Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-03-18
AUTOPSY SHOWS
2s WOUNDS ON
BODY OF GIRL
Father Beat and Kicked Her
Then Mother Attacked
l:.,- Her With Club.
After Being Beaten Girl
Was Left on Her Bed
to Die.

jamestown. N. D.. March 1s.-Fol-
lowing three hour gruelling, Mrs.
Dan MCDONNELL. mother Of Eta Nc
last Friday at Courtenay has been
under investigation by Stutsman coun-
" authorities. confessed last night
that kicks and blows administered by
her husband and punishment of the
daughter afterward by herself result
ed in the child's death.
An autopsy held Monday afternoon
by, the coroner disclosed that the
chiid's body bore 2S wounds. There
scars about the body and limbs, which
the corner said were due to external
violence" The body was almost a
skeleton. The verdict Of the corr
oner's jury was to the effect that
death was caused by conclusion Of
the brain through, blows inflicted by
the parents and secondary cause
was starvation. III,
Il, Warrants were sworn out today
charging the parents with first degree
murder. The hearing will be held
tomorrow. In. the meantime applica-
ton will be made to, have the remant-
Ing six children placed in -the chill
dren's- home at Fargo.
According to the story told by the
ch;id aarIv Friday morninp because
&c q physical ailment that was
brought to his attention by the ap-
pearance Of the bed. He threw her
,ae vu,ene,y W. as Mnnonn.,i ~. aaiS and then
iv;oTad, Ego' has .,;th he he.vv fieid shoes.
as1 Continued kicixinr and batterine
her for f,,iiv five minutes.
AFTER her husband had lessened his
attack on the girl. Mrs. McDonnell
usinx a board about three inches wide
and three feet long with which she
struck the girl four or five times in
tta back.
Mrs. MCDONNELL then went to the
Kitchen and. started to, prepare break
fast. About 8 o'clock the g1rl en-.
.tered the kttche on ana feil' arose an9
then fell 14ytn. 3. : ssldEp0nneii picKeo
her sup ana carried. 8. aer 70 t nsrs oeo q
where ene LAY -unconscaouns, tso ~ -, .
oclock-,n Ine sAr la. IA.
1 4l.sFnssts ,!s -. ~ ,eESsicia -
III |is.saraltSss, ~ d;st.,r+
~ ~. 1ns ,t!ts ~ ;,1Ut ,,,a Mcs
1s D,,s sa.I " ~ -. crn,vI ~ more ,.ean
pnns ennlisat erad a 81 TIE rai,rnad when
oHsrsrs iayt for Jamestown with the
r;soners
&A. Home Life. Not Ideal.
LIE IN tne McDoInen fanny ne ae
not been ideal It deveiopeo. Mrs. ny.
Donnell admitted that they all were
afraid OF him, declaring furtner tnat
he threatened TO snoot ner aDoue
three years ago. Inis resuneu LrT
allegations that she was carrying
on with another man. sne salo. =.
"He always said that Etta was n no. :.
his child, but the dauenter OF n snMt
other man, saio MRS McDoM 1r..
He also said that two OF the otner
children We're not his ,,s
not like the victim OF the sprutahties
because Eta saw her sitting IN tnls
third party's lap about two years ago
Coroner T. i. Depuy. Dr. W. w.
Wood and DR.. w. "A. Gertsh, VINO con-
Quoted thorough post-mortem al
Courtenay Monday. accused the par
ents Of beating the child to deatn.
Their verdict was that Eta McDon-
nell came to her death about Marcn
OF force and violence to her booy' ana
bruises to her head. Tnat deatn was ;s
direct result Of concussion OF the
brain, and that acts OF bruta!'ty were
committed by Dan Mcdonnell and MS
wife Eta Mcdonnell"
,1f Coroner Depuy declared To-Day
that the post mortem also developer
, that starvation was the contrloutory
canse Of death.
Three of the remaining five McDon-
.,ell children are underfed, being
nothing but skin ana homes, examin-
ing sphysicians report.
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