OLD CRIME RECALLED

Southland Times, Issue 17697, 8 July 1914, Page 5

OLD CRIME RECALLED

ECHO OF DEAN CASE. APPLICATION FOR A LEGACY. (Per United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, July 7. Tho Dean murders of 1895 wore recalled hy a case heard in Chambers at the Supremo Court this afternoon before His Honour the Chief Justice (Sir Kobt, Stout). Under the will of Colin McLachlan. contractor, late of Oamaru, who died in 1894, certain money was left to a child named Colin Scoullar McLachlan, believed to be identical with a child known as Scoullar, who was in the custody of Minnie Dean, and who disappeared about the time that certain infants were murdered by her. The estate was insufficient to pay 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 tc> them. The plaintiffs wore Sarah McOarten, wife of Joseph McCarten, metal merchant, of Ibrox, Glasgow, and Agnes Dallas, wife of Robert Dallas, of Mary Hill, Glasgow, The defendant was the Public Trustee as executor of the will and codicil of the testator McLachlan. Tho child was the subject of special inquiries hy the police when searching for the bodies of tho other children who were done away with. The circumstances were described in an affidavit sworn by Detective-Sergeant Mcllveney, who at tho time of the investigations was a police constable in Invercargill. Minnie Dean conducted a baby-farming establishment at Winton, Southland, in May, 1895, was arrested on a charge of murdering two infants named Hornsby and Carter. Tho remains of the child Dorothy Carter were exhumed by Detective Mcllveney 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, 1895, addressed to the accused from Helen Scoullar, then in Wellington, announcing the death of Colin McLachlan and expressing wishes for tho welfare of the boy Scoullar or McLachlan. At 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 tho name of the child’s mother being Helen Scoullar, and of its father McLachlan. The child disappeared about two years before the inquest and the excuse given hy Mrs Dean at the time was that it had been taken by some other people. The clothing of the child, however, was seen in Mrs 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. In the opinion of the principal witness the child Scoullar was identical with Colin Scoullar McLachlan. referred to in Helen Scoullar’s letter and mentioned in the codicil to Colin McLachlan’s will. The case concerning the will having been presented hy counsel His Honour 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, tho infant was murdered by Mrs Dean.