The Christchurch Infanticide

Southland Times, Issue 11630, 12 January 1891, Page 2

The Christchurch Infanticide

EXTRAORDINARY DENO UEMENT. (By Telegraph.) Christchorch, Jan. 10. The developments in the child murder case are more curious than ever. Yesterday detectives were engaged all day in following up the clue in their hands, and the result of their work created intense astonishment. In the afternoon Constable Daniel Flanagan, Btaiioned at Addington, was arrested on a charge of murdering the child whose head was found in Gloucester street. Subsequently the police arrested Flanagan's wife on the same charge. Flanagan is about 68 years of age, and has been 25 years in the police force. His wife is also of advanced ago. A third party proves to be a woman, said to be a daughter of Flanagan. Three weeks ago she was confined of a male child, which was given out to nurse. On Monday evening she visited the nurse in company wilh her mother, paid the board and took the child away. On seeing the report of the discovery in the press they went to the nurse and asked whether she had received a visit from the police. She answered "No." They then told her to keep quiet, and to say nothing of what they had to inform her. They told her that after leaving the house at dusk they were met by thrpe men, who rushed them in Gloucester street. They had a rope with which the woman was tied, and the child taken away. They went home and told Flanagan what had happened. Miss Flanagan left for Wellington last night, her brother seeing her off. The nurse has identified the baby's clothing which was found as that supplied to her by the woman who took the child away. At the Police Court this morning Flanagan and his wife were charged with the murder of the infant. Intense interest was shown in the proceedings, and tht court was crowded. Both prisoners appeared to feel their position keenly.. Inspector .Fender said the case was a very grave one, but he desired to say as little as possible about it. He had no hesitation in saying that the evidence pointed very strongly to the prisoners being implicated in the murder, particularly against the female prisoner. There was no doubt a foul murder had been committed. He asked for a remand till Wednesday next, which was granted. Wellington, Jan. 10. This afternoon a woman named Sarah Flanagan, aged about 30, who is said to be a daughter of Constable and Mrs Flanagan, in custody for child murder at Christchurch, was arrested by the local police. She has been sent up to Terrace gaol and will be brought before a magistrate on Monday. Jan. 11. The woman arrested here on a charge of being concerned in the child murder at ChrUtcburch was booked under the name of Miss Bullen, and her passage was taken out to Sydney. When first accosted by Detective Campbell, she stoutly denied that her name was Flanagan, but subsequently she admitted her identity and made a statement to much the same effect as that given to the nurse in Christchurch, viz., that she and her brother had been rushed by three men in the street and the child taken from them. The woman will be remanded to Chiistchurch to appear there on Wednesday.