A DEAD BABY.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 204, 27 August 1913, Page 6

A DEAD BABY.

IK A TIN TKJJNiL. AN HOTEL SENSATION. EVIDENCE AT INQUEST. TJhe- eoronial investigation into the circumstances of the finding of the dead body of a prematurely-born infant in a. tin trunk at the Prince Arthur Hotel was opened this morning by Mr. E. O. Cuttcn, S.M. Tho mother of the child, Elizabeth Milliken, is a single woman, aged 32 years, and was employed an a housemaid at the lVim-c Arthur Hotel. The birth occurred during Monday night, and the circumstances were revealed only when the services of Dr. Keller were called during tho following day. Dr. Florence Keller stated that she wan enlled on Tuesday to the Prince Arthur Hotel to attend the housemaid, Elizabeth 'Milliken'. bile was taken up to the girl's room, and was informed by Ittiza'beth. Milliken that ehe had had a miscarriage, and, that the child was in a tin trunk in the room. She had asked the doctor tr> open the trunk, and prodoced the koy with which this might he done. The girl herself stayed in bed. The doctor found the child wrapped up in a piece of brown paper. She had informed tho girl that the case was one of premature birth. The girl had required further attention from tho doctor in connection with her maternity. 'Hie girl had offered no objection to the doctor informin}? the proprietors of "- v .a t . had happened, and the doctor arrungcil for the engagement of n ntrrxe to look after the patient. On ■post-mortem examination. Doctor Keller had found that the umbilical cord had bi«e.n cut. but never tied. There wore on external marks on tho child, which, the dwtor was able to nay. hnd never breathed, and had never been alive. The child whs oil eightmonths' chikl, and weighed 3jlb. To senior-sergeant Rutledge: There could ha-ve been movement of the child after it was 'born. The arms and legs could move owing to freedom at birth, but it would be mechanical movement. Agnes■ Millikpn wiid she was with her sister when the child was born. The child did not cry- There was a slight movenwnt of Uhs Icgt* .hut nothing further. Elirafecth looked oi it to make Aiire bha-t it wn-s not afcvo and just left it on the floor where ft ihud been born. After a while EK7.abei.h said that «he "folt fine," und both eisters went to bed. The baby was «rtUl on the floor when witness got up in the Tiroming. but when she returned to the bedroom after having been downstairs the body ha<l been concealed. Her ulster •hail <lone a little work that morning , but had afterward* become -unwell and the doctor. wiw» vvni for. Further investigation (in view of the condition of t-hts l princjpa4 witnreß) wm adjonrwd "tor a week.