Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-08-26
KILLED BY ITS MOTHER
Result of The InVetisatiOn Of the Death
Of Elizabeth ]. HealinS'S Infant.
AN INQUEST HELD YESTERDAY
The Young Woman to Remain
In Custody.
WAS TAKEN TO NEW CASTLE AT NOON

The jury summoned by Coroner
Wright 10 investigate the cause OF the
death of the infant child Of Elizabeth
j. Healing, met at ths Office Of Deputy
Coroner Chandler in this city at 10. 30
o'clock n. M. yesterday and after hearing
the testimony OF Dr. John Palmer, Jr.,
DIR. j. r. Smith and Deputy Coroner
Chandler. rendered the following
verdict:
Resolved, That the infant child OF Eliza
beth J. Healing came TO its death on July
sd, 1897, from mortal wounds inflicted by
the said Elizabeth j. Healing.
The parlors OF the deputy coroner's
Office were crowded at the beginning OF
the hearing and the doors we're locked
to exclude all excepting those Interested
In the case and the newspaper writer's
Deputy Attorney General Potter a.
Cooper, Jr., was present and ques-
toned tho witnesses, and Walter ii.
Hayes. who has heen retained al poun-
gel for Miss Healing. was seuted beside
her. lie listened attentively 10 the
testimony, hut did not question any OF
them. Court Steuographer Il. q.
Hardesty was also present, and took
the testimony Of the witnesses in full.
Tho jury consisted OF WBrren Martin,
William Wiley, Edmund q. Myers,
James Dohsrty, George X. Croasan,
Frank Carey and Charles E. Sparks,
Jr. DIR. John Palmer, Jr. was first
called and testified that he has been u
prncticine physician since 1852, and
was called on July 23d about p m.
to attend Mise Healing and found that
Hhe had given birth to child. The
young woman Mt first denied that such
was the case, but finally admitted IL.
When he learned that the child was
dead and of the circumstances attend
ing the case he notified Deputy Coroner
Chandler on Sunday.
The child had a wound on the skull,
from which the brain had oozed out.
also had d wound near the right eye
and another on the mouth. Either OF
tine wounds on the head or near the
eye wsro mortal. The child. 10 his
judgment, weighed about six pounds.
Dir. Palmer thought the child had been
horn alive and asked the young woman
why she had killed IL. Tbs young
H woman seemed much distressed and
"A told her mother, Mrs. Loose, to tell
how the child had been killed. The
story was finally brought out and the
BODY of the child was removed TO the
morgue, where post mortem exami-
s. nation showed that IL had been borr
alive.
MA Deputy Coroner Chandler was neSt
II called and stated that no was notified
w IN Saturday. July 25th, Of the death
.of the child by DIR. Palmer, and the,
made arrangements to investigate the
case the next morning, accompanied
BY Or. Smith, the coroner'e physiciau
B They went to the house and were
ushered into the presence Of tho young
NM womau. Deputy Coroner Chandler
asked il she had done away with th,
4 ehild, and the girl hsgan to cry ant
replied "yes; but / did not know VIII,
~ I did it,.
When asked by the deputy coroner ]
tbs child was horn alive she replied IN
the affirmative. The official then asked
her IL she had killed it. She agaiI
began to cry and asked her mother I,
* Tell about il. The deputy coroner thei
told her it would be bost TO tell him 81
that he might gu0w what to do. Sh
then told bim that shortly after tn
child had been born she struck IL will
an instrument used for extractin
4 carpet tacks. She was positive tn
B Il child was alive. Afterwards the chill
was removed to the collar, where it wa
found by the deputy coroner, after tn
interview with Miss Healing.
DR.. j. r. Smith corroborated th
testimony Of the other two witnesse
and told of the post.mortem exami
nation and it's results.
When thu verdict of the jury was an
nouncod, Coroner Wright, after a shoI
consultation with w. ii. Hayes, Deput
Attorney General Cooper End Sheri
Finn, made out the commitment an
placod Miss Healing 10 the custody {
Sheriff Finn. At nUon Miss Healing
accompanied by her mother and Sheri
Finn, left tho office of Deputy Coront
Chandler and were driven to Now Cast
in closed carriage. Mics Healing wi
remain in custody to await the Rctin
of the grand Jury, as the revised COT
makes it impossible to have tt
prisoner released on bail.
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