A DISTRESSING CASE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2760, 15 March 1910, Page 6

A DISTRESSING CASE.

AN INFANT’S DEATH

An inquest on the dead child found in a gully at Waotu, near Hamilton, on Wednesday was held at that place on Thursday last, by Mr. Bond, the district coroner.

Isabella Barnett, wife of George Barnett, of Waotu, deposed that a girl named McCauley had worked for her as servant since November 1, 1-909. About Christmas time witness had suspicions regarding the girl’s condition, and discussed the question with her and witness’ sister-in-law, Mrs. Hugh Henderson, about the end of January. Witness taxed the girl, but she denied that there was anything wrong with her. Witness begged her to tell the truth, and told her that she would not turn her out. She knew the girl had no home. Witness offered to get her into a home if she would tell the truth. On March 4 the girl complained that she ihad a had headache and bilious attack, and she lay down after breakfast. About 2 p.m. witness heard her go out. Witness did not notice her again till 5.15 p.m., when she enteredthe back door. Witness saw she wag ill and asked her where she hail been. She said, “Just down the gully.” Shortly afterwards the girl went out milking. Witness went straight to her and- asked her what she had been doing. She said “Nothing.” Witness said, “What is the blood on your sleeve?” The girl confessed that she had been ill for 4£ months. She added that the child was down- at Tray’s Creek. Witness sent her to bed at once. Subsequently she confessed to having performed an illegal operation. Witness and others subsequently went down the gully and found the body of a fully-developed child wrapped in a blanket and sack. They left it there and returned to the house'. That evening witness’ husband wrote to the Cambridge police. Olive Henderson deposed that when she went into the room on the occasions spoken of by the previous witness, the girl was fully dressed and lying on the bed. "Witness attended to her, and subsequently found evidences of the occurrence in the wash-house. The child 1 was fully developed. Dr Roberts deposed to the body boin ,x that of a- fully developed female child. There were no signs of external violence., with the exception of a black eye. He thought the child had been i born alive and had died' from- , want of attention at the time of birth. The cause of the death was loss of blood and exposure. The body was well nourished. In his opinion the black eve had nothing to do with the child’s death. He did not think the child had lived more than four or five hours, probably not that long. The jury returned a verdict that the child came to its death through Gertrude McCauley attempting to perform an illegal operation and not having done -her duty to the child at the time of its birth.