BODY SNATCHING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7802, 5 September 1903, Page 5

BODY SNATCHING.

CHARGES AGAINST AN ADELAIDE DOCTOR. United Press Association— By Eleotrio Telegraph — Copyright. ■■ (Received September 5, 10.7 a.m.) v . ADELAIDE, September 5. The Board appointed to sift the charge* against Doctor BaihsayJSmitb. has begun its inquiry. The charges are mutilating bodies of dead persons so as to shock the public conscience and offend against criminal law. Counsel for the Crown, stated that there were eighteen charges against Smith, consisting principally of allegations that as city coroner he had taken possession of , mutilated dead bodies and heads and: other portions, which 'he had shipped be-, yond the seas. Voluminous correspondence was submitted, alleging that Smith cut off the heads of some of the bodies which were taken. The skeletons of other bodies were sent to Edinburgh. A letter from Smith pleaded that he had followed the practice recognised and followed throughout the civilised world. What he had done was for the advancement of science, the alleviation of human suffering and the advancement of his profession. (Tommy Walker, the aboriginal king, died two years togo. His grave was re-opened recently, and the coffin was found to contain nothing but rubbish. Ifc was rumoured that the body was sent to a professor of anatomy in Scotland. On August 18, tie South Australian Assembly, on the motion of Mr Price, leader of theiLabour Party, discussed the case of the City Coroner, Dr Ramsay Smith, who was suspended as the result of rumours regarding allegedi mutilation of de>d bodies, and the subsequent action of the Government in acceding to Dr Smith's request to appoint \a Board of Inquiry. Mr Price said that rumour 9of a most sensational character were current, causing muoh excitement. ■ They alleged that graves had been opened, and bodies found to 'be missing, some with heads of, and others, including those of a number« of. public men, with portions missing, or terribly mutilated. Thirty doctors were said to be implicated. He urged the Government, which had so far refused to disclose anything, to produce the -charges made against Dr Smith and his reply- The Premier promised that the documents would be tabled, and stated that Dr Smith had stipulated certain conditions for a Board of Inquiry, but the Government had declined anythins»but an unconditional inquiry. Unless Dr Smith gave •way, the whole correspondence over the matter would be tabled the following week.)