Evening star., 1948-01-17
New LaughIin
Trial Witness
|AwaitedMonday
Government Expected
To Coll Mrs. Petruin
For Questioning

The District Court trial Of Attor.
ney James J. Laughlin and DR..
Henry L. Peckham. jr.. physician,
was in weekend recess today, to be
resumed Monday with the expecta-
ton the Government would call at
that time Mrs. Irma Petrain Of
22l5 H street NV.
The defendants are charged with
abortion in a two-count indictment.
DR.. Peckham is charged with the
overt acts and the Government has
said it considers Mr.. Laughlin as an
accessory.
Mrs. Petrain's name has cropped
up repeatedly in the testimony.
She had been identified as operat-
ing the Dependable Nursing Service
at 2116 Pennsylvania avenue.
Mrs. Esther Pickard Hobbs 33, the
former fiancee Of the T-year-old at
borney, who is divorced. has testified
that, after she underwent an illegal
operation at DR.. Peckhams Office,
she went to Mrs. Petrain's home.
She spent 10 days there. she testified,
and DR.. Peckham visited her there
twice. She said the contact with
Mrs. Petrain was made by Mr..
Has Been Ill.
Assistant United States Attorney
B. Murray said Mrs. Petrain
has been i'll but that he expects her
to be in court Monday. She may
be the final Government witness.
DR.. Peckham's attorney has said
the physicians defense will be SIM
ply that he is not guilty. Mr..
likewise has denied the
charge.
Among witnesses heard yesterday
afternoon was DR.. Richard M.
Rosenberg, deputy coroner. who has
an Office and lives at 1882
street NV.
Mrs. Hobbs, who was Miss Esther
Pickard until her marriage last May
2, has testified she told Mr.. Laugh
lin about the second week of Janu-
airy, 1947. that she was pregnant.
DR.. Rosenberg testified yesterday
that about a year ago he examined
the then Miss Pickard in his office
at the request Of Mr.. Laughlin. He
said he and Mr.. Laughlin had been
friends five years or more.
Questioned On Advice. .
He said he concluded Miss Pick
ard was two months pregnant.
Later he was asked by Mr.. Murray
whether he had advised her against
an operation. His reply was that
he did not recall doing so but that
had the question come up he would
have given such advice. 10
Mr.. Murray appeared taken aback
by this answer. He turned to Chief
Justice Bolitha J. Laws, before
whom the trial is being held, an
nounced surprise and asked permis-
sion to cross-examine his own
witness. Id
Launching that cross-exanina-
ton. he asked:
when you testified before the
grand jury did you not say you had
advised against an abortion?" 70
Defense Objects. ...@s
There was a defense objection, q
conference at the bench and the ex-
animation of DR.. Rosenberg ended
there.
During DIR. Rosenberg's testimony,
ne was asked whether, while Miss
Pickard and Mr.. Laughlin were Ia
his office, Miss Pickard had stated
that, at some time in mid-Decem-
ber, she had gone to the Hotel
Statler with an officer.
He said re recalled Mr.. Laughing
had asked Miss Pickard about that.
He said Miss Piokard had admitted
a visit to the hotel but that he did
not recall details. Z
He also testified to two visits he
paid Miss Pickard in her home at
1714 Nineteenth street NV On one
occasion, he said, when he entereh
the room in which Miss Pickard wss
in bed young mamie could nos
name him-was seated on the bed
The man left Immediately.
Prescriptions Recalled. =
Norman Robert Sachs, pharmacist
at the Keystone Pharmacy, 2l5e
avenue NV, testified
that he filled two prescriptions made
out on prescription blanks bearing
the name and Office address Of DR.
Peckham. The Government charges
the illegal operations were PERI
formed March 20 and %. Mr. Sachs
testified the prescriptions were filled
March %.
Miss Gertrude Lillian Ford,
nurse who lives at Mrs Petrains
home and who had testified Tues-
day, was recalled to the stand. H.
Mason Welch, counsel for DR.. Peck
ham, referred to earlier testimony
by her that she had not been paid
for nursing Mrs Hobbs over period
of 10 days. She said yesterday she
eventually was paid 500 by Mrs.
Hobbs and her husband, following
their marriage.
Miss Ford said that tefore that
she had talked to Mr.. Laughlin OF
the telephone and he had told her OF
Miss Pickards marriage. Z
HE said he thought 1t was about
time I had gotten paid Miss Ford
testified.