Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1880-03-18
A DEAD BABY.
cONcEALMENr OF THE BODY.
Tho TRAGIC Revelation Of. BOX Of Cloth.

cONcEALMENT OF THE BODY.
Tho Tragic Revelation Of . BOX Of Clothes
A Sicksning Spectacle Christian Street thu
Scene of Much Excitement.
1t has been ten years since John Dennine
left Ireland and brought to this country
his two daughters then girls of IL or Il
years of age; six years ago he
and his second wife, their STEP
mother, returned to the old country where
Mrs. D. died and whence the husband
and father returned to Lancaster just
before Christmas, 1870. He is now working
below Quarryville. One of his daughters is
Mrs. John A. Weimer, residing at 43
South Christian street, and the other is
Miss Christina Denning, who has been
employed recently as domestic in several
highly respectable families in Lancaster.
She has always borne good character and
when about six weeks ago or less she fell
sick at her place of employment and re-
manned sick for week, the occurrence
gave rise to no scandal.
A short time afterwards, few days be-
fore Valentine day, she left her last place
and one evening brought her clothes to her
sisters in a coach and desired to pack
them there in such way that they would
be easily accessible or removable if de-
sired. Her sister procured for her good
sized dry goods box at the New York
store md they were packed therein.
In week or two afterwards and about
a month ago she called at the house of
John NJ. Modinger, marble cutter, No. 80
South Christian street. and said her
brOther-in-law would not allow her to
keep her clothes at his house and threat
ened to tear them up and she begged Mrs.
Modinger to allow her to store them on
her garret. Mrs. NJ. consented and
Miss Denning had .them brought over
and carpenter cut the box down to get it
on Mrs. Modinger's garret where it re-
mained until yesterday
Meanwhile Christina, or "Phenie'' as she
is called, secured employment with another
highly respectable family, where she is yet
On Sunday she visited Mrs.
Modinger and disturbed the contents of the
box, on pretext of taking some clothes
from it. Since then Mrs. NJ. has noticed a
very offensive odor from the box, becoming
stronger daily. until yesterday she and
Mrs. Weitzel made an inspection of the
contents and satisfied themselves that they
the decomposing remains of a
newly born babe. Mr.. Weitzel made
further examination, took the box into the
yard and found the dead child in small
wooden box. surrounded with a woman's
wrapper and aprons.
The coroner was notified to-day, and
jury composed of E. Mcneil
len, Brinton J. Carter, J. Kahler Snyder,
Clayton F. Myers, T. F. McElligot and H.
H. Hensel, and attended by DR.. VIM.
Compton, made an inspection of the box
and contents in Mrs. Modinger's yard.
After taking out a large quantity of
clothing, skirts, dresses and very much
soiled underwear, a small wooden starch
box was found, and after enduring hor-
rible stencil the investigators discovered
in it, wrapped in white cloths, the body
of female infant, fully developed, sup
posed to have been born four or five weeks
ago and very much decomposed. DR..
Compton tested the lungs and concluded
from his examination that the child had
never breathed; though the advanced
stage of decomposition materially inter-
fered with full and satisfactory tests.
The jury heard Mrs. Modinger, Mrs.
Weimer, Mrs. Weitzel and Mr.. Weitzel to
the foregoing effect and adjourned to meet
at the court house tomorrow evening at
y o'clock when the supposed mother of
the child will be called to testify.
Further Particulars.
Upon further inquiry We find that Miss
Denning usually goes by the name of
Josephine y and was known as "Phenie "
among the families with whom she lived.
She is about % years of age.
At the suggestion of the district attor-
ney Officer Titus made complaint against
her before Alderman Wiley for conceal
ment of the death of bastard child a
warrant was issued and she will be arrest
ed for hearing.
The body of the infant was sent to the
almshouse for burial.
When informed of tho discovery of the
body the girl seemed quite astonished
Nd Of %Ia
stances of the case, pending legal investi-
cation.
The family with whom she now resides
Ind where she has lived for several weeks
lad no idea whatever of this cpl
'ode in her experience; and the
amily whose service she quit after her
week of illness state that though circum-
stances afterwards developed pointed to
he cause of her illness, it is pretty certain
hat the child was born and concealed
Elsewhere than in her room at their house.
'he had manifestly had some such expert
nee, but the exact nature of it, or what
disposition she made of the evidences of it,
vas mystery to them.
The girl gives the name Of the child's
ather, says he would have married
er, but that he had no work and |
ouldn't support her. She declares the |
hild was still-born her accident being |
aused by fall-a statement which has |
eliable confirmation.
Occultatlon of Mars.
The beautiful clear sky of last evening |