THE DEAN MURDERS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16597, 8 July 1914, Page 10

THE DEAN MURDERS.

ECHO OF AN OLD CRIME. THE WiNTON~“BABY FARM.” [Per Press' Association.] WELLINGTON, July 7. The Dean murders of 1895 were recalled by a case heard in Chambers at the Supreme Court this afternoon before his Honor the Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout). Under the will of Colin H’Lachlan, contractor, late of Oamaru, who died in 1894, cortain money was left to a child named Colin Scouliar M’Lachlan, believed to be identical with a child known as Scouliar, who was in the custody of Minnie Dean, and who disappeared about the tirno that certain infants were murdered by her. The estate was insufficient to pay all the legacies in full, and application was made on behalf of the surviving legatees that the amount reserved for the child should be available for payment to them. The plaintiffs were Sarah M’Carten, wife of Joseph M’Carten, metal merchant, of lbrox, Glasgow, and Agnes Dallas, wife of Robert Dallas, of Maryhill, Glasgow. The defendant was the Public Trustee as executor of the will and codicil of the testator M’Lachlan. The child was the subject of special inquiries by the police when searching for the bodies of the other children, who were done away with. The circumstances were described in an affidavit sworn I by Detective-Ser-geant MTlveney, who at the time of the investigation, was a police constable in Invercargill. Minnie Dean conducted a “baby farming” establishment at Winton, Southland, and in May, 1895, was arrested on a charge of murdering two infants named Hornsby and Carter. Tlie remains of the child Dorothy Carter were exhumed by Detective M’llveney at Mi’s Dean’s premises at Winton, and on the charge of haying caused its death she was found guilty and executed. During the search a letter was found dated February 28, 1895, addressed to the accused, from Helen Scouliar, then in Wellington, announcing the death of Colin M’Lachlan and expressing wishes for the welfare of the boy Scouliar or M’Lachlan. At the inquest evidence was given as to the child having been brought to Mrs Dean about five years previously from Oamaru, and as to the name of the child’s mother being Helen Scouliar, and that of its father M’Lachlan. The child disappeared • about two years before the .nquest, and the excuse given by klrs Dean, at the time, was that it had been .taken to some other people. Tho clothing of tho child, however, was seen in Mrs Dean's house after its disappearance, and it transpired tliafc it was customary for her to keep the clothing of infants she had done away with.

In the opinion of the principal witness tlie child Scouliar was identical with Colin Scouliar M’Lachlan, referred to m Helen Scoullar’s letter, and mentioned in the codicil to Colin M’Lachlan s will. ,

The case concerning the will having been presented by counsel his Honor made an. order declaring that the gift to tho child never took effect, the child having died before the codicil was made. No doubt, 'he added, the infant v/ns.murdered ‘by Mrs Dean