INQUEST.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2582, 27 May 1871, Page 3

INQUEST.

The following evidence was given at yesterday’s inquest, but too late to enable us to insert it in last night’s issue Dr Borrowcs stated he was called upon by Mr Hindle to say whether he could with propriety take the girl M ‘Gee _ into his house, or take her to the Hospital. He went to the hotel at a quarter to twelve, and saw the girl, who was partly dressed. She represented that she had been pregnant five months and a half. Witness told her he would have to examine her ; but she was unwilling that he should do so, saying she was better, and had had some nice sleep since Mrs Hindle left. Witness examined her with great difficulty, owing to her resistance ; and at its conclusion was perfectly satisfied there had been a biith. She at first denied having had a child, but afterwards said if she had it went away in the discharges Witness told her she must produce the child. After some hesitation she turned up the back part of the mattrass, and brought out a knotted bundle of calicD, on untying which he found the dead body of a newly-born, mature male child. It was cold, and had apparently been dead some four or five hours. She gave witness to understand that the child had been born dead. On its face was a wound from the left angle of the mouth to the back part of the lower jaw, laying the mouth quite open ; and there was a compound fracture of the lower jaw. '1 his wound might have been caused either by the scissors or stay husk produced, both of which were found near her. Witness made a -pout-mortem examination to-day. 'Jhe wound in the face might have been incised by a blunt instrument; it was straight, and about three inches long ; still it might have been tom, but witness should call it incised. Witness doubted if it was caused by the scissors, but inclined to the belief it was produced by the steel busk. The face showed signs of injury by some blunt instrument. The other wounds were caused by either a b ! ow or forcible pressure. There was also a fracture of the skull. From examination of the lungs, he should certainly say the child breathed fully and freely. The heart was conti acted and empty, showing want of blood in the system. He was convinced that the child was born alive. In his opinion the cause of death was loss of blood from the injuries it received and concussion of the brain. Looking at the circumstances of the case, he did not think it could have been caused accidentally ; the injuries must hj ive been wilfully caused. The injury to the child’s mouth could not have been effected with the hand.

The inquest was adjourned to the Hospital on the (ith of June, in order to allow the woman to be present.