THEY SYDNEY BABY-FARMING CASE.

Ohinemuri Gazette, Volume I, Issue 50, 26 November 1892, Page 11

THEY SYDNEY BABY-FARMING CASE.

The first 1 discovery of tji.e bodies of the murdered children,' •concerning whose death the Makin family are in •custody in Sydney, was made by -some I 'men who were laying a drain pipe at a house ,in Burrtjn-stieet, Mticdonaldtotfti, abnuf three weeks ago [fhe first body, when turned up, was supposed- to be that of a ear. When, 'however, the second body was unearthed this impression was removed, • and an- examination showed that the ;'first < body was also that"of-a-child, j Information <was given to the police 'delay, and itiqumes-elicited ? the faefc that <witMn a comparatively r recent period the house war) occupied by alabourer named "John Makin, his •wife Sarah "Makin. his ;two< daughter^ Blanche Makin; (17 years, of age), Makin (14), besides two younger children. : The police determined to dig vp v the yard, with the v-iew;of seeing if any. *vmore bodies were concealed there. The result was that the body of another infant was found, and later on "four -more were unearthed. The ■f police incline to the supposition that 1 the Makin family have< not been long engaged at this awful occupation, but thejr, -have -traced tbe^houses wheie thSy.,hj*VQ t resided during'the last two ye»rjß," Jand intend to treat the yards in connection with these after the same fashion as the one at Macdonaldtown. ■According to the police the Makin family have only 'resided in'-Macdonald-town for about seven tweets ' * When they first came to the house in M-ic-donaldtown they brought furniture. - etc., and a neighbour, in a friendly - sort of way, informed.Makin that he - would be very pleased to assist him,in getting hi^boxes, etc , into the house. ' Makin' hastily refused the offer, f'tnd ' the.work was performed by him and - his family themselves, without outside assistance.

The •vidence elicited at the inquest was.to 1 the effect that the Makin family had moved into the premises on June 29, affe'r'dusk. At this time, according to JvJane Barry, who lives next door, they had .a chilcl about three months old Duiing their tenure of the house, Makin according >a:EU^ab'eth iHillpbonowed a pick and shovel, and when the articles were returned it was evident that they they had'been recently used. The whole of,th(3 members of the Makin family remembered the circumstance of borrowing a. shovel, which, they asset ted, was required in some .gardening-, work E.ich of them, however, failed 4o remember the^occasioDj'on., which.,it alleged that the pick was used, and John Makin absolutely -denitd that he had ever borrowed such a tool .This-contradiction was referred, to, by, the coroner in his « charge to the jury, and he empha^i d the taot that the circumstance involved a pertain amount of f suspicion. Blanche Mttkin alsogavf evidence. Sheadmi'ted tha^her mother had a child to keep, but 1 that ir been taken away some days before /hey removed from <-Bimen-sireet.' Florence Makin, 'who J was -cautioned before she gave -her i evidence, rey ( eatef^ -her sister's _ statement, and added th«t it wns the only occasion on w,hich a child had been in the house. Sarah' TVTakih, mother of. the two pr^ious^witnesses, was next called She iad; ( adyprti^ed- herself as ,a ladies' nufse, » w&il ( e 'occupyiu^ ,the o Burren-street i house, and admitted, ,tna ( t the , card *• bearing h^r name "was correct. The day after^they^ moved from t, Rfedfe^rn, Vto, Macdonaldtownj she received a'bab'y'to cafe for at 10s a'week The child was, however, delivered to tlve parents' some days before they'lefr the 'house! ' She was unable to say where'<the parents resided, becau-e they ga-v,e. >a lfactitious name. The mother and fat-her of the child were known to her asiJVlr'and Mrs Wilson, and all correspondence to them passed through the Haymarket post-office. Further than this, the Makin family appeared to be totally unable to supply information, a nd knew njthing of the bodies in respect to which the inquest was being ;l»eld There was, however, another.

suspicious ■■circumstance wbich, vas Brought to light ' A pinafore"jprit in as evidence was; sewn wjth black cotton, and|a:; shirt^ih- wTbich piie^of .the Bod iP9, waaVtitched in'^similar 'manner,^ a white garment with black cotroni M>s i'Makin admitted that the-pewinjar on, the apron was that of her daoghier-Blanclie, who, she said, was very careless and would' pew with ■ati'y^pg If^tH,atj;;;:''ii.a.hi^ nearest hei" hand. 4^At^th'e'v^im^;,|h§ coroner remarked th!e "slQyeiiiities'ppf tlie work, and-subpeq-ient-ly drew the atten- j tinn of the jury to >he-.facJ: T .a,s ;: a very su^'Hous circamstance. i'.Thetjpiy.felt satisfied that the facts disclosed. won Id not iustify them in connecting ?--th« .Makin, .fajaily,.,.^it.h...._%e. i ;;matter Avi anid^ accordingly an open verdict was returned. •