THE WINTON BABY-FARMER.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 10013, 11 June 1895, Page 4

THE WINTON BABY-FARMER.

[BY TELEGRAPH.] Invercargill, Monday. At the inqaest on the skeleton of the child found la Dean'a garden at Wlnton, Margaret Cameron, who had lived with the Deans for 14 years, deposed that a child naned Cyril Scoullar was brought from Oamaru by Mrs Dean about five years ago; He remained at The Larchea abont three yeare. One day in April about two years ago when all the grownup people about the house were absent he disappeared, and Mrs Dean said he had been taken away in a baggy by a lady from Gore. Wltnesssaw Mrs Dean give the child laudannm that morning, but never heard of anyone being seen about the place with a bup.gy that day. Mrs Dean afterwards said the child had gone to Sydney, and showed witness v photo of him, but sho did not believe it was his, Sha remembered -a boy named Henry being brought home by Mis Dean five years ago. He was there eight or nine months, and disappeared in Eome way when no one but Mrs Dean and the children were about the house. She said a lady from Wallacetown had taken him. Mrs Dean afterwards showed her a photo ot the child, on the back nf which was written, " Vrom Henry 8, Thomson, with love to Mrs Dean." The writing was Mrs Dean's. Witness also remerubsred the boy Sydney M'Kenion beiDg brought to The Larches four years ago, Mrs Dean said from DanediD, He was a few weeks old. A woman came twice to inquire for that child. That would be two or three years ago next November. Constable RaemuEsen came with her the second time. Sydney had disap« peared abont twelve months before, Witness wbs at M&tanra at the lime, and was told Ibe child had gone to a lady about Woodlands. Mrs Dean did not like this child. She said she had denied to the mother that she had the child, as a solicitor in Danedin had told her he did not want the mother to know anything about it, and that had she had written to the solicitor telling him wbere the child wa?. She qlbo said a sister of the Woodland's lady would like to take another of the children. Another^child, W lllie Phelan, Mrs Dean brought from Danedin five years ago. He was then about two yeara old. She had a case in Court in Invercargill about him, and afterwards took him to Dunedln, bnt brought him back. Mrs Olsen Was Willies mother. Thechild remained at The Larches a few months after September, 1893, and disappeared when no one was about the hoase bat' Mrs Dean, who said n women from Invercargill came for him. Witneea never met anyone who saw them about the place. Mrs Dean did not treat this child well. She would knock him down occasionally, and seizing him by the hair Damp hid head on the floor. Mrs Dean was in the hubit of petting drunk, but was always sober when she abused the child. Some children she treated well others not so well. She used to get drunk by herself. Cyril Scoullar was abont 4 years of age when he disappeared. He had dark hair, but witness did not think he had lost teeth, neither had Willie Fhelan. Witness saw the skeleton, the hair wag like Willie Fhelan's, but bis was early. M'Kernan's hair was fair, and Henry's reddish. She still thought the skeleton waa that ot Willie Phelan. Henry disappeared when he bad been there aY -ut 12 months. Esther Wallace cirroboraced Cameron's evidence re the disappearance of the children, and said she was sent oat of the way oa all occasions. She never heard anyone say they bud seen 'people come on the days the children wend away, and saw no tracks of a boggy to the bouse. All bis clothing was aboat the place afterward?. She did nob believe the photo shown her by Mrs Dean was Cyril's. Mrs Dean made her take the children with her, and only the one that disappeared was left) t.hind in the boose on each occasion. Judging by the hair the thought the skeleton was Willie Phelan'e, whose new velvet snit was in the house after he disappeared. Mrs Dean was unkind to Sconllar and Phelan as described by the previous witnesses. Sergeant M'Donnell said the girl was nob now so willing to give evidence as she had been. Charles Dean after his liberation, had forced himself into the Charitable Aid Board's Home and communicated with her, although warned not to do so. Mary Caroline M'Kernon, of the Bluff, deposed that she was a single woman. She bad a boy child in Danedin on the 14th March, 1892. The child was given to a woman giving her name cs Minnie M'Kellar. Witness believed Bhe was paid a premium. She afterwards made inquiries and vlaited The Larches twice. She saw a man there once ; also got her baby on the second occasion, Mrs ' Dean abused her and denied that she had got the child from her. ' Mary Olsert, Dunedin, deposed, that Bhe was the mother of Willie Phelan, who would be 6 years old if alivo, Mrs Dean got £20 and legally adopted the. boy. Witness had not seen him since 1893 He hud fair early hair and all his teetb, Mrs Hogan, who was said to have got the child from Mrs Daan, denied ever seeing him. Constable Raemusßen deposed that Mrs Dean woald never give him any information about the children. He knew all the children, and was of opinion that the skeleton was that cf Willie Phelnn. Dr M'Leod deposed that tbo skeleton was that of a imr year old child. The back teeth were oat. They might have dropped out. In reply to tho coroner, who asked if she wished to give evliiiDco, Mrs Dean made no n ply. The jnry retnrned a verdict that the Identity nf the skeleton was not established, bnt that tho evidence poluted strongly to the remains being those of Willie Phelan, who had been adopted by Minnie Dean.