SUPREME COURT SITTINGS.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXXVI, Issue 188, 15 August 1902, Page 1

SUPREME COURT SITTINGS.

THE CHILD-BEATING CHARGE.

Press Association. Electric Telegraph.

Copyright.

Wellington, August 14.

The trial of Harriet Drake on a charge of manslaughter of her eight year-old daughter was continued to day but not concluded when the Court adjourned for the day. Dr Power, of Otaki, who was called to attend deceased, said the child had been dead about an hour when he readied the house. He examined the body by candle-light, and found it very much discoloured. There were bruises everywhere except on the face and neck. There were dark bruises on the chest and three groups of cuts across the abdomen, making about fifteen marks altogether. The skin was broken, showing blood, and the marks looked as if they had been caused by the lash of a whip. He found a depression on the right side of the skull, jusb above the ear. The bruises were so numerous and coalescent that a piece of unbruised skin as wide as a shilling-could not be found, Prisoner was present when witness made the ftrst examination of the body. She remarked : " How frightful. I gave her a severe thrashing." The post mortem showed later that all deceased's organs were healthy and did not reveal any canse of death. Witness thought death resulted from shock, caused by punishment, or from concussion of the brain. Dr Clay gave corroborative evidence. The hearing of the case will be continued to-morrow,