AN INFANT'S DEATH

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 267, 5 August 1920, Page 6

AN INFANT'S DEATH

YOUNG WOMAN CHARGED WITH MURDER JURY FINDS HER GUILTY OF MANSLAUGHTER The criminal sessions of the Supreme Lourt were continued yesterday. His Honour ill-. Justice Cliapmaii ivas oil n. Pu • r - *• K - «pw*enUd the Crowji. Agnes JJliza for whom Mr, C. 11. lieudwell appeared, pleaded guiliy M.inl ih°p • uamlmil != r her infant mala 11) >1) lonrua. on or about June U, oithe "u caski 11 was chosen foreman -inmi, ll 'ri' lS3ey S!lk ! Ulllt tllo fads Wel ' e •' ii ; f 0 ilccuscl i, Wils ii single woman, In,,- 1 n° age * , I ' esldl "S "t forirua with molllw '. a'icl at the time of her arrest was in domestic service at JohnsonLift . )mi keeping com puny i\ a »™ ull g man. aud became pregnant. , „, wa V l "pd thai she save birth" to a male child early on June !). The cliild was born alive, ami accused, it was alescd, tied a piece of tape tightly around Is neck, ishe subsequently placed the body under a mattress in her room, where it remained lor three daws. She then took it to Johnsouville, hiding it m a blackberry bush on sume vacant 'land. About tlireo weeks later some children came across the body and reported the matter to the police. The accused had at hist denied alt knowledge of the cliild, but later in a written statement she had admitted its birth and the fact that she tied a tape around its neck. Hi'. C. ,\l. Hector said that as a result ot his post-mortem examination of the child s tody he formed the opinion 1i; .• '?! bcm sti-iuiyied by the applicationol the tape lound round its neck. J-he child had lived less tiuiu two davs and more than a few minuted He couid not be more specific, to Air. Treadwell: There was every eudeiiee of sudden strangulation, but birth ** resuit of an accident during Dr. H. A. Gilmer said that ou the condition re aled ho agreed with Dr. Hector s hndmg. Objection was raised by Mr. Treadwell to the admission of the accused's written statement on the ground that it was uncorroborated, and being to was not admissible in a murder ease. His Honour pointed out that the statement could not be regarded as a confcssion, when it denied the principal fact. As tar as tile accused was concerned it was exculpatory. Heliectivfi-Seigcant Andrews read the statement in question, and this closed the case for the Crown.

The Defence. For the defcncc, Mr. Treadwell said he proposed to call Dr. E. Hawson and Dr. K. Degg to show that it was possible or the child s death lo have been causcd by, Siningulation during birth. No one, earn counsel, knew about the girl's condition—not even her mother. Evidence was given by Drs. liawson and Jlegg in support of the theory advanced by counsel. ■ In asking the jury to discount the girl s alleged confession, Mr. Treadwell said tluu her statement must have been put forward for some purpose which had not been disclosed—possibly in urder lo shield someone else. Jury's Finding, The jury retired shortly before 5 o c.oek, and alter an absence of an hour and a quarter brought in a verdict, of not guilty of murder, but guilty of manslaughter, with a strong recommendation to mercy. in asking for leniency, Mr. Treadwell said that when the prisoner was seven years old she met with u very severe accident, the entire left side ol' her body hemg badly burned. He was instructed that this had alfecled her senses, so much so that she had never been the same since. u Addressing the girl, ,H.is Honour eaid: "Prisoner, your child did not die by accident, and the jury have brought iii tho merciful verdict of manslaughter." Ilis Honour added that the jury had asked lor mercy, and he proposed to impose a sentence which- under tho circumstances was very lenient. Tho prisoner was sentenced to eighteen months' imprisonment.