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30 The Canadian Statesman. Bowmariville Features and Comments, Wednesday, April 20,1994 CB1MEFLASHBACK ATTRACTION MAX HAINES lthough it was a'dangerous game, it was like an elixir. Herbert William French was having an. affair. Just imagine Herbie at 45, a rather dull bloke in a rather dull job having a bona fide clandestine affair. Sure he was married, like any God-fearing office manager should be, but what the heck, his new love put spring in Herbie's gait and sparkle in his otherwise unimpressive eyes. It had started out innocently enough in good old London town -- a bit of flirting with his secretary, attractive 28-year-old Eileen Taylor, a quiet lunch and a few drinks. Sometimes, after work, they would visit a pub. There was no question in Herbie's mind. Eileen was as attracted to him as he was to her. True, Eileen was married, but it was obvious to Herbie that she didn't get along with her husband. That made Herbie feel good. After all, he didn't want to be the cause of breaking up Eileen's marriage. When she separated from her husband and took a narnpslean Heath, Herbie didn't feel guilty . at all. The natural progression of Herbie and Eileen's relationship steered a straight course to the bedroom. Folks, those two were at it all the time. In August 1955, Eileen checked and rechecked her calendar. Convinced that no lunar miscalculation miscalculation had taken place, she was ■ certain that she was pregnant. Her unplanned condition posed a serious problem. Eileen had already left her husband. Unwed mothers were frowned upon in those days. She would have to leave her job and the income which provided her with the independence she treasured. Back in 1955 in England, abortions- were illegal. Eileen decided to share her little secret with Herbie. There was an outside chance that he would leave his wife and obtain a divorce. Once Eileen's divorce was final, the two lovers could marry and live happily ever after. Fat chance. Herbie didn't take the news well. He dreaded the thought of Eileen's stomach expanding right there in the office for all the world to see. He could kiss his marriage goodbye. Working in the same office as Eileen would be out of the question. Then there, was child support to consider. Herbie and Eileen put their heads together and came up with a solution. Herbie would pay for and Eileen would undergo an illegal abortion. To this end, Herbie made a few discreet inquiries. A friend of a friend gave him a phone number. That's how he met Doris Colbert. He and Mrs. Colbert came to an understanding that 40 pounds would be a mutually satisfactory sum to do the job. Doris agreed to perform the operation after being assured by Herbie that Eileen was no more than three months pregnant. Somewhat relieved that things might turn out all right in the end, Herbie scampered off to tell Eileen the good news. She went along with all the arrangements. A few nights later, Eileen and Herbie showed up on schedule at a house on Bryanston Square. They were met by Doris Colbert and her assistants, Elizabeth Williams and Kathleen O'Regan. Eileen was ushered into a bedroom, while Herbie cooled his heels in the den. The operation was to be simple enough. Using a Iligginson syringe, a soapy mixture would be inserted into the patient's womb. The sac containing the fetus would separate from the wall of the womb. The procedure went well, but nothing happened. Eileen was made to jump up and down and to take a walk around the block. Nothing brought about the desired result. Two days later, Eileen again subjected herself to the ordeal. This time, something went terribly wrong. Air was sucked up into the syringe with the soapy fluid and injected into the uterus. The resulting embolism caused Eileen's death in a matter of minutes. Naturally enough, Herbie was terror stricken. He felt terrible about Eileen, but now he was faced with the problem of extraditing himself from any blame in her death. The three abortionists were faced with the same problem. All four discussed their mutual predicament. Several ideas were tossed about before they decided to bury Eileen in Epping Forest. With Herbie's help, the three women managed to carry the body down to the back seat of Elizabeth Williams' car. Eileen-was nronoed up between Doris Colbert and Kathleen O'Regari In the back seat. Anyone who has driven through the streets of London with a dead body knows it is not a pleasant experience. At last, they reached their destination. Herbie directed the women and their gruesome cargo about a half mile into the forest off Epping Road. There are not that many people with experience in grave digging, if you discount those stout hearted men who perform this necessary task for a living. Certainly, our ill equipped foursome found the task tedious. It was almost dawn when what passed for a •grave was completed. Eileen was lowered into her crude resting place and covered with earth. Then something happened which was unfortunate for Herbie. He bent over and out of his pocket tumbled a yellow pencil bearing his name and the name and address of his company. Unaware of this incriminating bit of evidence left only a few metres from the grave, the; unholy foursome made their way back to - Bryanston Square. They shook hands all around and called it a day. On Oct. 29, some three months after Eileen was unceremoniously buried, two youngsters walking in the woods saw a human hand sticking out of the earth. Police were quickly dispatched to the scene. It didn't take long to establish that the dead woman was Eileen Taylor, who had been reported missing during the early part of August. Eileen's husband was tracked down. He proved that he had been separated from his wife for months before her estimated date of death, which had been established as being about three months before she was discovered. A post mortem indicated that death had been caused by an attempted abortion. And then detectives found what all detectives dream about finding at the scene of a murder. Close by the body they came across a yellow pencil with the name Herbert William French printed above the address where our Herbie was employed. Initially, Herbie attempted to bluff his way out of his predicament by disclaiming any connection with his missing secretary. When shown that incriminating pencil, he crumbled and immediately named his three conspirators. When questioned, they too admitted their part in Eileen's death. All four stood trial in London's Old Bailey. Because of absence of malice aforethought, the murder charges were reduced to manslaughter. Herbert French pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three years imprisonment. Colbert, O'Regan and Williams pleaded guilty to using an instrument with intent to procure an abortion. Each received a one-year suspended sentence. MAUnrtAiunts