INQUEST.

Globe, Volume VI, Issue 641, 8 July 1876, Page 2

INQUEST.

VERDICT OF WILFUL MUBDEB, An inquest was held on Friday at Tai Tapu, before J. W. S. CowaTd, Beq, coroner; on the body of an infant child belonging to Mr John Sheehan, farmer, residing in that district. From the evidence of • the father it appeared'that he left tjic bouse' on Thursday morning, about nine o'clock," to ga to a paddock about thirty chains from the house to do some work. When he went out the child was in its mother's arms. About eleven o'clock Mrs Hergen, a neighbor, went to him, and from what she told him he relumed quickly to the house, and found the child lying dead on the bed, and obaerved that its head was wet, but did not notice whether its clothes were bo or not. Mrs Hergen, who was examined, stated that she came up to the house from her own place shortly before eleven o'clock, and when she went p.'jide, she saw the infant quite dead lying incite inother.'fj arms. Mrs Sheehan told her that, as she was crossing the itoor phe was taken with a fit of weakness, and dropped the child out of her arms, when it fell into a bucket of water that was standing in the room, and that s£e hadn't power to take it out. When she came to herself she was on her knees alongside the bucket. She then look the child'out. 'She (Mrs Hergen; then ran put and told the father.. Dr Bell Hay, whtfrafrife the 2>ost mortem examination; stated that death had resulted from drowning. Thore were no marks on the head of the child, aud he gave it as his opinion that it could not possibly have fallen from itß mother's arms into the bucket without showing marks of some kind on the head. Evidence was given showing that Mrs Sheehaii's first child had been smothered in the middie of the year 1874, while she and her sister were lying in bed, and that her second child had been drowped in a pool of water heay the'house, she stating at %3 inquest held op the 23rd August, 18f5; tbHt she was getting out some water to use, that she slipped into the hole, and in pulling herself out by a tussock the child fell out of her arms into the water. After the coroner had reviewed the evidence, the jury deliberated for some time, and returned with a verdict of wilful murder against the mother. The woman was removed in custody and brought into Chrfctchurcb late lasf night,' 1 'lrmay tie'statedr-ttiat the bucket'is an ordinary steed galvanized iron one, and. was about Wtfee-quMtew full pf water aUto time,