Person:Sarah Pilkington (2)

New town and Queenborough District.- An Inquest was held at the Bird-in-Hand Hotel, Hobart, on the 10th and 24th instant, before A. Riddock, Esq., Coroner, on the body of a male infant of Sarah Stickells Shone. Verdict:-"Died of exhaustion from loss of blood and exposure caused by the wilful neglect of the mother." Sarah Stickells Shone was then committed for trial on a charge of murder.

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Sarah Stickells Shone, murder of an infant child
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Sarah S. Shone was indicted for having, on March 8, concealed the birth of her child by placing it in a kerosene tin and putting it under a bed. Accused, who felt her position very much, pleaded not guilty. Evidence was taken, and the jury acquitted accused, and she was discharged.

CORONIAL INQUIRY.-At the Bird-in
Hand Hotel, yesterday forenoon, the City
Coroner (Mr. A. Riddoch) and a jury of
seven, of whom Mr. James Cearns was
foreman, held an inquest on the body of an
.infant male child, found in a house in Park
street, on the 8th last. Superintendent
Hedberg watched the proceedings on behalf
of the Crown, and Mr. D. H. Crisp for the
mother of deceased. Dr. R. G. Scott gave
evidence as to seeing the body of the
deceased in Cradoc Villa, Park-street, on
the 8th inst., at about 7 p.m. It had the
appearance of having been dead some hours,
The body was blanched, as though from the
loss of blood. The mother told witness she
had fainted, and did not know whether the
child had lived. Dr. K. L. Crowther gave
similar evidence, and deposed to making a
post-mortem examination of the child. All
the organs were healthy, and the child had
breathed. In the opinion of witness death
was due to loss of blood and exposure. In all
probability if the child had been given proper
attention it might have lived, but witness
could not be positive on that point. Jane
Wheelan deposed to finding the dead body
of the child in a kerosene tin in the mother's
room. The mother told witness that the
child had never breathed. Louisa Pilkington
also gave evidence, and deposed that Mrs.
Sarah Shone (the mother of deceased) was
insensible for days after the birth of all her
children. She had lost two in the same
manner as the one under notice. They had
not had medical attention, and an inquest
was held on the last one at New Norfolk.
Believed a verdict was returned of suffoca-
tion. M. Shone gave evidence, which was
immaterial. Constable A. H. Ward deposed
that on Monday, 8th inst., in consequence
of information received, he proceeded to Mrs.
Shone's place-in Park-Street, and there saw
the body of a fully-developed child. Dr.
Scott was present, and remarked that it was
a queer case. Dr. Crowther arrived at
about 7.30 p.m., and by his instructions
witness removed the body to the morgue,
The Coroner summed up, and the jury re-
turned the verdict, "That on March 8 the
newly-born male child of Sarah Stickells
Shone died from exhaustion through loss of
blood and exposure, consequent upon the
wilful neglect of the mother, and not other-
wise.The accused was then committed
for trial, bail being allowed , in two sureties
of £100 each.