YOUNG WOMAN’S DEATH

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 257, 31 October 1939, Page 8

YOUNG WOMAN’S DEATH

CHEMIST’S ASSISTANT CHARGED

NOT GUILTY ON BOTH COUNTS

I Per Press Association.) HASTINGS, Oct. 30.

Verdicts of not guilty on both counts were returned by a jury in the Napier Supreme Court this afternoon, when Godfrey Coldwell, 27, chemist’s assistant, Hastings, faced two serious charges in connection with the death at Hastings on July 19 of Muriel Esther Reichelt. Mr. Justice Blair presided.

The charges were that accused unlawfully supplied ergot to Muriel Reichelt, knowing that it was to be used to procure a miscarriage, and that he improperly interfered with or offered indignity to a dead human body, that of Muriel Reichelt. The hearing occupied the entire day, Mr. H. B. Lusk conducting the case for the Crown and Mr. C. G. E. Harker appearing for accused. For the Crown, Mr. Lusk stated that the evidence would show that accused supplied quantities of ergot to Reichelt and that he had reason to believe and knew that she was pregnant. He outlined a statement made by accused to the police admitting the handling of the body after death. Ella Cross, widow, of Hastings, in evidence, said she knew the deceased girl. She described a conversation between them. Later, witness approached accused for tablets. She subsequently told him they were for Reichelt. Accused, said witness, asked her to tell Reichelt to call personally. An examination of the girl’s body after exhumation was described by Dr. P. P. Lynch, Government pathologist. Witness explained the effects of ergot. Dr. Rowland Cashmore, of Hastings, giving evidence of a post-mortem examination. said the girl had been pregnant nearly three months. He expressed the opinion that death was due to acute dropsy of the lungs. This could have come from various causes. A signed deposition by Robert Leslie Andrew, assistant Dominion analyst, who examined organs of the body, stated that no trace of poison was found. The defence stressed that accused made voluntary statements to the police describing the supplying of the drug to Reichelt and the leaving of the body on the footpath. Accused’s predicament was outlined by Mr. Harker. Accused heard from Mrs. Cross that an old school friend of his thought she was in trouble. He felt sympathetic and tried to assist her. He expressed the opinion that the girl’s condition might have been due to phsyological causes and gave her medicine. When he realised that she was pregnant he told her that medicine was useless and appealed to her to take the right course and tell her mother. Contrary to the suggestion that accused had endeavoured to procure a miscarriage, he had done his best to help Reichelt, said Mr. Harker. The defence stressed accused's voluntary statement to the police describing the supplying of the drug and the deposition of the body on the footpath. When Reichelt collapsed and died in a back room of the shop, said Mr. Harker, accused’s first thought was to take the girl's body to her parents’ home. Then he began to think of the possible scandal and became panic-stricken. He left the body in Avenue Road because he could not* face her mother. It was a question, continued counsel, whether accused deliberately intended to commit an indignity against the body of the girl. After half an hour’s retirement the jury returned a verdict of not guilty. ’