DEAN MURDERS RECALLED.

Colonist, Volume LVI, Issue 13515, 8 July 1914, Page 4

DEAN MURDERS RECALLED.

INFANT'S DEATH PRESUMED

[United Pkesh Association

Wellington, July 7. The Dean murders of 1895 were recalled by a case heard in Chambers at the Supreme Court this afternoon before the Chief Justice (Sir Robert 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 the child known as Scoullar who was in the custody of Minnie Dean and. disappeared about the time that certain infants were murdered, by her. The estate was insufficient to pay all the legacies in full, and application was made on behalf of surviving legatees that the amount reserved for the child be available for payment to them. The plaintiffs were Sarah McCarten, 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. The child was the- subject of special inquiries by the police when they were searching .for, the bodies of the other children who were done away with. The circumstances were described in an .affidavit sworn by Detective SergeantMcllveney, who at the time of the 'investigation was a police constable in Invercargill. Minnie Dean conducted a baby farming establishment at Win ton, Southland, and in May, 1895, was arrested on a charge of murdering two infants named Hornsby and Carter. The 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 defith she was found guilty and executed. During the search a letter was found dated February 28th, 1895, addressed to the accused, from Helen Scoullar 3 then in Wellington, announcing the death of Colin McLachlan, and expressing wishes for the 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 the name lof 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 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 Mrs. Dean's house after its disappearance, and it transpired that it was customary for herto keep the clothing of infants she had done away with. In the opinion of the principal witness, the child Scoullar was identical with the 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 by 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, the infant was murdered by Mrs. Dean.