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Old 15-08-2016, 09:34 AM
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Default Baby in Quarry Pond.

Morpeth Herald 4 December 1858

Body of a Child Found. — An inquest was held before J.J.Hardy, Esq, coroner for North Northumberland, on the body of the child found dead in a pond, in a field belonging to Mr Richardson, farmer, Chester House, Acklington. The first witness sworn was Henry Young, farm steward. He said — I was going through my farm stock on Saturday morning last, about eight o'clock, when I discovered something floating upon the pond in the Quarry Field. It appeared to be a bundle. I got a long hay-fork and drew it towards me, and then I felt it with my hands. Eventually, I took my knife and cut a hole, when I saw that it was the body of a child. I give information to my master, and then went for policeman Grey, who was stationed at Amble. The outside of the bundle was a red handkerchief with white spots, and it was fastened with a string, that string having a loop at one end as though for fastening it, by some means to the bottom of the pond. As the coroner's jury could only inquire into the cause of death (having nothing to do with the concealment) it was necessary to know whether, in this case, there had ever been life. Thereupon, W. Somerville Miller, M.D., surgeon was sworn. He said, — I am a surgeon, residing at Alnwick. I have made an external examination of the body of the child. It is that of a full-grown, or mature child, but there is no appearance of any violence having been done to it. Partial decomposition has set in in several parts. If it had been under the water all the while, at this season of the year, it may have been as long as five or six weeks since the birth of the child. It would be quite impossible, without the post-mortem examination, to say whether it had been alive or dead; and even then, my opinion would probably only be an approximate one. I may not be able to say, with certainty, whether or not there had been life. There was no ligature applied to the umbilical cord. At this stage, the Coroner put it to the jury whether or not he should order a post-mortem examination. After deliberation, they returned an open verdict of "Found dead." The body was then handed over to superintendent Marshall, of the police force, with warrant for internment. The police have two parties — a man and a woman — in custody, on charges of concealment of birth. They will be tried at the assizes next week.
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