The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1874-04-14 00:00:00

SERMONS ON TEMPERANCE.

On Sunday last, sennotui were preached in all the
churches and chapels of the town, excepting Trinity
Church, and the Rowan Catholic chapels, in favour of
temperance. The preachers were: Rev. Talbot Oreavex,
at St. Mary's Church; Rev. J. Stephenson, .St. Johns
Church ;Iley. K Bolton, Gloucester-street chapel; Rev.
.1. Bailey, Bank-buildings chapel . • Rev. C. Churchill,
principal Wesleyan chapel; Rev. W. Lewis, Hope chapel;
ROY. S. Dobson, Primitive Methodist chapel ; Rev. W.
H. James, Free Methodist chapel; Mr. John Utter,
Wesleyan chapel, Park.

THE DEAD INFANT-VERDM'T OF WILFUL

MURDER

The adjourned inquest on the child found in a court in
WO4-4reet, wa. held on Monday morning last, at the
Guildhall, before Mr. H. Lock, deputy coroner.
&Wt. Vickery said he had no further evidence to offer.
They had made some investigations, and cleared up some
suspicious circumstances.
Dr. Simpson, in answer to the Coroner. said ha formed
the opinion that the child wai lions alive from the
condition of the lungs, and (rim the colour of the blood,
which was thoroughly aerated. Ile considered that quite
sufficient; but he might add that Ike found the pleural
cavity completely filled by the lungs. showing that they
had been fully inflated. The diaphragm was not very
convex on its upper surface ; it is slightly convex in the
natural state. The lungs were more inflated than they
would have been, if the child had only breathed in its
passage to the world, and the blood was fully purified.
It would be partly purified in life with the mother ; but
not so much as in this case. He was siti.fied there had
been no skilled assistance at birth. Did not examine the
stomach._

Supt. ickery said they had measured the wall of the
yard, and found its heinht in't. Ain.
The Coroner, addressing the jury, said the camas/mined
a Ivry serious aspect from the evidence of Dr. Simpson.
The child was found exposed In an open court or yard,
antl, according to the pulimman's evidence, it must have
been exposed there after 12 o'clock at night., lioCallsie there
had been rain the first part of the night, and the body
was nut saturated with rein. The tomtitsno for the jury
to decide were was the child born alive I
Assmelly, if born alive, did it come to its death fairly or
foully t Thirdly, if foully, who caused the death I Dr.
liimpson's evidence shoow.l the child was born alive, If
they in 'rued with him. There was a frothy mucus in the
Icing. Awning there had been life ; the nonanence of mucus
and inflation of the lung. Urn:4 not always to he depended
upon; lout in this case, Dr. Sinuo.n said the lungs had
been fully inflated, and the colour of the blast, according
to hi aaaa showoal that it n. born alive. Secondly, as to
the rall,ie of death. In. ninoso.on showed than death wee
Canso" loy exposure to Oki, alai Ile tl gilt that some
person, not the mother, must base placeol it there, there-
fore proknbly the person who assisted the mother wee
the one wile CaliaLal the oleath. It was caused in an un-
natural and a cruel way. If, therefore they agreed with
Dr. simpson, they would returns a serdict of Wilful
Murder against some person or persons unknown, If,
however, they did not agree with Dr- Simpson that the
child wins horn alive, they insight return an open verdict,
Dr. Nathan, in answer to the Coroner, sand Inc exanden4
the child, with Dr. Simpson, and Inc vadat corridnorate
what Dr. Simpson said.
The jury were sigreed that the child was born alive,
but they thought Wilful !tinnier rather too strung a ver-
slit t, its there were no marks of violeilee on the child.
The Coroner explained that if the child were born alive,
and dial from exposure and neglect, it would certaiuly
be wilfully munlered by the parties who placed it there.
If anything further should transpire, they had tbnir
borough lungistrotes to enquire into it.
Tine Jury then returned a vo.nlict of Wilful Murder
against some person or per.ms unknown.