BODY EXHUMED.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 164, 13 July 1929, Page 9

BODY EXHUMED.

INFANT'S BONES FOUND.

SENSATIONAL EVIDENCE. MAN DENIES TRUTH OF STATEMENT TO POLICE. CHILD BORN TWO YEARS AGO. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WAIMATE, Friday. The adjourned inquest on the bones of an infant child, found in a garden, was continued to-day before the coroner, Mr. George Dash. The police evidence was that on digging in a certain place they found the bones, wrapped in decayed cloth.

Lomond Kennedy, described as a plumber, of Timaru, said that on July 4 he visited the deteetive office in Timaru and made a statement. The statement was not a true one. He had known a woman named Juanita Wilce for about seven years, the acquaintanceship commencing in Timaru. About February 24, 1927, Miss Wilce gave birth to a child. He was not present at the birth but he saw her the previous day. Witness here claimed privilege, and refused to give further evidence. To Mr. Boland, representing Miss Wilce, Kennedy said some of his statement was true and some untrue. Alleged Statement Produced. Detective Studholme said Kennedy met him in Timaru, and stated that he had a serious matter to communicate. Witness took him to the oflice, where Kennedy made a voluntary statement, to the effect that he had known Juanita Wilce for seven years, and had lived with her as man and wife off and on at times when both of them were away

from Waimate. About February 24, 1927, Miss Wilce gave birth to a child. He saw Miss Wilce at ten o'clock that night, prior to the birth, and asked her to marry him, and "let the kiddy live." She refused both requests.

Kennedy said he visited Miss Wilce next morning and was informed of the birth. Miss Wilce told him that during the birth she stopped the child's breathing with her hand. Kennedy said: "There's only one show of getting rid of it, and that's to bury it." Miss Wilce replied: "That is the only way." Kennedy examined the body, which was that of a female, and wrapped it up. Afterwards he went to the residence of Miss Wilce's parents, where they talked in the kitchen for a while, after which Kennedy buried the parcel under a tree. "Miss Wilce's mother doesn't know her daughter gave birth to this, child, ar.d I do not know that the child had lived," Kennedy stated. Woman's Evidence. Juanita Wilce, aged 26, unmarried, said she had known Kennedy for seven years. She met him in Timaru when she was employed tliere. Towards the end of 1926 Kennedy took her to a doctor, giving the names of "Mr. and Mrs. Kennedy." About three months later she gave birth to a child, which was premature. The child did not cry. She wrapped the body in a piece of cloth and placed it in a portmanteau. That was on a Thursday. On Sunday Kennedy visited her at the shop where she slept, and later they went out together. When she noticed Kennedy was carrying a parcel, she asked if it was the baby and he said it was, and added that he was going to bury it in her mother's garden. She did not see Kennedy bury the child; but he told her where he had buried it. She was not attended then and had not been attended since by a doctor. When she found she was to have a child she told Kennedy 6he would not marry liim, but she made no threats to do away with the child. The date of the birth was the end of January or early in February, 1927. »

Dr. Wylie said that on June 14, 1926, the couple cailed on him, giving him the impression they were married. After hearing of the woman's symptoms he prescribed for morning sickness. He had made a careful examination of the bones found. They were undoubtedly those of a full-time child, but he was unable to state the sex, or whether the child had breathed. The coroner's verdict was: "That the illegitimate child of Juanita Wilce'was found buried in the garden of 44, Rhode Street, but there is no evidence to prove that the child was born alive. " Lomond Kennedy then appeared on remand, charged that about February 4, 1927, he disposed of the dead body of a female child by burying it, with intent to conceal birth. Juanita Wilce was charged that about the same date she disposed of the dead body of a female child with intent to conceal that she was its mother. Both were remanded to appear on Tuesday, July 16. Wilce was released on condition that she reported daily to the police. Kennedy did not ask for bail. [The above report was published in a late edition last evening.)