Obituaries Australia

A coroner's inquest was held on Wednesday, 16th Sept. at the Sign of The Daniel O'Connel, Brickfield Hill, on the body of an infant, named Elizabeth Duggan. The child had been buried upwards of a week, but a suspicion was excited, that it had come by its death through unfair means. The parents were both in custody. After the Jury had been sworn, they proceeded to view the body which had been previously exhumed. On their return Surgeon Burke was called in, who deposed, he had seen the body; the only mark of violence observable, was upon the frontal bone, above the left eye. Did not think it sufficiently serious to cause death. The child had laboured under syphillis so severely it was impossible for it to have lived many days. The blow above the eye must have been inflicted with a blunt instrument. Cannot say, whether it might have caused death or not. In consequence of the non-attendance of a material witness, the Court was adjourned until the following evening. When the Jury were assembled on Thursday evening. Zachariah Coxhead deposed, he was at work about four weeks ago at a Mr. Doyle's, in Sussex-street. The Prisoners, Duggan and wife lived opposite, heard the woman kicking a row with her husband; she came to the door with a child on her left arm. She called her husband a great many bad names. She would not go away. The husband came out with a stick and struck her on the right arm. She had a knife in her right hand; was not near enough to see whether she or the child received the blow. She came across to where witness was. The child was bleeding from the head or face, near to the temple. He sent her off to a doctor with it, did not see them afterwards. The man did not seem to be in a passion. The woman was drunk. A Geo. Morgan, apprentice to Surgeon Burke, deposed; that he remembered the female Prisoner bringing a child to his master's shop, about four weeks ago. The blood was running down its cheek. He dressed the child's head. Did not think the wound sufficient to cause death. He then confirmed his master's opinion, as to the diseased state of the child, and was also of opinion of its being sufficient to cause death. Another witness was called but nothing essential elicited. The Jury immediately returned a verdict; died by the Visitation of God.