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Hokitika Guardian, 28 October 1927, Page 2

MURDER OE BABY. GUMDIGGER CHARGED. AUCKLAND, Oct. 27. The trial of Paul Eendieh, aged 3b, a Dalmatian gunuligger, on the charge of murder, commenced at the Supreme Court to-day. The charge related to the alleged disappearance on August 23 of the newly-born infant of a Maori girl, Rosie Tc M’hiu, aged 19 years, with whom the accused had been living.

The girl was the principal witness, and her evidence was given tediously through an interpreter. It occupied the whole of the day.

Mr Paterson, for the Crown, said that in the eyes of the law, the murder of a newly-born infant was just as much murder as causing the death ol a man in the prime of lile.

Rosie Te Whin, in her evidence, said that she went to live with the accused at Kauri Elat about two months before she gave birth to the child on a Y uesday in August. Accused was the only one in the house with her. He put the baby on the bed, and told her it was a girl. The baby cried, and site gave it a drink. She went outside, and when she returned the baby had gone. YYie accused said he had taken it to a place known only to himself, and tcHd her not to tell anyone that he had taken the baby away. If she did he ■would kill her. When her mother went to see her, she asked where the baby was, but witness said she did not have a baby. Her mother asked accused to send for a doctor, but accused said that witness was quite all right. When she went to her mother’s some days later, a doctor called to see her. Accused took her back to his whare, threatening to kill her if she did not go with him. In reply to Mr Finlay, counsel for the defence, witness said that the accused and she agreed the baby might he expected about October. Through Mrs Devieh, accused had asked her to get the clothes ready for the baby. ° The case was adjourned until tomorrow.