Birmingham state herald., 1897-07-09
COroner's Jury Fails to Fathott
 It's Depth
AFTER A LONG, PATIENT WAIT
Hoping t1e Investigation Would Relieve the Public Mind, the State Herald Is Forced to Seek Into
 the Death of a Babe of Unknown Percentage.
he matter and manner of the investiga-

the matter and manner of the investiga- ton.
 State Herald reporter started to ob- tam the gist of the teS timony adduced a the inquest. but was informed by juror that no written statement had been pre- pared. This was a knocker. The code especially demands that all testimony given | inquests be
 TAKEN IN WRITIlNG and subscribed to by the witness. The authority for this statement is derived from sections 4S01 and 4S02 of the Code Of Alabama, which reads as follows:
 "Section 4S01. When a coroner has been informed that a person has been killed or suddenly dies under such cir S1mstances as to afford a reasonable Rround for belief that such death has been occasioned by the act of another by unlawful means, he must forthwith make inquiry of the facts and circumstances l of such death, by taking the sworn state ment, in writing, of the witnesses having personal knowledge thereof and if, upon such preliminary inquiry. the coroner is satisfied from the evidence that there is reasonable ground for believing that such death has been occasioned by the act of another by unlawful means, he must forthwith summon jury of six discreet householders of the county to appear before him forthwith at a specified place, and inquire into the cause of such death."
 ''Section 480S. The inquisition thus ta- ken must be returned by the coroner forthwith, together with the written statement under oath taken by him on the preliminary investigation, to the clerk of the circuit or city court of the county; and the coroner must also re- quire all the material witnesses to enter into an undertaking to appear at the cir cult or city court, if in session, and, if not, at the next term thereof, and may require surety to such undertaking; and, on the failure of a witness to enter therein, may commit him until he enters into the same."
 JURYMAN JOHNSON. A Slate Herald reporter met Col N. D. Johnson, one of lthe jurors, and asked him a few questions as to the inquest Col. Johnson said:
 The testimony was not taken in writ ing. The jury insisted On a time for an analysJs of the stomach and drugst but the coroner stated that the county com missloners were not willing to stand the expense of sending the stomach to Au- burn for an analysis. According to the evidence adduced I can't think the chi d died of unnatural causes. We would have prepared more thorough examina- ftion but we felt that there Vas a de- cided influence operating against a very thorough investigation. As to the pa rentags of the child we know nothing as we did not attempt to locate them. The child was delivered to Mzell's wife un- washed, nor was fit given treatment save that necessary from a physician. One of the women said the child had "hives" and they had gone in and medicine should have been given it to bring them out. Hives very often kills infants when they are allowed to go in. Assuming the pellets had nothing in them save what the physician claimed they would not have thrown him into convulsions The Jury was sworn in on June 30, and view ed the remains: They adjourned to meet Monday. Monday they met. but the cor Uner was absent The same thing oc- cured Tuesday. Wednesday the coro- ner failed to appear and a juryman went after him. They returned together and thr Investigation was held.
 When asked as to the medicines Col Johnson said they were in a safe plece
 The colonel also expressed himself as beirg sorry the investigation was not more thorough, and thought it could and ought to have bsen done.
 THE MIZELLS TALK.
 A reporter visited the little cottage out on Twenty ninth street, mar Eighth ave- n1le, and found Mrs. Mizell at home Dur ing his talk with her MT Mizell cnme in and the following story was told by the couple:
 Some time ego neighbor was very i'll and Dr. Drennen was eallsd in. There were several ladies in the room and the man of medicine said he would have a taby to give away in a few days and wanted to know if any of the ladies would take it. Mrs. Mizell, who is chldless, said she would.
 Later on Dr. Drennen called at her house This was on Friday. June il. He sad he would bring the child that night between o'clock and daylight the next morning. He asked if MT Mzell was at home, and was told he kwas not. This was at o'clock in the afternoon He then drove away, but returned before 4:30 o'clock the same afternoon with the baby in a basket. It weighed 8% pounds and there was blood on its head It was about two hours old. Dr. Drennen said for MT. Mizell to come-to his office the next day. This MT. Mizell did.
 The xt morning MT. Mizell met pr. Drenne1 i'm the ]at.er's office Here the doctor said that the child's parents were aristocratic, church h-going people, who would pay $750 to MT. Mizell if he kept ths child for twenty-one days. He said If the child lived that long it could be raised He gave a prescription and ad- .yice.
 MT. Mizell says that no money has been paid him, and that he had to pay for the medicine, etc. He asked Dr. Drennen who were the child's parents, and the doctor said they were rich aristocratic, church-going- people, hut he would go to jail before he would tell their names. He also said that the girl vs' in a brick building, and he told people he was treat ing her for typhoid fever, so that they would not know the truth. It was on this account that he could not bring the child in the day time, as it might cry on the way down stairs.
 The medicine given by Dr. Drenren did not seem to do The child any good, and Dr. Griggs was called in. He ordered the medicine stopped, and tried to save the child, but it died in six days.
 One day a neatly dressed .yourr yom an came to the house and look d st th bs by.