The Sun.
London, England, 1853-05-02 00:00:00

[PRICE SD.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

surgeon, LAAf OjuninFersidraz
,Aup.frs:viC,4ouar)l:lqe,Cuufnnlicono:liNaontr.,
LAMBETH.—On
of 1, John's-place, Wellington-street, Slough, Bucks,
Nor-
folk-street, Middlesex Hospital, surgeon, were placed at
the bar before the Hon. G. C. Norton, the former on a
charge of feloniously using a certain instrument on the
pc.rson of Eliza Mardon, in Stockwell, on or about the
13th ult., for the purpose of procuring abortion ; and
the latter with aiding and assisting in the commission of
the said felony.
Mr. Binns attended on behalf of the prisoners.
Mr. Darnton ,Greenwood was the first witness called,
who deposed that he was a surgeon, residing at Clap-
ham, and that on Sunday, the 17th April, he was waited
on Cy a lady, who described herself as Mrs. Mardon ;
and, in consequence of what she stated, he proceeded to
the house of Mrs. Halcomb, 4, Stockwell Private-road,
Clapham-road. He there found a young lady, whose
name he had since ascertained to be, Eliza Mardon.
She was in bed, and from an examination he made he
found she had recently been delivered: He put a ques-
tion to her, understanding that she had been delivered
of an abortion, to which she replied she had. He could
say that she had recently
been delivered of a child, and
from what he had been told he supposed she must have
been about five months gone. She had all the appear-
ance, however, of having gone the full period of gesta-
tion. He had some conversation with her, and she
made a statement to him. He felt it his duty to com-
municate what had come within' his knowledge to the
Registrar of Births for the district, and afterwards the
inspector of police called on him. The young lady was
still under his charge, and unable to attend that day.
In answer to the questions of Mr. Norton,
14r. Greenwoodoaid that
.4p, bad jade s careful exa-
minatien"Of the yotingiOdy s person; and found every-
thing in a natural state, exactly as in the case "of.lidies
after delivery.
Mr. Norton—Did you observe whether any unusual
means had been used 9—Witness—No.

Mrs. Grace Halcomb was the next witness. She de-
posed that she was the wife of James Halcomb, car-
penter and builder, residing at 4, Stockwell Private-
road, Clapham-road ; and that the young lady, Miss
Eliza Mardon, had lodged in her house since last Tues-
day fortnight. The witness had been spoken to about
her coming on the Saturday before,- but witness never
saw her until she came on the Tuesday. She arrived
at about twelve o'clock in the day, and between one and
two the prisoner Cunningham came, asked for the young
lady, and was shown into the parlour where she was
sitting. After he had been in the house a few minutes
the parlour bell was rung, and witness went into the
room, when Cunningham said that he was the medical
attendant of the young lady, who was suffering from a
polypus in the womb, for which it was necessary to per-
form an operation. The witness was not quite sure that
he did not say he was the doctor who hatb,attended the
young lady's family. He said the operation was to take
away the polypus by a silk cord that was to be attached to
it. He said that when it came away it might occasion
great pain and much discharge, and he cautioned the
witness to get some things ready to preserve the bed, as
as he did not know when it would come away. Witness
went down stairs, saying, " Very well, sir." The pri-
soner Cunningham called several times between the
Tuesday and Thursday, and on the latter day said he
lived as far off as Islington, and it was desirable for
him to have a room near his- patient, for when the po-
lypus came away it might be necessary for him to be in
attendance in case of inflammation, and he took a room
in the neighbourhood. He came several times back-
wards and forwards up to the Saturday, when the young
lady was very poorly, and more so in the evening. Cun-
ningham remained at witness's house until two or three
o'clock in the morning, when witness went to bed. On
Sunday afternoon witness took a book and went into
the parlour, where she remained reading some hours.
While so engaged, she was frequently disturbed by re-
peated cries and groans proceeding from the young lady's
bed-room upstairs. She became very uneasy, and by
way of excuse for going into her bed-room, she took
up a cup of tea. When she got into the room she saw
the prisoner Cunningham there, and that the young lady
was really very ill. Being the mother of several children
herself, and from the appearan9es she witnessed, she was
convinced that her sufferings were labour pains, and stated
to them that she did not think that the case was one of po-
lypus. To this no answer was given either by Cunning-
ham or the young lady. In a short time there was a
knock at the front door, and it was stated down stairs
that it was the young lady's mother. The young lady
heard this, and entreated witness not to tell her mother
anything. Cunningham left the room before the mother
entered, and when the mother came in she
,exclaimed,
"My dear Eliza, what is the matter ?" The daughter
made no reply, and witness was about to tell the-mother
her suspicions/ but •ott considefttion she 'thought it was
neither the right time nor place to do so. The mother
only remained a few minutes in the room, and eventually
went with witness's son for Mr. Greenwood, her (wit-
ness's) own surgeon. After the mother had gone away,
witness said, ' Where is Dr. Smith ?"—the name she had
known Cunningham by, and by which name the young
lady always addressed him. Cunningham came into the
room, went round the bed, and the witness saw him take
from the young lady that which she supposed to be the
result of a miscarriage. Cunningham asked for a piece
of paper, which witness gave him, and whatever it was
he took from the young lady he wrapped it in that piece
of paper, and took it away with him, "saying, "it was
all right." Throughout the whole of this the witness had
not seen an instrument of any kind in his hand, nor had
she the slightest knowledge that anything wrong was
going on. The next morning Cunningham came again
and witness said to him, "Oh ! Mr. Smith, what did
you do with that which you took away last night ? Mr.
Greenwood will be here presently, and probably lie
returnedmnt Mr.i
would like to see it, and also to know if all is as it should
Gre e
nbut buried.
went
away, Cu n n ianngdh e
neverm
be." Cunningham replied, that what he had taken
away he had given to a sexton, paid him half-a-crown,
and it w
uwasuci ,
did not
again.
The meet
The witness did not know anything of the other prisoner.
Superintendent Lund, of the P division of police,
proved that, in consequence of information he received
from Mr. Greenwood, he proceeded with Inspector Em-
merson to the house of the last witness, and there saw
the young lady. From what she told him he proceeded
to the house of Dr. Currie, 10, Norfolk-place, Middlesex
Hospital, and there saw the prisoner Currie. He told
him he wanted to inquire of him whether he knew a per-
son of the name of Smith, who was a doctor. He re-
plied that he did, but that his real name was not Smith,
but Cunningham, and that he had also a business at
Islington, under the name of Taylor. He then told
Currie that he was a superintendent of police, and in-
quired when he had seen Cunningham, alias Smith last.
Currie replied, that he had seen him that day at twelve
o'clock. Witness inquired whether they had had any con-
versation together ; and Currie answered in the affirma-
tive; and said that Cunningham had asked him if there
had been any inquiry about him, for that something was
the matter, and that if any further inquiry was made he
was to stick to the name of Smith, and not to know him
by any other name. Currie further stated that on two
or three occasions he had allowed Smith to see female
patients in his little surgery. Witness asked him if he
remembered a woman calling there in the month of Jan.
with a note. He replied "Yes," and that Cunningham
had told him that he had examined her in the parlour,
and found that she was in the family way ; that she
called again upon him in two or three days afterwards,
when he (Currie) himself introduced her to Cunningham.
The witness then asked for' what purpose she was coming
to see Smith. Currie replied that he did not know, and
that he had introduced two or three others to Cunning-
ham, but never had received any money. He added
that Cunningham had told him that he had received
from this woman two payments in the month of January
last, and about a fortnight ago lie also told him that he
had gone to lodge over the water, and two or three days
after lie called and said the" job was all over. He had
often heard Smith say that he could do these things.
That was after the witness had told the prisoner
Currie that the charge for which he wanted Cunningham
was for using an instrument upon the person of a young
woman, to procure abortion. Currie then repeated that he
had heard Cunningham say he could do these things, but
that he (Currie) was never present when it was done.
He added that Smith had learnt the practice in France.
Nothing more transpired until the other prisoner (Cun-
ningham) was brought to the station-house at 11 o'clock
the night before, when witness saw him, and read over
to him the charge as it appeared on tire sheet.
Cun-
ningham
said—" I never used any instrument whatever;
decidedly not." He gave his address Drummond-street,
Euston-square, which was found to' be false, and that
Wellineton-street,
his real residence was John's-place,b

Slough, where his wife was now living.
Police-constable Copping said that, on the preceding
night, about nine o'clock, while watching the house of
the prisoner Currie, he saw the prisoner Cunningham go
in and pass through the shop into the back parlour or
surgery. Witness followed and asked if his name,,y es was,
not Dr. Cunningham. The prisoner replied,. ;'
upon which the witness told him he was a police-officer,
and that he must take him into custody on the charge
of using a certain instrument upon a young woman at
Stockwell for the porpose of causing abortion. The pri-
soner exclaimed "Good God !" sat down, and gave several
sighs. All in a moment he jumped up, put his hand into his
pocket, drew forth the purse produced; and said, " Come
along with me, I want to speak to you." Witness said
that anything he had to say he could hear there, as there
was no one present. The prisoner considered for a
perform,
moment, and then said, " You have a duty to
and I shall not say anything." Witness sent
.for a eon.
veyance and brought him awa to the station-house,
when, on being searched, the purse he had produced,
containing eight sovereigns and pa
half
him. , was found upon
Sergeant Quinnear, 1 P, proved that he took the pri-
at his house near the
soner Currie into custody that d
He told y'
the charge u
Middlesex Hospital.
abetting Dr. Cun-
which he took him was for aidinc,
ningham in using an instrume%tanodn the person' Of a
young woman for the purpose of producing abortion.
The prisoner said, " No, I never did see him use an in-
strument." Witness told him that he had been informed
that he had introduced tl
to Mr. Smith, knowin thle
ham. He said, "No {'
any letters from C.ti / ' '
young lady, Miss Mardon,
la\t, his real name was Cunning-
hen asked whether lie had
. • .1114411 am, the prisoner replied that