NEWLANDS MURDER CASE

Evening Star, Issue 18257, 23 April 1923, Page 6

NEWLANDS MURDER CASE

TRIAL OF COOPERS. [Per United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, April 23. _ Further evidence in tho case in which Daniel Richard Cooper and his wife are charged with murder was taken in the Magistrate’s Court this morning. Mr Macassey conducted tho case for the Crown, Mr Treadwell appeared for Cooper, and Mr Jackson for Mrs Cooper. Mr Page, S.M., was on the Bench. Matilda Maud Adams (of Christchurch) gave, evidence that about the end of July, 1920, she saw an advertisement in the newspaper, “ Wanting kind person to take charge of baby,” which she answered. Cooper called at her house in Manchester street a few clays later. The magistrate hero noted Mr Jackson’s objection to tho evidence. She wont on to say that Cooper asked her if she would look after a baby for a fortnight. Ho said it was a male. She asked if the mother was a married woman. Cooper said “No ” ; but she was to ho married shortly. Cooper returned later in the clay with a young lady and the baby. Sho later recognised the lady as Miss Beadle. The child was perfectly healthy. Cooper left her his address in case it was necessary to communicate with him. .About a week after she received the child she had a bereavement in her family. She sent word to Cooper to come and see the baby, as it was not well. When she returned home she found a telegram from Cooper stating that lie was coming at once. Cooper arrived with a young lady—the same one that brought tho baby. She had ail the child’s clothes ready. She handed tho child over. Cooper paid her £2 15s. Cooper and Miss Beadle wont away with tho child, which was then quite healthy. Constable Hayvico said he was digging in the property about accused’s house at Newlands at 2 p.m. on March. Ho was digging on tho side of a gully about twelve yards from tho crib, and discovered tho body of a child buried about Klin below tho surface. Tho soil was mostly decayed leaves and pino Hr. Ho unearthed the body to a certain extent, and called tho rest of the party. The body was left till Dr Wright arrived and removed it. Witness conveyed it to tho morgue. There was no clothing on it. Ur Wright (of Johnsonville) said that on March 27, 1923, he went to Newlands. On arrival he saw what appeared to bo the body of an infant lying in a bole about 9in deep. On closer examination he found that the body was covered with what appeared to lie ashes. With the body was a fork and spoon produced, which bad the appearance of having been burnt. The body was in a very decomposed condition. As the result of tho post mortem witness judged the body to have been buried about a year. It was impossible to determine the sex, but ho could say it was newly born. He was unable to define tho cause of death owing to the decomposition; also ho was unable to say whether or not the child had lived. It was a full-time child.