Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-01-22
Mrs. Hobbs Told
Of Operation,
Woman Says
Former LondIody :
Testifies Surgery Took
Place in Maryland

Place in Maryland
A former landlady Of Mrs. Esther
Pickard Hobbs testified In District
Court today that Mrs. Hobbs told
her she underwent an Illegal opera
ton, and that 1t was performed by
q nurse in Maryland.
The witness was Mrs. Mabel
Steele, 2o70 Belmont road NV. She
was called in the defense Of James
J. Laughlin, attorney, who is or
trial before Chief Justice Laws with
Dr.. Henry L. Peckham, IT,, or
charges Of abortion.
Mrs. Steele's testimony was In.
troduced by the defense to contra.
dict earlier statements by Mrs
Hobbs that she underwent two Il.
legal operations by DR.. Peckham
Mr.. Laughlin Is charged as an &C.
cessory.
Another witness today was Mis-.
Anna Elizabeth Laughlin. a daughter
Of Mr.. Laughlin. She testified about
being In her fathers ONCE the night
Of March 20 and of seeing Mrs
Hobbs. Mrs. Hobbs testified earlier
she underwent the first of two opera.
lions on the night of March 10 ane
was in bed on March 20.
Sought to Avoid Case.
Mrs. Steele's testimony concerning
the operation by a nurse in Mary
land, was brought out under ques-
tioning by Mr.. Laughlin. She testi-
fed that last November she tele-
phoned Mrs. Hobbs, who now lives
in Raleigh, N. C. She said she tolo
Mrs. Hobbs two detectives had beer
to see her and she did not want te
have anything to do with the case
you won't have to go to court;
I'm going to call Charlie" Mrs
Steele quoted Mrs. Hobbs as saying
Mrs. Steele said she asked who
Charlie was and that Mrs. Hobb.
replied, Charlie Murray" Charles
B. Murray, assistant district at
torney, is one of the two Govern
ment lawyers handling the case.
Mrs. Steele Said Mrs. Hobbs called
her the next morning. She said
Mrs. Hobbs asked her not to tel
any Investigators, should they come
to see Mrs. Steele again, about nude
pictures and about Mrs. Fobbs go
ing under the steps at your mothers
home"
Tells of Attempt to Borrow $50.
The witness also testified that Ii
the spring of 1947 Mrs. Hobbs, Their
Miss Esther Pickard, told her she
was pregnant by a man named
George. She said on that occasion
Mrs. Hobbs tried to borrow $50 fol
an illegal operation which she said
she thought she could get done by q
nurse, but that she might have tc
have 1t done by a doctor in Balti-
more. She said she already had
500.
Mrs. Steele quoted Mrs. Hobbs as
saying she would be afraid to ask
Mr.. Laughlin money because she
knew he would not give 1t for an
illegal operation.
Under cross examination by
United States attorney, Mrs Steele
quoted Mrs. Hobbs as saying
There are certain things in this
case you don't know about. They've
told me one story and told me to
stick to It,"
Admits Assault Conviction.
Mrs. Steele admitted that she had
been convicted of assault and put
on probation. She said the case
arose from domestic trouble, ano
she said Mr. Laughlin represented
her in the case.
Miss Laughlin, a pretty girl ir
brown, testified that she and hel
sister Mary went to her fathers
Office at $40 pm. March 20. She
said Mrs Hobbs was leaving the
National Press Building as she anc
her sister entered. Mr.. Laughlin's
Office is in that building.
Father came in at about
o'clock" she testified. "He had hurt
his eye and had hankie UP to his
eye, and he had one of us call tht
Episcopal Eye, Ear and Throat Hos
pital to see if they could treat him.
She then testified about accompany.
ing her father to the hospital.
Sister Supports Testimony.
Miss Mary Laughlin, another
daughter of Mr.. Laughlin, also took
the witness stand and her testi.
mony was practically the same al
that Of her sister.
Miss Cecilia Marie Desmond oil
1914 Mount Pleasant street NV.
who said she was a classmate Of
Miss Mary Laughlin at school, also
was called. She testified she dineo
at the Laughlin home March q
and that Mr.. Laughlin was there
for dinner and all evening. The
two Laughlin girls and Miss Des-
mond were questioned by T. Emmett
Mckenzie, associated with Mr.
Laughlin in the defense.
Another former landlady OF Mrs
Hobbs was to be called later today
She is Mrs. Mary Thompson of the
2l0o block of First street NV, the
mother of Mrs. Steele.
Raleigh Woman Testifies.
Mrs. w. jenkins White of Ra'
leigh, testified late yesterday tina
Mrs. Hobbs told her "the District
attorney was mad at Mr.. Laughlir
and was using her MRS. Hobbs
to get even with Mr.. Laughlin."
This was denied by Mrs. Hobb:
when she testified Tuesday.
This statement was made in con.
versation with Mrs. Hobbs early
this month, Mrs. White said.
Mrs. White, slim young woman
with her blond hair parted ant
drawn back and with green scar
around her throat. was cross-ex'
amined by Mr.. Mclaughlin.
Mr.. Mclaughlin brought out tina
Charles Flasphaler. an employe O.
Mr. Laughlin, had talked to he
in Raleigh last Saturday and hat
bought the plane ticket for her Il
come to Washington. She deniee
she had come to Washington with
Mr.. Flasphaler, saying her HUSBAND
had carried her to the plane"
Stanford Carrier, bartender ant
former prize fighter who testified
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