INFANT IN A SUIT CASE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 172, 10 April 1918, Page 6

INFANT IN A SUIT CASE

INQUEST HELD YESTERDAY. An inquest was held yesterday afternoon by Mr. S. E. M'Carthy. S.M., into the circumstances attending the death, of a newly-born infant, the child of Nora Fleming. May Rurgovne, married woman, residing at 143 The Terrace, said she knew Nora Fleming, but did not know whether she war, married' or sjngle. Fleming came to her house about three weeks ago. On Thursday last about 1.30 p.m. she was in the Metropolitan Hotel, and Nora Fleming: came in, and they had a drink together. Sho told witness that ehc had been to her house and had left a bottle of stout thero, and that she had also left her suit case in the wardrobe!'. Flemin , , , said, "You cannot guess what is in the suit case?" She then said she had got rid of it. AVitness did not. know what she meant, but. was later told. Witness said she would tell her husband abont it. Fleming said, "If you are excited about it I will go and get it." "Witness came down (o the police, station and reported the matter, and Constable Russell accompanied her Track. They saw Nora Fleming on The Termce, find witness pointed her out to the constable, who arrested hor. •\rthiir Harvey, manager of the Centra! Coffoe Palace. Cuba Street, said he knew Nora Fleming. Slip camo to the Coffee Palace on March 21), and engaged Boom No. 1. On Saturday night about 8 o'clock, from something witness heard, he. went to this room and saw the girl, who said she was suffering but rave no indication of the cause oi the pain. She did not ask for any asaist-r.'i.-p and none was provided for her. AVitness had no suspicion that she was so near her confinement She- was up on Monday. _ ~ , , , Plain-clothe? Constable -flupsell staled that on April + at abont 3.30 p.m., in of wli:.t Mrs. Biirsroyne told iiim, he wont with her,to Wellington Tirrinee. nnd they met Norn Fleming.The latter wns enrryina; a suit. ease. Witness accosted her m<l asked her what she had in Hie suit enae. After a little while Rhi> said she might, just as well tell the truth. She snid the ense contained '.■lie body of her child, and she was going {.} get i'id of it. She was taken to the Nation and the suit case on being examined was found io contain the body nf a male ehild. The girl stated that she had given birth to the child in the Central Coffee Palace on Saturday, March 3(1 and (hut sho had no assistance at the time-she was quite alone ■ Br. Henry said that on April 4 he was called to the Lambton Police Station, mid made an examination of the body. There wore no external marks of violence Tho umbilical cord was still ntI'lched to the child, and there was no indication of it having been cut or tied. The child had then boon dead four or live days. It was a fully developed child, and it had breathed. There were no eigns of fracture nf the skull or violence nf any form. There was no doubt Hint Ml inspiration had taken place, bnl whether this had taken plnce during birth or after birth it was impossible to tell The child had apparently not been attended to at birth, hi his opinion (bo death nf the child was due to inattention at its birth. Dr. A. S. Morton, house surgeon at the Wellington Hospital, stated that on Thursday last Nora Fleming was admitted In the hospital. Tie gave the results of an examination he had made, am stated thnl she was still in the hospital and was likely to be there a few days longer. ~ Tho Coroner .deferred giving his verdict, until the woman was able to be present and give evidence should she desire. The inquest was therefore adjourned to Tuesday next.