SUSPECTED INFANTICIDE.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5145, 19 September 1877, Page 2

SUSPECTED INFANTICIDE.

A young married woman named Mary Leonard Mudgway, and her mother, Mary Ann Trueman, were brought before G. Crawford, Esq., J.P., yesterday, at the Eesident Magistrate’s Court, and remanded until Friday, on the charge of having on or about the 27th of August last, murdered a male infant, to which the daughter is supposed shortly before to have given birth. It appears that in consequence of information received by the police, a search was yesterday made on the premises where the parties resided, near the corner of Cuba and Abel Smith streets, and the body of a fullgrown male child was found buried in a hole in a cowshed, in a paddock at the back of the house. The body was covered with lime andearth. Further particulars will no doubt be brought to light on the investigation of the case on Friday.

In addition to the above, the following account has been furnished to us

On the warrant being issued. Sergeant Smith and Constable Eyan proceeded to Trueman, junr’s, house and there arrested Trueman, aenr., and Mrs Mudgway, and brought them to the station. Inspector Atcheson immediately despatched Const rb’e Eyan and Detective Farrell to search for the body. They went to a stable situated about 400yds. from the house of the prisoners, and in a corner of the stable, where a l ag of chaff had been placed near the wall plate, they noticed indications of the earth having been recently disturbed. Constable Eyan dug all round the spot, with a view of the spade not coming in contact with the body. At 3ft. , down he came upon lime. They then lifted the earth, body and all, without disturbing any portion of the body. It will be in the recollection of our readers that in the celebrated murder case in which Wainwright was found guilty in Loudon, the body in that instance was preserved owing to the murderer having used chloride of lime instead of quicklime. The same thing has occurred here ; for though the child has been fully three weeks dead, the body is in a state of preservation, as it was covered with chloride of lime.