INQUEST.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1798, 25 November 1879, Page 2

INQUEST.

The inquaat on the death of Arthur and James, the twin sons of Arthur and Margaret Penny, who died under rather unusual circumstances at Ashburton on Saturday morning last, was held at Baldwin’s Central Hotel, Ashburton, yesterday forenoon, before Dr. Trevor (coroner) and a jury, of which Mr W. T. Davison was foreman. After the bodies had been seen by the jury. Dr. Trevor stated the inquest could not possibly be concluded that day, as there were some strange circumstances connected with the case which only professional evidence could elucidate, and that evidence was not yet available. The evidence at present to be obtained would therefore ba now taken, and the inquest theu adjourned to some day this week.

The following evidence was then taken:— Margaret Penny, wife of James Downey Penny, and mother of the deceased children, sworn, said—The children were three months old the day they died. The biggest boy, James Downey,had al ways been healthy from hisbirth theother, Arthur Henry, was not healthy when born, but got stronger as he grew older. I put the children to bed on the night of Friday, the 21st November, at 10.30 p.m. Both seemed in their usual state—that is in good health. At 11 p.m , when going to bed, saw the children again ; they were then all right. At 3 a.m. on Saturday, I again saw the children. They appeared to be quite well. They were sleeping soundly, and I could hear them breathe. I did not feed them then, £■ the biggest one, James Downey, had been a little cross during the Friday. I usually fed them in the early merning, The next time I saw them was at 6 a.m. that morning, when I got up to dress. They were then both of them foaming at the mouth, and a little blood was exuding from the nostrils of the biggest ono. I called my neighbor, Mrs Cullen, wh# came in; sho lifted the biggest boy and I lifted the smaller. James only breathed once or twice after Mrs Cullen lifted him, and I think Arthur was dead when I first saw him. My husband went for Dr. Boss, who arrived twenty minutes later. During the Friday, I gave the boy James a little mixture of aniseed, but gave none to Arthur. I had often given both boys the same medicine. Ididnot give James any more than one drop of the mixture on the night in question, and that was the quantity I always gave. I am quite certain the mixture was only given to the one child. The children slept by themselves in a good-sized cot. When I put the children to bod I covered them up myself. They were only covered to the shoulders. I could see their mouths from where I lay in my own bed. They were not overlaid at any time during the night. My husband was the only other person in the room that night, and he went to bed at 11.30 p.m. When he went for the doctor in the morning, he ran off at once without waiting to lift either of the children. There were no animals kept about the house, and I cannot account in any way for my children’s death ; neither had ever had convulsions to my knowledge. By the Police —The children had always been fed with a bottle till quite lately, when I used to give them a little bread and milk in addition. The children were born prematurely —some two or three weeks. The usual milkman supplied the milk on the Friday. Ido not know his name, but my husband does. Mr Neato was the chemist who supplied the aniseed. The aniseed had been in the house from the time the children were three weeks old. I used to give the milkman a bottle to put the milk in. O a Friday he brought my milk in a different bottle to the one I previously gave him. He generally got an empty bottle from me early in the day, which he returned later full of milk.

Re-called—The body of the little child was not rigid, but quite limp when I lifted it after death. James Downey Penny, the father of the deceased children, sworn, said—l am a waiter at the Somerset Hotel. [Witness then gave an almost exact recapitulation of his wife’s evidence.] He then continued—At 6 a.m. on Saturday my wife remarked, “ the children have been uncommonly good all sight ” turning round she looked at them, and suddenly and said, “Jim’s face is black, I believe he is dead.” Seeing the children both looked black, I dressed immediately and ran for Dr. Ross. I believe they were both dead before I left the house. I cannot account in any possible way for the death of the children. The milk they were fed with was supplied by a man named Rattray. My wife has often complained to me of the milkman changing the bottles she gave to him. Eliza Cullen, wife of Robert Cullen, carrier, who resided in the same house, sworn, suid— About 6,30 a.m. on Saturday I heard Mrs Penny call out that her children were dying. I ran into her room and picked up the biggest boy, the little one being already in Mrs Penny’s lap. The little one in Mrs Penny’s lap was already getting black in the face, but the child I took up was dead. Mr and Mrs Penny were bolh very much distressed at the loss of their little ones. Mr and Mrs Penny have been living a month in my house, and were both exceedingly attentive to the children, and undoubtedly were very fond of them. There was no extreme rigidity of the limbs of the children, but the one I took up seemed a little stiff. Both children were quite warm when I saw them. I cannot in any way account for their death.

In answer to a juror, Mrs Cullen said the bedroom was an ordinary ore, with no fireplace in it. Did not see the children on the Friday. The arms of the child she lifted up were getting stiff. Both children were warm. When lifting the biggest child she fancied something melted in iis throat. This concluded the evidence called for the present, and the Coroner said he would have to adjourn the inquest till Thursday next at 10 a.m., at same place. Nothing had transpired to throw any light on the cause of the infants’ death, and the medical evidence they were to hear on Thursday would be most important, as ho had sent the stomachs of the children to Christchurch in order that the contents might be analysed. Both because the cause of death was not clearly apparent, and rumors regarding poisoning had been circulated, it was absolutely necessary the adjourned inquest should be held.