Morning journal and courier., 1881-07-15
The Trial of Mrs. rkley.

The case of Mrs. Frances Bulkley, widow of the late Tom. Bu1kley, was before the City Court yesterday on a charge which in effect was that male child named Robbie Thompson was starved to death by reason of the neglect of the accused, Mrs. Bulkley, in whose care the child was at the time of it's death on July 1st City Attorney Pickett prosecuted and John w. filling defended. Mrs. BuIkley ap- peared in court dressed in deep mourning. and was a pleasant-faeed colored woman about sixty-fve years of age. Her daughter, Mrs Freeman, accompanied her, also a bright looking white girl who has been reared by Mrs. Bulkley and in fact adopted by her. This young lady is a scholar in the High School and will graduate next year.
 The first witness called for the State was Dr. Frederick Bellosa, who with Dr. Frank O. White made the autopsy on the body of the Thompson child. He stated that in his opinion the child died of mal-nutrition, and being pressed by City Attorney Pickett stated that the cause of the death in plain English was starvation, or, in medical parlance, mar asmus The autopsy showed that all the vital organs were in perfectly healthy con dition, and that there was no disease appar- ent on any portion of the child's system. He found in the intestines 8 little matter which resembled starch or some kind of four which had passed through the stomach without di- gestion the bowels were transparent; there was no fat about the body and the flesh ad- hered to the ribs. showing every indication of lack of sufficient and proper food to sus- tain life; some congestion and softening of the brain matters
 On the cross examination of the doctor the line of defense was plainly set forth, it being evident that the child had a constitutional tendency toward marasmus, and died of that disease which is simply the medical term for starvation. The children born with ten- dency to marasmus will die in nearly every instance, it was admitted, the doctor holding that an inherited tendency to marasmus was almost as surely fatal as an inherited tende n- cy to lung diseases. Proper food, the giving of 8 pint of milk day to child of six months, or of even more nourishing food, and the most careful attention and nursing, would not save a child from death when marasmus had fairly set in and gotten hold upon the constitution.
 pr. Frank O. White corroborated Dr. Bel losa. On the cross examination he stated that death might have been caused by maras- mus.
 Charles F. Bollman, the coroner, stated that when he first saw the dead child on July 1st he noticed the emaciated condition of the baby, which lay in the front room of
 AI6s ouAh4Cy D AOubC, It HObb oeAOO0. AAC went to the house in his official capacity to investigate the cause of death, and Mrs. Bulkley recognized him as the coroner. Mrs. Bulkley made voluntary statements to the witness to the effect that in February last a woman came to her house and arranged for the board of her child at the rate of $1O per month. On the following Friday the wo- man, giving the name of Mrs. Edward Thompson, came to the house and left $1, and asked that Mrs. Bulkley write her every Friday at Hartford. Mrs. Thompson said she was a married woman whose husband had abused her, and who consequently came to the New Haven hospital, where she gave birth to the child. She at first claimed the child was two months old, but afterwards stated it was announced to be but two weeks and three days old at the time it was left at her house. Mrs. Bulkley had received but $9 for the board ofithe child, which was at first called Robbie Howard. The sum came on March 25th in a registered letter. Mrs. Bulkley stated that she had rious illness of her child, but she paid no attention to it. Mrs Bulkley offered the child to the town authorities but they re- fused to take it. Mrs. Bulkley stated that the child had something the matter with it's head, as it would pull hair out of it's head by hands full. Mrs. Bulkley stated that since the case in October last, when Dr. Lindsley had advised her, she had given her babies more food. Witness asked her if she had given this child more than cup half full of water with three tablespoons full of milk three times day, as had been the case with the child which died in October. She replied that she gave that child in addition corn starch and oatmeal. Mrs, Bulkley told wit ness that she had three babies boarding with her for whom she bought three pints of milk day, which was fed to them from clean bottles. She said the child had been sick for some time, but had had no-medical attend ance save one day when Dr. Lindsley, who was attending another baby in the same house, having had his attention called to the Thompson baby, said the child was going to die. She herself gave it some medicine in the way of tea. Mrs. Bulkley said the mother had been informed of the child's ill- ness and she considered it her duty to fur nish medical attendance if any was wanted. The child died at 2:3O on the morning of July l, and witness was at the house twelve hours later. Mrs BIlkley told him the child had not been troubled with diarrhoea or vom- iting and had taken it's food regularly to the last Another baby had been buried from the house that day, and third one there was living, but was also in an emaciated con- dition.
 Dr. Frank H. Whittemore appeared as an expert in the case and said that from the evil dence of the physicians he should judge that the child died from wasting disease re- sulting from want of proper nourishment. This opinion was based on the statement of Mrs. Bulkley that she bought but three pints of milk a day for the children-an insufficient quantity; there has been no tes- timony that the child had anything else to eat; the emaciated condition of the child; the intestinal canal being practically empty; lack of evidence that the child had any signs of disease In his opinion the child needed the care of physician.
 On the, cross-examination he stated that the child did not die of marasmus, in his opinion, judging from the testimony of the physicians, but died from neglect.
 Mrs. Phelan, of Liberty street, stated that when the child was eleven weeks old it and the mother left, as the witness thought to go to Hartford. The mother, who gave the name of Mrs. Edward Thompson, had boarded with witness before the birth of the child, which was not @ fat infant, but rather thin. The mother was a healthy woman.
 Edward Thompson, of Hartford, the fa- ther of the child, saw it once at Phalen' s house on Putnam street, when it was about two weeks old. It was then bright child, and the mother was healthy woman.
 An adjournment was taken to 3:30 p. m.
 AFTERNOON SESSION.
 The court reassembled at 3:3O p. m., when ha kastip,onv for tba dafanse conn