The Blackpool Herald. — 1875-11-12 (Blackpool, Lancashire, England)

EXTRAORDINARY CONDUCT (IF A ROMAN] CATHOLIC 'PRIEST. a An inquest has been held ly Mr. F. Price, the, district coroner, on the -boiv (4, Mary Connoly, aged 25 years; the wife of Andrew Connly, labourer, I I,dging in Whittaker-ste,cet, Manchester, who (hall on the 3rd. inst. :it Seemed . from the evidence ,3,cri'ven that thecleceased woman was pregnant, and had been attended ~several times bg-fa surgeon. from the Manchester Regal Infirmary. When she got up in the morning slitNeoinpl'ainherof but as she was suffering from dropsy her husband ot Isatieipate-arybiting-serionrl -ire 1/41/4 ex. t, his work. She became much Jorse, and died between eight `aritriiine infirma• tion supplied to the coroner by-tlidiielite,itietmed that the Rev. Mr. Brendon one of the nests at tYe-MeriaSterYTGOTtoii,-h-diTtirt.'Tarl e woman was on the point of being confined, requested Mr. Frank Holmes, surgeon, of Gorton-line, to perform an operation upon her .with the object of obtaining the child from her alive, in order that it might be baptised and reared. Mr. Holmes complied with the request, but failed to find the child. When these facts came to th knowledge of Mr. Price, the coroner, he ordered2Mr. George "Brebnctr, surgeon, Ashton-road, _OPenSliaw' to'ivake a 4, examination of the .deceased woman's body. This waS done on griday afternoon, when ,it ?,,vas found thaV.here M injury, were no arks or externAi and that the body was moderately well nourished. There had been an incision along the whole length of the abd.onien, 'Made after death. The )Operatien appeared to have been performed in an unskilful manner. On re-opening the abdonien, Mr. Brebner found that the bladder had been opened and was enormously enlarged. The ',deceased had bc,eri SUffering from chronic inflammation if the bladder and pe„ritonitis. He fund a-fcetus.ef about four months, which was quite healthy. The cause of death was inflammation of ,the bladder and a weak 'dilated.. heart. There was no appearance .of any attempt to. .procure abortion. "The police afterwards applied to Mr: Holmes for a certificate,of the woman's death, but he refused to givalme,..and also said that he would not supply any information of the ease whatevor. The Rev. 'Mr. Breridori did not deny that he had, requested Mr. Holmes to perform the operation upon the deceased, and Stated Iliht he did so because he had heard frOm7.some -neighbours of the deceased that , she was near the tit.ne of labour. After hearing the e.videnee thetiorotier, in addressing the jury, pointed out that the Rev. Mr. Brendon had no authority to order the .surgical examination of . the deceased, och TOW& being alone vested in friends of deceased persons, coroners, and the Home 'Secretary. The jury, in returning a verdict of "Sudden deatlf from natural causes," unanimously expressed their disapprobation of the conduct of the Rev. Mr. Brendon, who, as alleged, had authorised an operation to be performed on the deceased without the. consent of her-husband, and of the conduct of Mr. Holmes, ' who performed the operation, as being a grave Saandal to society.  Lieut.-General F. H. Haines Vvill'nhccced Lord Napier of Magdala as COmmander4u.chief in India. The inquest on the body of Thomas Goodwin, , who was•shot by his cousin, William _Hancock; at 4 [Browned,i,e Staffordshireitermluatedo4 Wednesday in , a verdict of wilful murder. Hancock was corn'mitted for trial. , = ,  The, formal opening of 4 ichoolbf cookery took place on Tuesday in be hall of 09 Er.ilubur;, • - • -• •um Opbecues were .(I.oiverc4 the occasion by Sir Robert Christison, Professor Hodgson, and Professor,calderwood. • •.