MEMORIES OF MURDER.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 13427, 8 July 1914, Page 4

MEMORIES OF MURDER.

INTERESTING WILL CASE. (Per Press Association.)

- ' : ' "... ; .;, * WELLINGTON; last night. The Dean murders of 1895 .were recalled., by- "a. case heai'd m Chambers at the Supreme Court this afternboii, before his Honor the Cliief Justice. . Under the .will .of Colin McLachlan, contractor, late of. Oainaru, who died m 1894, f certain money .was left to a child nanied Colin Scoullar McLachlap,'believed to be identical with a child known as Scoullar, who was m the custody bf Minnie Dean, and who disaopeared about 'the time that certain infants -were murdered by her. Tlie estate was-- in.' sufficient to pay all the legacies m full, artd Application wa^ made on behalf of the surviving legatees that the anipUnt reserved for the- "child be available for payment to them. The plaintiffs were Sarali McCarten, wife of Joseph ]\fcCartoii, metal mergh'apt, of Ibrox, Glasgow, and Agnes Dallas, wife of Robert Dallfis, of Maryhill, Glasgow. The,de : fendant Avas the Public Trustee as executor of, the will and codicil of tlie testator, McLachlan.

The cjiild was the subject of special inquiries by the police when searching for the r bodies of the other children who -were done away witli. The civ.cuhistanees were described m an aflidavit^s.worp by Detectiye-Sergeant McIlveiKJy, wlio at tlie tiriie of the, investigation was a police constable at liivei'car,gill. * '* ".>.■) y

Minnie Dean conducted a "baby farming" establishment 3t>,Wintpn, "Southland, and, m May; . 1895, was arrested oil. a charge of riiurdering two infanta named Hornsby and Carter; TKe-i-'e-inairis of the child, Dorothy Carter^ were exhumed by Detective Mellveney a.t Mrs Dean's premises at Winton; artel on the charge of having caused its. death, she was found guilty ? and executed. ."'.,.- During the search, "a letter was found, dated February 28, 1895, addre.sf.ed to the accused from Helen Scoullar, then m Wellington, , amiouncing .the death ' of Colin, -McLachlan,. and- expressing: wishes for tlie welfare, of the boy Scoullaa-, or McLachlan. ;At the inquest,, evidence was given, as tb tho 'child haying been brougjnt to "Mrs Dean's about five years previously from Oauiairn, and as to the name" of thp. child's mother .beiiig.Hel' en Scoullar and of its , father . McLachlan.. The_, child disappeared about two years before the. inquest;- and the excuse given by M,rs Dean at the time was- that it had .been taken. tp some, other people. Tlie cljitliiiig of the clitlil, however, was seen- m Mrs Dean's lipuse after its'disappearance, and it transpired that it was customary for her to keep the clothing of infants she liad, done away witli. In' the opinion of the principal witness, the child Scoullar. was identical, with , Colin ' Kebullai*' McLaclilan, referred to m Helen Scpiillar's s letter and 'mentioned ill the codicil to Colin McLaclilan's will.

The case concerning Wtili having, been .presented, by counsel, his Honor madojui order declaring-. tbat the gift to the child never 1 took effect', tlie child having died before tlie codicil wds made. l£o doubt; ihe added, the infant was murdered by Mys- ; .P-taa*ty ...,,.,, w».g