INQUEST ON AN INFANT

NZ Truth, Issue 509, 20 March 1915, Page 3

INQUEST ON AN INFANT

Was it Bertram Bonn's Babe ? Serious Statements* Concerning a Soldier, Parliamentary Candidate Accused of Paternity. (From "Truth's" Chriatchurch Rep.) On Monday night, at Chriatchurch, an inquest was held before Mr. H. W. Bishop.'S.M., Coroner, touching the circumstances surrounding the death of a female infant. Senior Sergeant Mathioson watched tho case on behalf of the police. Dr. Nedwell said he was present when the child was born, last Saturday at 8.45 p.m. As the child was not breath-' ing, artificial respiration was resorted to, and, after about ten minutes' treatment, tho infant was breathing and crying naturally. When the mother had been attended to, the child still appeared to bo getting: along satisfactorily, and the doctor left. He was sent for at 1.30 the following morning, and, arriving at^.3o, was told that the CHILD DIED HALF-AN-HOUR PREVIOUSLY. There was apparently nothing to cause death, but, on making an examination of the body, he found that the brain showed extensive hemorrhage, from which, m his opinion, death was due. Annie Elizabeth Big: wood stated that she was present when tho > child was born, and, m her opinion, it was .weak from birth. The mother had had one child previously and it had died at the age of twelve months. 1 , In answer. \to a question by the Coroner, witness said she understood that the mother of the child and her husband were living apart, the latter being m Dunedin at present. -►Senior Sergeant Mathieson ventured the information that ' THE CHILD WAS ILLEGITIMATE ' and that thenian whom Liza O'DonneU alleged to belts father was at present m camp at Trentham, and that she had given his name as Bertram Bunn. The mother of the girl (Mrs. Munsey) stated that Liza O'Donnell and her hus-' band separated aftor they had been married a little over a week, and tho husband was now paying 25s a week maintenance into the court. The Coroner^ Who is this Bunu? Senior Sergeant Mathteson: He was candidate for The Coroner: Oh,- yes, for Riccarton — Bertram Bunn. (To Mrs. Munsey, none of whose statements were made on oath) : Who told you he was the father? Was she living with him? Mrs. Munsey: Oh, no, just walking j out. She, is only about 25 years old and she's the only one who went wrong out of a family of elovon. She didn't know he was married, ami xho tells me that he asked her to get a divorce and j marry him. When I found out he was j married I went and saw his wife. 'Bo- j fore lie went into camp at Trentham he eaid he would give her some medicine and if she didn't take It she could look out for him when he returned.. The Coroner: ' WHAT A -DAISY ! Continuing, Mrs. Munsey said she believed her daughter was not "the only one." She niontloned a fortune teller and another girl whom Burnt was supposed to have taken out~o»o at them m v motor car, too. -Mention waa alao mode of Bunn having: offered Llzu O'Donnell (substantial sums of money to keep quiet. The Coroner: What does this Bunn do? He kept a grain afore near my plnce. My daughter Is very sorry the child died. She wanted to publish It m Bertram Buun'H name. Tho Coroner: Oh, that wouldn't do! j She might publish it m my name or the 'Senior Sergeant's, as /ar as that goes. I Finally, for formal purposes, tho j child's name was fixed an Mary O'Doni noil, and Mrs. Munitey, continuing, said I thai her husband went to see Bunn, I who, It was alleged. HAD ADMITTED PATERNITY and asked that if Lizzie were sent, In company with her ulster, if deslred (/ to meet him at the Museum, ho would give her £10. and send more to her. Lizzie's sl»ier, it whs stated, wont with her, and Bunn was alleged to have said (hat he wanted her to sign a note saying he was not the father of the child, because- lie wanted to "havo a go" for the Riccnrton seat m the Reform interests, and If anyone snld that he was the father of the expected youngster, ho could prove, by tho note, that he was not. Bunn never offered money on that occasion. Thn Coroner: H'ni! He Admitted paternity to your huaband. you say. If that's right, he'll probably pny the expenses without any exposure, If you can get at htm, but if you wnnt to take tho matter to court and can prove paternity, you'll get the money. A verdict wan returned m accordance with the medical evidence