SHOCKING CASE OF INFANTICIDE.

Evening Star, Issue 3763, 16 March 1875, Page 3

SHOCKING CASE OF INFANTICIDE.

We are indebted to tbeEditor of the ‘ Arrow Observer ’ for the following ; Early on Tuesday morning last, Mr Janies Barr, of this town, was procuring cobble stones in the-vicinity of the Barracouta shaft. Attracted by a strong smell, and the sight of a bundle in a tin, he drew near the shaft and pulled the bundle out of the water, and found it to contain the body,of a child. He soon after informed Mr G-, A. Barker, who went for the police, and the body was conveyed to the camp, there to await THE INQUEST. An inquest was held at the Court-house, Arrowtown, on Tuesday, 9th inst,, before H. A. Stratford, Esq., Coroner, on the body of a female child. The body having been viewed, the jury repaired to the hole where the child’s body was found, which was ascertained to be about 60ft deep. On returning, Mr Barr was called and deposed : I am a laborer living at Arrowtown. At about 9 o’clock this morning near Bracken’s crossing, I was quarrying stones. I went near to an old shaft known as Barracouta shaft, which is near the crossing. I there noticed a tin, and what I thought to be a bundle in it. It was like a lolly tip. It is the one now produced. I had a pick in my hand. I tried to bring the bundle out, but could not do so without driving the pick into it. I examined the bundle, and ripped one end open with my knife. The bundle was sewn up all round, and it was that which took my attention. There were three or four pieces of stuff irside the bundle. After ripping the top pieces, I laid the cloth aside to see what it was, ai it smelled so. I could not exactly tell what it was at first, but I afterwards saw the shape of the legs of a child. I saw Mr Barker passing and called him down. I told him there was something down there which looked very like a child. Mr Barker came down and we examined the child. We put the tin and its contents into a barrow that I had there. We wheeled it some distance, and then Mr Barker went and informed the police. Shortly afterwards Sergeant Hunt and Constable Quinn came down and took possession. When I opened the bundle, I saw white calico next to the body, flannel outside the calico, and outside that the printed' calico, which I have described as sewn up. I did not notice anything on the tin in the shape of marks at the time. This was the first morning I was quarrying there. When I attempted to get it out it did not appear to be fastened to anything,’ By the Coroner: X am sure the pick did not enter the body of the child. My knife did not touch any portion of the body, my pick nearly touched the clothes. George A. Barkerdeposed: Thismomingl was coming from my paddock along the river about twenty minutes to nine o’clock, A man named James Barr was standing near Bracken’s ford, and called my attention to a bundle on the brink of tke Barracouta shaft.. I examined the parcel, and found it was covered with a portion ■ of a woman’s wearing apparel The outside covering was pink print, inside that some majenta flannel, white calico, and stiff paper, or cardboard, and in that was the body of an infant. lat once informed the police, and they took possession of it. The cardboard did not resemble a box.—By the Coroner; I could see that it had been taken out of the water hole. The hole is known to he a deep one, perhaps fifty feet. Last Sunday week I was at the shaft, but did not notice anything. My impression is the child had been there six or seven weeks, from the appearance of the tin and the strong smell. Jaa. Douglas deposed: lam a duly qualified medical practitioner, residing at Frankton. I, this day, have made a post mortem examination of a mature female child, in an advanced state of decomposition. On precursory examination I found the head bent on the chest, the arms folded across the chest; the thighs bent on the abdomen, and the legs crossed. The largo bones of the head were entirely separated from each other. The skin, in places, had fallen away from them, ahe wholts of the large bones were entire, with the exception of the left parietal the upper edge of which there were five or six holes, of about two or three lines in diameter. With regard to the chest, I opened it, and found the heart and lungs in a surprising state of preservation. The lungs were of a bright red color, weighed 504 grains, and floated on water. The lungs of a new-born cluld,. who has never breathed, will not float m water. I would like to state that the state in which the lungs were might have been caused by the gases arising from decomposition. Still I must say thatl am of opinion that that child had breathed. I arrive at that conclusion from the fact that the lungs are so red and natural in appearance. Other organs in the abdomen Were entirely decomposed. I should think the child must have been in the water. In most cases a body keeps longer in water than one exposed. I weighed the child and notwithstanding the loss of substance iweighed 41b. I carefully examined the nai’s of the hands and found them perfect. That is a very good evidence of the child being at maturity. I cannot account for the holes on the head. I should not like to say whether the face was battered, as the features were all gone. By the Coroner: I cannot understand why the holes should be there, and in the same place. I do not think the holes are natural, and they might _ have been made by the striking of some sharp instrument about the size of a penholder. The child is certainly fully developed, 9 inches in length, robust, and of full time. Sergeant Hunt corroborated the evidence of previous witness. The verdict was “wilful murder against some person or persons unknown the jury adding this rider, “ That the Government he recommended to offer a large reward tobring the offenders to justice.” Our correspondent writes I hope the P£ lc ? make good use of the evidences afforded by the wrappers, &c., as a clue to tbi culprit, and that this disgraceful murder W T. not longremair veiled in that mystei v which still attaches to the numerous and not ®nmes of incendiarism by which this district has been degraded. If the police do not obtain evidence detectives should he employed.