the process had been complet d: Har #enkd giving a drag with an illegal intent. De Toranoe, orosS-eXamiried by Mr Hold* moD, saii that when Hill referred tti " exposure " he might have meant that he did not want the people of Inveroar*-ill to know of his relationship with Mrs Matthews. Se did not suggest to Hall to go to a medioal mm in loveroargill to have a drug administered illegally, but to conaa'.t as to the woman's condition. At no period during hia connection with the matter did be give an/ drug for an illegal purpose* Mrs Gorman, at whose boarding hdiiae at the Bluff, the alleged offence w s committed gave her version of the affair at length, etiting that she received a £5 cheque from Hall and also an IO.U. for £65, but thia she a leged Hall afterwards took from her and accused her of blackmailing. She d nied that she g^ve information to the police. They oama to hrf. August 26th. Dr Young was examined to-day. He said he went to ths Bluff ia response to a telegram from Mra Gorman. He had e »£r aßßed B«---prise when be found it was Mrs MatthW. n8 had been summoned to eb9 but ha denial Mrs Gorman's evidence that ha had remarked that he had seen Mrs Matthews in that sondition before. He founiit impossible to pre* vent the operation of nature* Mrs Gonmn said that all she wanted him for waa to to know if it waa safe to move Mrs Mattheva and he told her this could be don* withodt danger if at once. Ha saw Hall before be left. Dr To ranoa had since told him thai Hall had paid witness % fee. He denied bavi ing said " whatever oomea out of thia case, Mrs Gorman, I will ees yon safe." Neither of the drugs administered by Dr Torranoe oould be noxious in the qutn ities adminis-^ tered. In fact they would b» quits harmless spread over several days. Snob. doseß were often given medicinally. Any modern physician suoh as Dr Torranoe would know per* feot'y well that, administerfid in the qnantities given, the drugs would not be likely to aohieve an illegal purpose.