THE WINTON CHILD-MURDER CASES.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XVI, Issue 5042, 4 June 1895, Page 2

THE WINTON CHILD-MURDER CASES.

By Telegraph,-Press Association. _ Intbrcaboiii., Monday. At tlio inquest concerning the death of Eva Hornsby, the infant, for the alleged murder of whioh Minnie and Charles Dean are under arrest, much of tho evidenco was the same as that given at tho inquest on Dorothy Carter, the most noticeable circumstances being that no witnesses could say that they saw the tin box from the time tbe woman left Lumsden to Milbnrn until sbe returned to Winton. Mrs Kennet, Port Chalmers, who identified the body of the infant Eva Hornsby, said sbe was a strong, healthy child. She also identified the clothing found at the Larches as that of the infant.

William Gibb, railway guard, identified Mrs Dean as the woman who got on the train at Clarendon on the 2nd May. She had nochildwith her. Constable King, of Milton, whose evidenco was looked for with much interest, could only depose that ho saw Mrs Dean in a south-bound train in the evening through tho carriage window; that she was sitting with her hands in her lap, and that he saw no child.

Detective McGrath deposed that when he first questioned Mrs Dean at YY'inton, she denied that she had recoivod a baby at Milbnrn on tho 3rd May, or that she had correspondence with Mrs Hornsby, but when questioned as to receiving a child at any time in May between luvercargill and Dunedin, she admitted that she bad but banded it over to a person at Milton for whom she was acting as agent. She told McGrath afterwards that be would have to find out for himself. The inquest was adjourned till to-morrow, when it is expected to be finished.

The following is the advertisement in the Times, which led to the negotiations with Mrs Hornsby:- " Respectable married woman wants lo adopt a child, Comfortable home in the country ,-A.ddicss: 'Childless,' Ti'iiim ollico." ]» reply to a letter with reference to the adoption of the child, Mrs Hornsby received the following from Mrs Demi:-" East Winton, 20th April. Mrs Hornsby.—Dear Madam,-Am in receipt "of your favour of the 17th instant, I am quite willing to accept the terms offered by yon, ami accept your assurance that the little one is'healthy and of healthy parents, and for the sake of all concerned would like to get the baby as soon as possible. I will register birth in our name as our own child, also christen her as such, t will also have to register the adoption to make it legal, so my solicitor informs me. I will also giro you receipt for letter as being payment in full of all demand, present and future. Jf this is agreed to, am ready to go for the little one as soon as you are ready, but would be very pleased if you could meet me part of the way, say as far as Methven. You coulddeduc't amountof your expenses from £lo,bul please to understand I wish the child to be entirely my own. I wish her to grow up in the belief that 1 am in truth her mother, and I wish it to be kept out of anyone's power to tell the child lam not in truth her mother, or that the stain of illegitimacy is on her birth. So 1 wish no one but those interested lo know where the child has gone. 1 will do 'my best with Clod's help to train the child to become a good and useful woman, and pledge the word of a mother who has lost her own that I will he a mother to the child in weal or woe; in sickness or in health, a mother's loving, watchful care will be bestowed on her. If accepted please name early date, I live about five miles from post office, but will send daily until 1 hear from you The little one will have plenty of milk and will soon grow up to be a big, fat girl— Truly yours, M. Dean.