CHARGES OF MURDER.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCIII, Issue 10677, 11 June 1895, Page 5

CHARGES OF MURDER.

THE WINTON CASES. [Per Press Association.] INVERCARGILL, June 10. At the inquest on the skeleton of a child found in tue Deans’ garden, at Winfcon, Margaret Cameron, who had lived with the Deans for fourteen years, deposed that a child named Cyril Scoullar was brought from Oamaru by Mrs Dean about five years ago. He remained at The Larches about three years. One day in April, about two years ago, when all the giown-up people about the house were absent, he disappeared, and Mrs Dean said he had been taken away in a buggy by a lady from .Gore. Witness saw her give the child laudanum that morning. Never heard of anyone being seen about the place with a buggy that day. Mrs Dean afterwards said that the child had gone to Sydney, and showed witness a photo of him, bub she did not believe it was his. She remembered a boy named Henry being brought by Mrs Dean five years Ego. He was ttien eight or nine months old, and disappeared in the same way, when no one but Mrs Dean and the children were about the house. She said that a lady from Wallacstown had taken him. Mrs Dean afterwards showed her a photograph of the child, on the back of which was written, “ From Henry S. Thomson, with love to Mrs Dean.” The writing was Mrs Dean’s. She remembered a boy, Sydney M’Eernon, being brought to The Larcnea four years ago, Mrs Dean said from Dunedm. He was a few weeks old. A woman, came twice to inquire about that child two or three years ago nest November. Constable Rasmussen came with her the second time. Sydney had disappeared about twelve months before. Witness was at Mataura at the time, and was told that the child had gone to a lady about Woodlands. Mrs Dean did not like this child. Mrs Dean said that she had denied, to the mother that she bad the child, as a solicitor in Dunedin had told her he did not want the mother to know anything about it, and that she had written to the solicitor, telling him where the child was. She also said that a sister of the Woodlands lady would like to take another of the children. Another child, Willie Phelan, Mrs Dean brought from Dunedin five years ago. He was then about two years of age. She had a case in court in Invercargill about him, and afterwards took him to Dunedin, bub brought him back. Mrs Olsen was Willie’s mother. The child remained at The Larches a few months after September, 1893, and disappeared when no one was about the house bub Mrs Dean, who said that a woman from Invercargill came for him. She never meb anyone who eaw such a woman about the place. Mrs Dean did not treat this child well. She would knock him down and, seizing him by the hair, bump his head on the floor. She had a dislike to the child. Mrs Dean was in the habit of getting 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, who was about four years of age when ha disappeared, had dark hair. She did not think he had lost any teeth, neither had Willie Phelan. She saw the skeleton. The hair was like Willie Phelan's, but his was curly. M’Kernan’s hair was fair and Henry’s reddish. She still thought that the skeleton wap Willie Phelan’s. Henry disappeared when about twelve months old.

Esther Wallace corroborated Cameron’s evidence regarding the disappearance of the children, and said that she was sent out of the way on all the occasions. She never heard anyone say they had seen people come on the days the ; children went away. She saw no tracks of a buggy to the house. All Cyril’s clothing was about the place afterwards. She did nob believe the photo shown by Mrs Dean was Cyril’s. Mrs Dean made her take all the children with her, and only the one that disappeared was left behind in the house on each occasion. Prom the hair she thought the skeleton was Willie Phelan’s, whose new velvet suit was in the house after ha disappeared. Mrs Dean was unkind to Scoullar and Phelan, as described by the previous witness. , Sergeant Mac Donnell said that the girl was not now so willing to give evidence. Charles Dean after hia 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 had a boy child in Dunedin on March 14, 1892. It was given to a woman giving her name aa Minnie M’Kellar. Believed she was paid a premium. Afterwards made inquiries. Visited The Larches twice and saw the woman there. On the second occasion Mrs Dean abused her, and denied that she got a child from her.

Mary Margaret Olsen, Dunedin, deposed that she was the mother of Willie Phelan, who would be six years of age if alive. Mrs Dean got £2O, and legally adopted the boy. Had not seen him since 1893. He had fair curly hair and all his teeth. Mrs Hogan, who was said to have got the child.from Mrs Dean, denied ever seeing him, although she had offered her a child two or three years ago by letter. Never wrote to her.

Constable Rasmussen deposed that Mrs Dean never would give him any information about the children. Ha knew all the children, and was of opinion that the skeleton was Wiliie Phelan's. Dr M. J Laod deposed that the skeleton was that of a four-year-old child. The back teeth were out, but they might have dropped out. In reply to the Coroner, who asked if she wished to give evidence, Mrs Dean made no reply. The jury returned a verdict that the identity of the skeleton was not established, but that the evidence pointed strongly to the remains being those of Willie Phelan, who had been adopted by Minnie Dean.