AN OTAKI SENSATION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 3749, 9 February 1907, Page 3

AN OTAKI SENSATION.

Woman charged with Child Murder. A single woman named Matilda Morris was arrested at Otaki yesterday on a charge of murdering her infant child. The facts of the case are that on January 21st last the woman left the house she was staying at in Otaki, taking her baby, one month old with her. She returned the same night without the infant. Asked where it was she stated that she had taken it to a woman who was going to adopt it. The matter was reported to Inspector Ellison on Wednesday last. He despached Detective Cassells to make inquiries. Last night that officer telegraphed that he had discovered the dead body of the child buried in the bush. He arrested the woman.

LATER PARTICULARS

The young woman, Matilda Morris was charged that at Otaki, on January 21st, 1907 the prisoner did kill and murder one Albert Morris.

Chief-Detective Me Grath applied for a remand till next Friday at 2 p.lll. This was granted - THE INQUEST.

■ The inquest on the infant’s body was then held before Mr W. H. Simcox, district coroner. Mr Arthur E. Anderson was elected foreman of the Jury.

After the jury had viewed the corpse, Chief-Detective McGrath asked that the inquest should be adjourned till Monday afternoon, in order to give the doctor an opportunity to complete his postmortem examination. The body, he said, might he buried in the meantime. It was so discomposed as to make identification impossible. The adjournment was granted. The accused was taken to Wellington last evening. She will be taken back to Otaki on Monday,