Evening star., 1948-01-20
Laugh|in Case
Nearly Finished
By Prosecution
One More Witness
May Be Called Today.
Nurse Testifies

The Government was expected to
rest its case today in the abortion
trial of Attorney James ]. Laughln
and DR.. Henry L. Peckham, jr.
Assistant United States Attorney
Charles B. Murray, who is conduct
ing the prosecution in Chief Justice
Bolitha j. Laws court, said he may
call one more witness. This witness,
he said, would be asked to testify
concerning the condition of Mrs.
Irma Petrain, nurse-not grad
uate nurse-who was a witness all
day yesterday.
Mrs. Petrain, who lives at 2215 H
street NV, testified from stretcher,
which was placed in the narrow aisle
between the jury box and the wit
ness stand In District Court. For
several hours, she underwent a
gruelling cross-examination by the
attorneys for the defendants.
At no time did she identify DR..
Peckham definitely as the physician
who came to her house on two oc-
casions. On the first occasion, she
said, she saw man carrying a bag
as he came up the stairs to the
bedroom occupied by Mrs. Esther
Pickard Hobbs, named by the Gov
ernment as the object of the illegal
operations with which 1t charges the
defendants. But the man left the
house by an upstairs door, she said,
while she was in the basement.
Date Put as March FL.
She put that date as Friday,
March 81, and testified that, on that
occasion, the illegal operation was
successful. She said she did not
recall whether the man came twice
on that Gay. She testified that on
the following Sunday she called DR..
Peckham to come to the house to
treat the patient, who was running
O temperature.
She did not see him, she said, but
she did see two prescriptions on
which medicine had been obtained.
The cross ss-examination on behalf
Of DR.. Peckham had been conducted
by H. Mason WEIGH. Mr.. WEIGH also
asked Mrs. Petrain If she would
object II he called as witnesses two
physicians who had examined her
and also called for the X-rays made
of her. She gave her approval, pro-
vided Mr.. WEIGH can get the consent
Of DR.. c. P. King, whom she identi-
fed as the physician treating her.
Questions Extend of Inquiry.
Mr.. Welch said he wants to show
there was nothing to prevent Mrs.
Petrain from walking into court.
She had explained she had suffered
q back injury in an accident. AS
she testified, those in the court room
could see only mound of bed
clothing with which the stretcher
was provided and could not see her
face.
T. Emmett Mckenzie, who is
aiding Mr.. Mclaughlin in his de-
fense, conducted the cross -examina-
ton for his client.
Mrs. Petrain's answers to ques-
tions frequently were, II don't re-
call" But when Mr. Mckenzie de-
manded if she had not herself COM
mitteed the illegal operation on Mrs.
Hobbs, her answer was, definitely
not"
She testified that, in conversations
with Mr.. Laughlin concerning the
identity Of the man responsible for
Mrs. Hobbs pregnancy, Mr.. Laughlin
had told her he did not know who
the man was except that he was a
serviceman. She said Mr.. Laughlin
identified Mrs. Hobbs, who is %, as
his niece.
Warned of Indictment.
Mr.. Mckenzie demanded whether
the police had not told her that,
unless she made a statement about
the case, she herself might be in
dicted. She said she had no recol-
lection of this.
On redirect examination Mr..
Murray, who had prepared the case
and submitted it to the grand jury,
asked, did I not tell you that you
did not have to testify (before the
grand jury and that, if you did,
your evidence might be used against
you and you might be indicted?'
The answer was, Yes"
She also answered in the affirma-
tive this question: did you ask
me tn tne presence of the grand
Jury what would happen to you If
you did not testify and I told you
that you would be excused, but that
your statement would be presented
to the grand jury.
She said she had a faint recol-
lection" that the police had told her
that, if she did not testify, she
might be charged herself.