THE CHILD MURDER.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3713, 17 January 1891, Page 2

THE CHILD MURDER.

Inquest ut CJiristchurcli Vordict cf Wilful Murder[By Telegeaph] (Per United Press Association.) Chhistchuuch, January 16. The following additional evidence has been given : Chas. Adams, Constable Sturmer, and Rosa Uorlin deposed to finding various articles such as a feeding bottle, a baby's gown, flannel, calico, a paper bag much marked with blood, a night gown, and some calico also stained. The things were not hidden, but appeared to have been thrown over the fence.

Several oilier witnesses deposed to picking up articles of olothing in the gardens. Annie Coombes, aged 14, deposed to finding the baby's head and a ropo covered with blood. Jane Coombes said she went to the section and saw the baby's head, and covered it with a piece of ahawl. She went to the police station and returned with a constable, but the head could uot be found.

Defective O'Connor deposed to finding the bead next day under a gooseberry bush.At .Flanagan's house he found a red shawl, with pieces cut out, and seeds of wild barley sticking to it. He found also a piece of tinsel gauze pitnilar to that found near the h<*ad. He found a maroon dress, with what appeared to be spots of blood on it; also au ulster bearing a spot of blood. He took Sarah Flanagan to the police station. She begged him to tell her what was wrong. Inspector Pender deposed to arresting the male prisoner who said, " 1 know nothing of the matter. It is a Berious affair." He further said his daughter had been giving him some trouble, but knew nothing about her affairs as the child was taken away two hours after it was born. In a draw in Flanagan's, house he found a receipt from % nurse for £1 4s for nursing a baby. When arrested, Mrs Flanagan dechred that she knew nothing about it, and never put a hand to the child. She wanted to make a statement, but he cautioned her, and she said her daughter would tell the whole truth when she oame back.

Detective Campbell deposod to arresting Miss Flanagan at Wellington. When arrested she said "I deny the charge, but Oh ! won't you save me, won't you let me go to my brother in Sydney?'' She thea repeated the statement already telegraphed thst she was rushed by two men who tied her wrists and tuok away the child. Jane Freeman deposed to having received a baby to nurse. It was a male child, and healthy. She described the clothing given to her at the time, and detailed the circumstances that led to the child being taken away by Miss Flanagan (who represented herself as Mrs Stevens), and her mother, on the ground that her husband had sent for her from Wellington. She stated that she did not want to leave till quite dark. On resuming after the adjournment the elder female prisoner fainted, but soon recovered. Mrs Freeman continued her evidence. Mrs Flanagan tol J her that two men had taken the child from Mrs Stevens and severed the head from the body. She asked Mrs Flanagan where the body was. Mrs Flanagan replied, "Rest assured; you will never find that. You couldn't recognise the haad if you saw it, it is so much knocked about. The police have found the head and a .white shawl. I have come to ask you to say nothing about it, only you and Mrs Higgs know anything about the baby." The witness could hardly see her way to do that. Miss Flanagan said, "I won't forget you if you will sea us out of it." She promised to do her best, and would not speak unless obliged. The child had light hair. At the inquest, after the luncheon, John Tulley, publisher of the Lyttelton Times, deposed, that at 4 a.m. on January 6th, he saw two women redembliug the accused go into an unoocupied section in Gloucester street east. He could not swear to thoir identity.

Joseph Sergeant, operator in the telegraph office, the week , before last was on mght^^y^^n^^om^

on the east side of Lincoln road, near its junction with the South Belt, passed three persons. One was Constable Flanagan, and the others were two women, who were short. He could not say they were Mrs and Miss Flanagan. Was certain it was Constable Flanagan. Frederick Allen stated that o: January Bth, at 6 p.m., he took a young woman and her boxes to the railway station, by the ordor of Constable Flanagan. George Thomas Cashsll, employed at Flanagan's house, stated that on January 9th the two female accused went away, saying they weregcing to Riccarton to see a lady. Julia Higgs, keeper of a registry office, stated that she recollected Mrs Flanagan coming about a nurse for a child on Sunday, December 14th. She said she wanted to put her daughter's child out, and said it had been born during the night. She appeared very vexed about the child. She said if she had to do with it she would kill it. She was extremely excited.

Detective Neill deposed that when Flanagan was arrested he said, " I know nothing about this; my daughter has not been doing right; there was a child here for a couple of hours. I believe my daughter and her mother went out in the evening. My daughter came home very late that night. When I was in bed she rang the bell and I got out and let her in. She complained that three men lassooed her. and Bnatched something from ber. What it was she did not say, and only for one man who came to her assistance they would have killed her. There were markß rouuH her wrists and neck, j I asked her where her mother was, and she could not tell, as she said her mother was to meet her at a church comer, and did not. My daughter has not been doing well." Sergeant Briggs deposed he was in charge of the Christchurch Police station from .December 19th to January 13th. The accused Flanagan had been stationed at Addington for some years. He kept a diary of all occurrences. In his sub-district if anything occurred it would be reported to the sergeant's office and a record entered in the diary. There was no rrecord of any crime or occurrence from January Ist to the 6th. The two envelopes produced which were found in Sarah Flanagan's box at Wellington, were in Constable Flanagan's hand-writing. Mr Beetham: "I presume the persons present do not desire to tender any evidence."

Mr Stringer: "No, Sir." Mi" Beetliam addressed the jury at length. During Mr Beetham's remarks, when he was dealing with the male accused, Sarah Flanagan suddenly threw herself off the chair to the floor, and with a wild and prolonged cry exclaimed, "My father knows nothing ; eo help my God, that I may die this moment. Don't let me go ; let me hear the result." As she was being carried out, still screaming at the top of her voice, she again cailed, "Oh, father come ! Oh, do come, father, come."

It was some minutes after she left the room before she ceased to cry and scream.

* Mrs Flanagan was following suit with a similar outburst of feeling when she was checked. then pointed out to the jury they had to ascertain the cause of the death of the child. He would not go fully into the evidence agaiu, but he would explain that the matter did not stop at that enquiry. Their finding would be equivalent to the finding of the grand jury, but the responsibility did not rest on their shoulders, as the persons would be placed on their teial. The jury retired at 4.10 p.m., and re-entered the Court at 4.22 p.m., when the foreman said they were unanimous in their verdict of " Wilful murder against tbe two female prisoners, Anna and Sarah Jane Flanagan."

After the Coroner's Court was declared closed, the Magistrate's Court was opened, when Mr Beefcham said he would adjourn the hearing of the charge until Monday. Mr Striuger askod his Worship to ruake it Tuesday.

Mr Beetham said he would not grant bail in any case, and he did not suppLse Mr Stringer would ask it. It rested with the police whether they would go on with the charge against the male acoused as an accessory to the crime.

Mr Pender said he did not propose withdrawing the charge. Mr Beetham then remauded the case till 10 a.m. on Tuesday, and the prisoners were removed.