The Telegram. — 1894-07-10 (Weymouth, Dorset, England)

DICT. —The adjourned inquiry into the eireumstancee attending the death of the illegitimate child of Eliza Plummer, whew dead body was found in the garden of a baker named Tottle, at Coleford, who, together with his wife, ix now in custody on a charge of wilful murder, was resumed before Mr. Louch, coroner for the distriet, at Kilnieredon Police-court on Saturday morning. Capt. Allison (chief constable) and Supt. William' (Froine) were preseut.—Mr. Ainee represented the prisoners. Toe whole of the evidence taken at the preliminary inquiry having been read over, Or. James Howard Kenrich was again sworn, and was asked by the coroner if he wished to add to or qualify the statement made at a previous enquiry that the child was born alive, and that it had distinct and separate existence from its mother.— Might the child have breathed before the separation from its mother ?—A. Certainly.—Was the respiratory action fully indicated ?—Yes, quite. The child had breathed. There bad certainly been reepiration.—Do you think the child survived its birth ?—Yes, but I cannot tell for what time.— Can you say that respiration continued after ! birth ?—I quite believe that the child breathed latter its separation from its mother.—Do you consider from your medical experience that the child was actually a living child?—l do,sir (sensation).—. Is it possible that suffocation might have taken place from any natural cause ?—W,‘' such HA tll.l child being delivered face downwards on the bed and there being no help. That might possibly cause auffocatiom—lt is possible, then, that death may have been brought about by natural causes ? Yea—Diel the lungs indicate any great or unusual effort of respiration ?—I can scarcely tell that. There was no rupture, and certainly nettling to indicate it. The lungs were spongy liad crepitant, and the blieed fluid.—Was the paper found in the jaws thrust far into the mouth ?-10 was between the lips. It was not actually thrust back in the month. The paper would not necessarily have proved a fatal obstruction to breathing ?—I don't think so,—Did it seem to you as if any lime had been screwed up in the paper ?—I did not see any.—Further questioned, witness said that the lungs did not indicate that robust inspiration had taken place.—You also said that the other organs were healthy and the child was what you should call a robust one ?—Yea that is so.—The evidence of Sarah Ann Plummer haying been taken, Elizabeth Plummer, wail called. She said that on the 21st of June she was confined. She never saw the girl, but was told that it was is female one. At the time of her delivery there was no one in the room with her, but Mrs. Tuttle came up soon afterwards. She never heard the child cry or make any sound at all, and she believed that the child was born dead. She had told nurse Rep nolds that she did not think the child would live. The foreman Mr. Fox well said that the jury had arrived at the following verdict : —" We are mane. fled that Elizabeth Plummer, wax delivered of an illegitimate female child, but through the evidence which appears very unsatisfactory we are unable to come to a definite conclusion that the child had a separate and distinet existence from its mother." The prisoners were brought before the magistrates at Kilinersdou yesterday (Monday.)