Birmingham state herald., 1897-07-09


 naled to inquire into the death of an in- fant that died on the 2Sth of June, at MT. Mizell's house. 71S North Twenty-ninth street, find that after such invest,galtion as we have been able to make, death re- suited from natural causes"
 (Sigr,ad) E. F. Ransom, J. Perkins, J. D. Kirkland, John Mccoy, N. D. Johnscn.
 Thus ends the first book in the story of the death of an infant whose parsnI.age is shrouded in mystery, and which has set alll Birmingham agog during the prss- crit unusual hot spell of weather.
 The story should be divided into three chapters-its parentage and birthplace, death and the inquest-each of which would undoubtedly prove interesting to the readers of the State Herald, but as all three chapters have been hidden in mystery, the pencil pushers have, as yet, been unable to ferret them out.
 THE FIRST CHAPTER.
 Chapter No. 1 of the mystery, for such it is, begins nowhere and ends at ths home of MT. Mizell. The first scsns is a gathering where number of women are discussing children. One of the women Mrs. Mizsll says she has no child doctor remarks: q will have one to g.ve away in a few days"
 These few words are the prologue and the aftermath follows. r
 A conference between the physician the woman and her husband is held, at which the aforesaid baby is the topic of discussion The doctor offers the man and wife the babe. fa
 Poverty, says the man. will prevent our taking the foundling. The doctor makes a proposition to pay the poor people $750 to take charge of the child with no ques- tions asked as to the percentage.
 a fn ba age?" asks the man. ..s
 "A scandal in high social circles and disgrace" answers the physician.
 The question of finances being dispossd of the compact is entered into i
 Shortly thereafter, on a later afternoon, the doctor appears at the humble home with bundle. The man of the house is away. The bundle is opened, and to the horror-stricken gaze of the woman is re- vealed the form of a two-hours-old baby boy wrapped in piece of cloth, not even the treatment accorded the humblest child having been given him.
 The doctor deposits his burden and de- parts, leaving message for the head of the family to call at his office The man calls and is here informed that an important proviso has been omitted, the proviso being as follows:
 1.-The $750 is to be paid the man and wife if the child lives twenty-one days"
 The man demurs, the doctor insists and the man departs, still, however, not knowing the parentage of the foundling
 CHAPTER NO. 2.
 The child thrives. The man and wo- man become interested in the little fel- low and secure the services of a neigh bora woman-who has a sucking babe She gives the little fellow sustenance the youngster grows In a few days the doctor calls, examines the boy and leaves He again calls; the little fellow is indis- posed. A prescription is given. The man takes the prescription to a druggist, has it filled, administers the medicine and soon convulsons and purging set in.
 Another physician is summoned, who on examining the child and noticing the medicine, says the medicine is not the proper stuff and takes the child in hand The child dies. It had lived seventeen days.
 CHATTER NO. 8.
 The man goes to an undertaken and asks for the coroner. The child is brought to the undertaking rooms and the coro- ner comes, empanels jury. views the body. The jury is instructed to again assemble on the following Monday. In the meantime the child's stomach is taken out, with view to having it's con- tents analysed.
 On Monday the jurors assemble, but the coroner cometh not The next day the same thing occurs. On Wednesday the jurors again assemble, and after a patient wait, the coroner not putting in an Appearance, one of the jurors goes in search of him. Finding him, they return, and the ceremony is proceeded with. The leading physician in the case is not sum- moned and NEWSPAPER MEN ARE BARRED from the deliberations of the jurors. The inquest is gone through with, and the story, so far as the coroner is concerned, ends, with the verdict printed at the head of this article.
 THE PUBLIC AROUSED
 The news of tlra mystery surrounding the birth and death of the child having gone the rounds, the public naturally be- came curious, and excitement and com ment were in order 'sWhose is it?" was tha question asked every newspaper man, they being supposed to know everyt thing, bu; this was one of the secrets in which they were deeply interested, but not all lowed to dslve.
 Comment grew apace, and the tardi- ness of the examination of the coroner's jury but added fuel to the flames.
 Never since the celebrated Hawes mys- tery las there been such common and public interest manifested in local se- cret. Rumors as to the parentags of the child were plentlful,. bug none of them ever ripehed, and theeparentage of the in- fant whose. body now.
 FIIIISsA P,AUPERsS GRAVE, but which, judging from words let drop by Llre physician, should have been laid away in a ,fiower-strewn casket' and his grave marked By shaft of granite. re- mains unknown. The next question to be answered was when will the verdict of the coroner's jury be handed down. This question also rem fined una answered. until ls'te Wednesday evening. And when 1t ca sna ard tn Sjury had discussrd the mat ter wi h friends, the ptlblic-a larger por-