MURDER CHARGE AT AUCKLAND.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 3839, 23 May 1913, Page 5

MURDER CHARGE AT AUCKLAND.

DEATH OF MINATAUR BUSH. MRS SKELTON BEFORE THE COURT. McICAY SEVERELY' CROSSQUESTIONED.

fPBESS ASSOCIATION TELEGBAM] AUCKLAND, May 22. Tho hearing of two charges of having murdered Minataur Caroline Bush and having performed an illegal operation were preferred against' Sarah Eliza Skellon, a married woman 56 years of age, described as a nurso at the Supremo Court, before Mr Justioo Cooper to-day. Accused pleaded not guilty: The girl at the time oil death was aged 16 years and four months. The Crown Prosecutor explained that the charge was ono of murder, not accompanied by violence, but tho result of an illegal operation alleged to have been performed by accused. Tho girl Bush had found herself to be in trouble, he went on, and a taxi-cab driver named McKay, the causo of her trouble, had made arrangements with accused to put the matter right for the sum of £5 or £4. McKay, it was alleged, had arranged to take Bush to accused’s house on Monday, January 20, and accordingly had taken the girl there in his car at about 7.30 pm. on the day arrangod. The alleged operation had been performed in a bedroom while McKay waited in the dining room and then the girl had been taken to the hop so of a friend of accused, Mrs Morris, where she had remained for a few days. On the following Thursday it had been considered that Miss Bush had- sufficintly recovered to bo taken homo again. This had been done, hut the girl had soon become so ill that .she was removed to- a hospital. McKay had been seen by the police and had made a statement which had _ been shown to accused, who had denied its contents. Accused had further protested that she had not touched the girl and had simply given her pills. Continuing, counsel said this girl died on February 20, and a post mortem was conducted by Dr Bull, who described the causo ot death as peritonitis, the result of an illness not duo te natural circumstances. The woman Skellon was now charged with murder, but if tho jury chose they could find her guilty of the less grave offence of manslaughter. His Honor intimated that ho would direct tho jury te find accused not guilty of murder if they were of opinion that she did not expect death te result from the operation. A statement made by the girl when dangerously ill was read. It set forth that McKay had taken her to accused’s place on Monday night, January 20. They had gone into the diningroom and later she had accompanied accused into a bedroom where the operation was performed. She had stayed there until Thursday and then left for home again. In the latter part of the statement the girl said that" McKay had paid money te accused, and added that she had taken 110 pills since she had met the nurse.

When Thomas William McKay, who was in custody as an absconding witness, was called he was warned by His Honor that he was not bound to say anything that might incriminate himself. < V itness stated that he was a taxi-driver and said he had known the girl for about 15 te 18 months before her death. He admitted that he had been the causo of the girl’s condition, and said that after discussing the position it had been decided that he should take her te the hmae of Mrs Skellon. Ho had taken tho girl to tho house, having seen tho woman a week previously, when she had said she could get Miss Bush out of her trouble for £3 or £4. Oil arrival at the house the pair had been shown into a sitting room, the girl subsequently going into a front room with "accused. After an absence of about 20 minutes the two women had' returned. He had paid accused £2 and had asked whether he could take Miss Bush home. Accused had remarked that it would bo necessary for her to keep the girl under her eye for a few days, and ultimately tho girl had been taken te Mrs Morris’s house. On the following Thursday ho had taken Miss Bush home, after'having paid another £2. however, had remarked that if the girl showed signs of any ill-effects witness would know whero. to bring her, and about ten days later he had acted on her advice and taken Miss Bush to the house again. Accused had said she would see te her and the couple had gone into the front room again, being absent about half an hour. Ho had been given a bottle of medicino for the girl. . Witness was cross-examined at length. His evidence varied in parts from his former statement in the Lower Court, and in the Coroner’s Court. His Honor warned witness that he ought to be careful as he might lay himself open to prosecution for perjury. At a later stage His Honor remarked, in connection with somo of McKay’s contradictions, that witness seemed to have little or no moral scn&o. The Court adjourned after McKay had been under cross-examination for over four hours.