DEAN MURDERS RECALLED

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLV, Issue XLVIII, 8 July 1914, Page 3

DEAN MURDERS RECALLED

INFANTS DEATH PRESUMED. (United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, July 7. The Dean murders of 1895 were recalled by a ca.-?e heard in Chambers at the Supreme Court this afternoon, before the Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout). Under the will of Colin McLachlan, contractor, late of Oamaru, who die'd in 1894, certain money was left to a child named Colin Scoullar McLachlan, believed to be identical with the child known as Scoullar who was in the custody o'f Minnie Dean, and disappeared about the time 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 surviving- legatees that the amount reserved for the child be available for payment to them. The plaintiffs were Sarah MeCartei, wife of Joseph McCarten, metal merchant, of Ibrox, Glasgow, and Agnes Il.'illas. wife of Robert Dallas, of Mary Hill, Glasgow. The defendant was the Public Trustee as executor of the will and codicil of the testator McLachlan. The child was the subject of specia l j inquiries by the police when they were searching for the bodies of the other children who' were done away with. The circumstances were described in an affidavit sworn by Detective Sergeant McIlveney, who at the time of the investi gation was a police constable in Invercargill. Minnie Dean conducted a baby frrming establishment at Winton, Southland, and in May. 1895, was arrested or a charge of murdering two infants named Hornsby and Carter. The remains of the child Dorothy Carter were exhumed by Detective Mcllveny at Mrs Dean's premises at -Winton, and on the charge of having caused its death she was found guilty and executed. During the searcl a letter was found dated February 28th 1895, addressed to the accused, from Helen Scoullar, then in Wellington, ?n nouncing the death o'f Colin McLach 1 in. At the inquest evidence was given as c the child having been brought to Mr: Dean's about five years previously f'oir Oamaru, and as to the name of thr child's mother being Helen Scoullar,' an<s of its father McLachlan. The child disappeared about two years 'before the inquest, and the excuse given by Mrs Dean at the time was that it had been taken to some other people. The clothing of the child, however, was seen in Mrs Dean'r house after its disappearance, and ii transpired that it was customary for hei to' keep the clothing of infants she had done away with. In the opinion of the principal witness, the child Scoullar was' identical with the Colin Scoullar McLachlan referred to in Helen 'Scoullar'? I letter, and mentioned in the codicil of Colin McLachlan's will. The case concerning the will havinp been presented by counsel, his Honoi made an order declaring that the gift tc* the child never took effect, the' child having died before the codicil was made. No doubt, he added, the infant was murdered by Mrs Dean.