Evening star., 1948-01-19
Nurse, on Strefcher,
Testifies LaughIin
Gave Her $500 Cash

The nurse at whose home Mrs.
Esther Pickard Hobbs testified she
underwent an illegal operation was
a witness today in the District
Court trial of James j. Laughlin,
attorney, and DR.. Henry L. Peck
ham, jr., Washington physician.
She testified that Mr.. Laughlin gave
her three $1o0 bills. \
The witness was Mrs. Irma
Petrain, 2215 H street NV. She
testified while lying on stretcher.
She said she Is suffering from q
back injury.
DR.. Peckham is accused of having
performed the operation and Mr..
Laughlin was named in the indict-
ment as an accessory. Both have
denied the charges.
= Says Laughlin Gave Her $500.
Mrs. Petrain testified she turned
the money over to Hubert L. Stottle-
myer, employe in a radio shop at
2116 Pennsylvania avenue NV.
She conducts the Dependable Nurs-
ing Service at that address.
MI. Stottlemyer testified last Fri
Gay that Mrs. Petrain gave him an
envelope but that he did not know
what it contained. He said he
turned 1t over to DR.. Peckham on a
night he drove Mrs. Hobbs to DR..
Peckham's office. Mrs. Petrain also
was in the car, he said.
Questioned about where she OBJ
tanned the $500, Mrs. Petrain an
swered emphatically: James J..
Laughlin gave me those bills at the
basement entrance to my home"
First Attempt Failed.
Mrs. Hobbs, the former Miss
Esther Pickard, and Mr.. Laughlin
first visited her at her home on
March II or 18, Mrs. Petrain said.
}s Mrs. Hobbs, who testified last
fweek, said she first visited DR.. Peck
hams office on March 20 when an
operation was attempted unsuccess-
fully. She said a second attempt
two days later at Mrs. Petrain's
home was successful. She also said
she remained at Mrs. Petrain's home
10 days to recuperate.
:. About six weeks after the opera
ton she married George w. Hobbs
and moved to Raleigh, N. c., but
before the operation, according to
her testimony. she was ENGAGED to
Mr.. Laughlin.
Parked Near Peckham's Office.
Mrs. Petrain testified she drove
in Mr.. Stottlemyer's car with Mrs.
Hobbs and that the car was parked
Just of Eighth street s. z. DR.. Peck
hams office Is at 42S Eighth street
Sc.
She said Mr.. Stottlemyer left the
car, went around the corner, re-
turned shortly and left again, taking
Mrs. Hobbs with him. Mr.. Stottle-
myer came back, she said, and they
waited a half hour to As minutes.
When Mrs. Hobbs reappeared, she
said they drove back to the H street
home.
Mrs. Petrain also said that Mr.,
Laughlin called at her home on a
number of occasions while Mrs.
Hobbs was present, bringing flow
ers, hosiery and ice cream.
Laughlin Questions Recounted.
She also said that Mr.. Laughlin,
sometime later, called and asked if
anyone had asked her anything.
She testified that on second oc-
casion when he called he said that
Mr.. Scott had talked to him. The
reference was to Lieut.. Edgar E.
Scott, who conducted the police in
vestigation of the case.
The stretcher on which Mrs. Pc
train lay filled the narrow aisle be-
tween the jury box and the en-
closure for the court stenographer
and clerk. Her face could not be
seen by those seated in the court
room.
Under cross-examination by H.
Mason WEIGH, attorney for DR..
Peckham, she testified she was hurt
in an accident in a physicians Of
flee last November S.. She testified
she experienced severe headaches
! when she sat up.