THE EAGLEHAWK INFANTICIDE.

Evening Star, Issue 3281, 26 August 1873, Page 3

THE EAGLEHAWK INFANTICIDE.

(Abridged from the Bendigo Advertiser , July 31. Horrible as were the particulars elicited in the Eaglehawk infanticide case at the coroner’s inquiry on the 18th inst., the additional facts which were elicited at the resumed inquiry are sufficient to cause a feeling of the deepest horror to thrill through the heart of every right thinking man and woman. It is no lesji than the discovery that in the case of this infant a most atrocious inurder has been committed. When the inquiry was adjourned, the coroner (Dr Pounds) at once took steps which indicated his strong suspicion that a foul murder had been done. The remains, by his direction, were put in a box, conveyed to the hospital, and there examined by Drs Macgillivray and Stuart, in the presence of Dr Pounds, Their examination did not last over a quarter of an hour, and the first thing they did, as appears by the evidence of the two first named gentlemen, was to wash the remains free from all the pigsty ordure. The scalp was raised and the skull exposed. The murder was at once apparent. The child had lived after birth, for immediately under the bruise on tbe brow were clots of artcrialised blood, and underneath that again the skull was fractured, and it had been done by a violent blow, for the lines of fracture radiated from a point in all directions. Further examination revealed that a second blow had been struck on the side of the head, for there were the outward bruise, the clots of blood on the scalp, and the radiating lino of fracture of the skull beneath that again. That arteriaiised blood—bright red blood—was caused by tbe respiration ©f the child, as it had breathed the air. This evidence was conclusive that a fiendish murder had been committed—and bow? By the child having probably been caught by the legs, and its bead dashed violently against the floor. Such were the opinions of three able medical men. Having examined the head, they proceeded to examine the body, and on which, singular to relate, there was more than had been seen by the Eaglehawk medical men. Besides the head and neck, there were nine or ten of the dorsal vertebrae, the whole of the right shoulder blade, about three-fourths of the arm-bone, and portions of the coliar-boue and two ribs. The jury expressed great surprise that Drs Atkinson and Thom had not noticed these portions of the body. The examination showed that there had been a clean out of a knife across the throat, severing the windpipe ; that there was another similar cut at one side, and a third at the hack right to the hone. An attempt bad been made to cut off the head. The evidence was not yet complete, for the skin on each side of the neck plainly allowed that two cvita had heen made, severing each arm, The backbone terminated in a sharp, clean, level surface, through an intervertebral cartilage, showing that tho body had heen cut across tbe middle. The body had, in fact, heen cut into pieces, and then thrown to tho pigs, to be more easily

devoured, no doubt. Had not the coroner brought his medical knowledge into use and had a thorough posf mortem examination made by two of the most skilled surgeons in the Colony, the body would probably Lave been consigned to the grave with its dreadful secret.