The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-02-01
Fractured Skull Revealed By Post
Norton Examination Of Margaret
Schwendner's Child Couldn't Have
Been Caused By Fall Is Testimony.
Little Girl-Mother Presents Pitiful
Figure in Inquest-Sentiment Is
Strong For Her Release.

4
stances surrounding the death OF her
:nonih-old baby. Chester r.. appeared
In Coroner Burgess court, Tuesday
iaorning. when The inquest In the Case
/ WAS opened
Since (the death OF her child II Is
quite apparent that the girl has weep.
great doal In her comparatively
short dress and youthful appearance
she looked more like a lower grade
scho6i girl than a mother OF a BABY.
As q matter OF fact, she Is small for
her ege. appearing tfke child. stitf
anxious To fondlc her doll In court
she sat motioniess beside her heart
broken father. the picture OF sadness
and despair Behind her were two
Salvation Army women. who showed
keen interest IN her behalf They
greeted her kindly when she came
into the room and Expressed words
CT encouragement That she apprv-
ciatei the friendship displayed toward
her vas evident froIa a wan little
smile that passed over her pale. ema-
ciated lips and cheeks. once radi-
ant With cheer and itch red blood.
Her fathe: also showed deep affection
for her. having nothiug but the Kind.
est Of words fcr her There is no
feeling Of anger In his heart toward
her: he regards her as an unfortu-
nate child---one who now needs all
1.-THE love un6 care a parent can pos
lsibly give.
/ With the father on her right side.
Detective George Latkins. who es'
lorted her from the matron's room
L.. - IN an
hook up position on her left. The
tficer knew full well that she would
bot. ettempt TO run away. but he was
timpfy> carrying cut the precautionary
Methods of the police department IN
Keeping close watch over his charge
~ Sentiment. amcng the court officials
and spectators ~ the court is strong
for the release Of the girl. but GER
tain parts of the testimony given by
the witnesses o. the morning were
not regarded as very favorable to her.
However. she Is not going to suner
for lack of counsel. James II. Pound
having been retained 10 look after hes
int, rests. His 1ervices were secured
by the Salvation Army. In whose res
rue homo, at No. $50 Fort.st. west.
Margaret's child was found dead IN
bed, last Saturday.
Dr James z. cavis, No. S31 Fort.
ST vest. the lrst witness. testin"o
that he oticinted at the birth OF Mar
garat 9 Child On Dec. 81. 1910. and that
he ,iIdn't see the patient again untii
lat Saturday. after the death oil Ger
boby. He said. however. that he ex-
amjned her child about three weeks
a,tor ,ts birth. after being told by the
matron that Margaret had allowed an
other etrl TO care for the child and
was showing disposition TO dislike
The baby herself He said. too, mat
he found the child In good conh-
tior and advisoc the matron to IN
sist that the mother give 1t PERSONA
attention. There was no physical red'
son why Margaret could not take care
OF The child herself, the doctor de-
claIed.
In answer to a question from As
sistant Prosecutor Jasnowski.1 DIT.
| Davis said he didn't think the baby's
| head could have sustained two frac-
lures. revealed by the postmortem
examination by falling from Ills moth
er's lap. the manner In which the
mother says the injuries were caused.
He said the fractures were caused by
a severe blow Of some kind.
Answering further questions, the
doctor said that there were from
eight to IL babies In the ward whei
he called to examine Margaret's baby.
ard that the Salvation Army Rescue
home In Detroit, cared for upwards
| of As to 60 babies In year.
The doctor In answer To question
from Coroner Burgess, related that
when he saw Margaret last SATURDAY
she was somewhat perturbed in minf
| hut said he didn't think the birth OF
the child had bothered her much
! mentally. as she knew that arrange
ments had oeen made for the adoption
/ of hei baby, and that she would SUI
fer no further stain on her character
aftNy leaving the institution.
! "Dof-t YOU Think" asked Prosecutor
Jasncwski, that the thought OF nor
losing the child by adoption would
have a tendency to depress her rather
than give her relief"
! TIE doctor admitted that the con-
ditions might have had the effect sng'
gcsted
MIR Jasnowski also intimated that
| IL was not an uncommon thing for
Mothers to let their babies fall while
bathing them. The doctor, however,
said that It was not often that such
accidents occurred. because OF the eS
treme care mothers give their babies.
| Or. p. F. Morse, No. 329 Twenty
Efth-st.. who performed the post
norton examination OF the baby, TOT
OF finding the two fractures of tho
skull and bruises and discoloratioas
on the childs bod and face, In addi-
ton 10 broker collarbone.
Would II DE ossible for those skill
! fractures TO hare been caused by the
fall "a the baby from his mothers lap
10 The fioor?" asked Mr.. Jasnowski
Positively net the doctor en-
lphatically replied
fine dctor then went on to explain
that the skull fractures must. have
beef caused b. u severe blow. The
fracture OF the coliarbOne could have
beer caused by the fall, though, be
explained
Attorney Pound cross-questioned Dr.
Morse closely. BIZ. failed to shake hlnl
in his testimony siven In direct exa II
ina.'on. The doctor said he was q
years old and had been graduated iE
100 -
j AT 1880 the inquest was adjourned
until i:3o p. m.
j he members O. the jury. all mcu