THE ALLEGED INFANTICIDE AT HAWERA.

Patea Mail, Volume IX, Issue 1081, 3 September 1883, Page 2

THE ALLEGED INFANTICIDE AT HAWERA.

At tho Hawera Resident Magistrate's Court last Wednesday,; . before , C. A. Wray Esq,, R.M., the Mayor,, and Captain , : Wilson,: J.P.’s, Josephine Green was brought up on remand charged.,with-the-murder of her child. Sergeant-Major Gopdall conducted tho . prosecution, and Mr Hutchison appeared for tho defendant. Hannah .Watson said she was staying at G’Hahlon’s hotel, whore' prisoner was a servant. Prisoner had stated to witness that she wanted to take her baby ’to Mr Williams, a Wesleyan minister, and that she wanted someone to ilo : her 1 work when she was away, which witness offered to do. Witness did prisoner’s work for three days, it being Tuesday, 9th of January, when prisoner left. Witness next saw prisoner on the -Thursday'night following, when she said' she h'ad taken the baby to Mr Williams, who bad seemed pleased with it. About a week after, when witness was leaving Wavorley, prisoner gave her some articles of baby clothing (produced). Witness noticed nothing peculiar in prisoner’s manner on her return, and she seemed all right when she gave witness tho baby clothing. In cross-examination witness staled that prisoner had seemed fond of her baby. Sarah Hughes, the wife of John Hughes, a briekmaker, stated that she had attended the prisoner in her confinement which took place on November 20. Prisoner said she had been married in April, 1882, to a jockey named Arthur Stanfield who bad left her. Witness last saw the child on January 11, when prisoner said she was taking it to Wanganui to the Rev Mr Williams.

Prisoner took a quantity of clothing for the baby. Witness saw prisoner again on the 14th January when she said she had loft the child with the Rev Mr Williams, who had given her a loiter, to Mr Lux ford of Patea. The Rev Mr Williams, Wesleyan Minister of Wanganui, stated that he had known prisoner about a year ago, and he believed he had spoken to her once. He had not received any hahy fromjprisonor, neither had Mrs Williams. Ho had not given prisoner a letter of introduction to Mr Luxford. He had not seen the prisoner for about a year. Mrs Joiner deposed that she became acquainted with prisoner about five weeks before Christmas, wh n she came to witness’s house at Tongahoe, and stated she had walked from Wanganui. A short time ah or her confinement, prisoner came to witness, and asked her to adopt the child, but witness declined. Witness saw prisoner again about a for’-night after, and she said that a woman on the Pl-.ins had taken the child. A short while afterwards witness’ again saw prisoner, and sinsaid that the woman had brought tinbaby hade, and she (prisoner) had taken it to Wanganui. Hugh Johnston stated that he was a labourer for the Hawera Borough Council, and that when employed with another man on the Main South Road in July last, he had found some baby’s clothing hidden in the gorse. Witness examined it iinl left it there. The dotln-s, looked as if they, might have been put oil. because (hoy were dirty. Sergeant-Major Hood all deposed to tlio finding of the clothes. • F. Cowper sta'od that ho Was an assistant telegraphist 1 at Palmerston North and had known the prisoner for about eighteen months. Prisoner was in service at Palmerston'North, where she was known by the name of Josephine. Green. 'Prisoner had told him she had given her child to a man named Williams. Witness had made enquiries for the man and believed he could be found and the. child as well. Witness had boyrd that Williams was working in the Forty Milo Bush. Inspector James said that enquirieshad bei-n made at Woodvi.lle and in the Forty Milo Bush for this man Williams and .that.a special man should now bo sent to endeavour to find him. , / d ; Prisoner was ' remanded' till next -Thursday, hail being, refused.