The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1922-07-27
EXONERATE ALL
OF ANY BLAME
Women on Judy Bring in
Verdict Clearing All of
Negligence.
DIED NATURAL DEATH
Inquest Is Livened Up by Init
nation that Child Might
Have Been Poisoned.

Generating all in any way con-
nected with the death of little Charles
E. Olive, the week-old baby which died
at it's home in Bristol on Monday
afternoon, from any negligence what
ever in connection with the infants
death, the first coroner's jury compos-
ed of women in the history of Kenosha
county, brought in verdict late We'd
nesday afternoon finding that the child
had come to it's death from natural
causes" No reference whatever was
made to the various rumors which had
been introduced into the hearing as a
result of neighborhood gossip, the
omission Of them being meant to ex-
onerate any and all connected with the
death from any differences of negli-
gence. -4
The six Kenosha. women who served
on the jury were kept until late We'd
nesday afternoon listening to the tes-
timony in the case. After the evidence
had all been introduced they came to
verdict quickly, all being agreed that
no blame should be placed for the
death of the child on any one.
Probably a Weakly Child.
One of the women jurors, in dis
cussing the case, declared that there
might have been some ignorance on the
part of members Of the family in car
ing for the child but declared that this
was evident in many cases where no
probe was even necessary.
In the adjourned hearing of the in
quest held Wednesday afternoon some
most interesting developments took
place. One of these was the testimony
of Mrs. F. ]. Auwers, the wife of DR..
Auwers, the attending physician in the
case. who testified that an intimation
had been made to her that the child
might have been poisoned.
81 had gone to the home to help lay
out the body of the baby" said Mrs.
Auwers. "Elric Boudin, the father Of
the baby's mother, came into the room
and began talking to me.
The baby's "a sight better
off dead than alive he said. What's
the matter with that baby is that it
was poisoned
She declared that she had been so
astounded that she could hardly answer
the remark and had only made it public.
after investigation had been started.
Man Denies the Statement.
Eric Boudin later took the stand
and denied that he had ever made any
intimation that the child had been
poisoned or that 1t was better off dead
than alive. He said that he might have
been excited, but that he knew he had
made no statement of that kind. He
cited the fact that there was absolutely
no poison of any kind in the home and
suggested that an autopsy should be
held to prove his contention.
There was no substantiating evidence
for the testimony and the jury felt
inclined to disregard it entirely.
Women Jurors Please.
Coroner Parker stated after the in
quest that he was very much pleased
with the intelligence and despatch
shown by the women in dealing with
the work Of the inquest. "The ex-
pertinent turned out better than I had
ever hoped" said Coroner Parker. 81
had believed that women would be best
able to sit as jurors in a case of this
kind and the result has justified my
contention
He added that in the future he would
probably ask women to serve on
coroner's juries more frequently.