The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-12-18
NURSESH|ELDED
BY DIR. ROBB
IN Vain
Identity of Women Patients to
Come Out at SWope
Trial Also.

BOSTON, Mass, Dec. 10.
Though DIR. William M. Robb, re-
Gently sentenced to State prison
for a term of from five to seven
years, shielded prominent young
Cambridge nurse when he pleaded
guilty to illegal surgery in the
Tyngsboro river suitcase tragedy,
his act, from today's develop
ments, seems to have gone for
naught.
SWOpe Asks Jury Trial.
Dr. Dalva H. Swope, of Brockton,
originally indicted as an accessory
to the murder with DR.. Robb and
now charged with participation in
the illegal surgery, succeeded today
IN forcing the District Attorney to
call for a jury trial. DR.. Swope
and his attorneys announced that
the charge as far as the Brockton
physician is concerned will be
bitterly fought, regardless of the
sensational exposures such trial
will bring to light.
Judge Sisk, after hearing DR..
Swope's plea and demand for a
new trial, marked the case for the
February jury docket. District At
torney Reading later declared that
DIR. Robb would be brought from
State prison to confront the Brock
ton physician as star witness for
the commonwealth.
1--WE care not whom DR.. Robb
shielded by his plea Of guilty" de-
clared former District Attorney
Frederick G. Katzmann, counsel for
DR.. Swope. 1.-The fact that DR..
Robb pleaded guilty does not interest
us in the least. Neither the nurse
or any of DR.. Robb's women pa
tents, married or single, will be
spared in this trial. My client is
innocent and a thorough rehearsal
of the facts will secure him an
acquittal."
DIR. RObb Disturbed.
DIR. Robb was plainly disturbed
when news Of DR.. Swope's action
was brought to him at the prison
tailor shop, where he is employed
in cutting clothes. The young
woman nurse IN the case was one
of several who worked for Robb
from time to time at his office on
Massachusetts avenue.
From the hour DIR. Robb's name
was linked with the disappearance
of Mrs. Alice M. Wolschendorf,
IL
nurse, as well as women patients,
many of them socially prominent,
whose names were disclosed in n
little brown covered diary which
was among records and documents
seized by the State police in the
Massachusetts, avenue office, were
in mortal fear of disclosure at the
trial.
Hence the universal relief when
Robb took the short cut to State
prison and pointed out to the
authorities the hiding places of his
victims missing head and pelvis.
Seek Complete Exposure.
Swope's attorney declares that
the Brockton physician had nothing
to do with the Wolschendorf, or
any other case and plans not only
to fight it out before a jury but
bare the real details of the con-
victed mans methods to the jury.
He further demands to know where
the illegal surgery was performed,
who was present, etc.
Senator William J. Francis, of
Charlestown, brought the Robb
case before the legislature today
with his bill to increase the penalty
for persons guilty of illegal surg
cry to not less than twenty years
nor more than thirty years il
event of the death of the patient
and from fifteen years to twenty
years if the person survives.
Senator Francis called attention
TO the Robb case and declared that
with good conduct allowance DR..
Robb would serve but a little over
three years. He termed such pun
ishment ridiculous