BABY-FARMING CASE RECALLED.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12282, 8 July 1914, Page 7

BABY-FARMING CASE RECALLED.

(Pi-ii 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 (S : r llobert Stout-'). I'nder the will of C'olin M'Lachlan, contractor, late of Oamaru, who died in ISO-1. certain moneys were left to .1 child named Colin Scoullar M'Laehlaa, believed to-be .identical with a child known- as Sc-oullar. who was in the custody of Minnie Dean, and who disappeared .about the time that certain infants wore 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 be available for payment to them.

The plaintiffs were Sarah M'Carcen, wife of Joseph metal merchant, of Ibrox, Glasgow, and Agnes Dallas, wife„of 'Robert Dallas, of Mairyhill, Glasgow. The defendant was the Public Trustee, as executor of the will and codicil;b-f 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 by Detective Sergeant M'llveney, who at the time of the in-, vestigation was a. police constable in Invercargill. Minnie Deans conducted a "babyfarming" establishment at Win ton, Southland, and.-in May, 1895, was-ar-3'ested oil -fl charge of murdering two infants named Hornsbv and Carter. The .remains of the child Dorothy Carter were, exhumed by Detective M'llveney at Mrs Dean's premises at Winton, and on the charge of having caused its' death she was found guilty and executed. During the search a letter was .found, dated February 28. 1805, addressed to the accused from Helen Scoullar, then--in Wellington, announcing the death of Colin M'Lachlan, and expressing wishes for the'welfare- of the bov Scoullar or M'Lachlan.

A t the -inquest- evidence was given as to the child having been brought to Mrs Dean's about five years previously from Oamaru, and as to the name of the child's .mother being Helen Scoullar and of its father, M'Lachlan. The child disappeared about'two • years hefore 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 Sirs Dean's house after its disappearance, and it transpired that it was customary for her to keep the clothing of infants she. had done away with.

11l the opinion of the principal witness, the child Scoullar was identical with Colin Seoullar M'Lachlan, referred to in Helen Scoullar's letter, and mentioned in the codicil to Coliii M'Laclilan's will. The case concerning the will having been presented by counsel, his Honor made an order declaring that the gift to 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.