On Wednesday evening an enquiry was conducted by Mr. J. T. Parker, county coroner, into the circumstances surrounding the death of Alexandra Violet Hulatt, the five months' old daughter of Arthur Hulatt, clicker, 4, Pratt-road, Rushden, who had been found dead in bed that morning. The inquest was held at Mr. Page's outdoor beerhouse in Pratt-road, and Mr. George Winters was chosen foreman of the jury. The following evidence was taken:-

Dr. H. Baker deposed that he was sent for about, seven o'clock that morning, and saw the deceased soon after eight. The child was lying in the bed dressed in its night clothes, and quite dead. There were no marks of violence. Witness afterwards made a post-mortem examination, and found the body well nourished. All the internal organs were healthy, but more or less congested, probably as the result of suffocation. There was nothing else to account for the death.

Annie Hulatt, mother of the child, said it was in good health up to the preceding night. She also seemed all right between three and four that morning, when witness gave it some milk. The child appeared to go to sleep, and witness pulled the clothes up over her and went to sleep. On awakening, about six o'clock, the child was still in the same position, on witness's right side, with the clothes over her. Noticing the whiteness of the child's face she woke her husband. Witness said. "She is not breathing, Arthur," but he thought she was, and at once fetched a neighbour—Mrs. Taylor—afterwards going for the doctor and a policeman.

Arthur Hulatt, father of the child, said it was apparently all right the night before, and he heard nothing more till his wife woke him at six o'clock and said that the baby was

NOT BREATHING.

Deceased was still on the right side of the mother, where he had seen it the night before. Witness looked, and found that the little one was dead. He fetched Mrs. Taylor, and then went to the doctor. On Tuesday the child was quite cheerful.—By the Coroner: He could not account for the child being suffocated, as it did not have the breast. It had been his wife's custom to have the baby in bed with her.

Prudence Taylor, 16, Pratt-road, said she saw the child the previous evening, when Mrs. Hulatt sent for her to go in, as she thought it seemed a bit strange. Witness could not see anything the matter, and the baby was quite cheerful when spoken to. Mr. Hulatt fetched her again just after six that morning, saying that he thought the baby was dead. When she went upstairs she found the baby dead in bed. It was quite warm, and in witness's opinion had not been long dead. Mrs. Hulatt said she found the baby as it was then. Witness did not ask questions, as she had to get back to her own children. Mrs. Hulatt said that she had not perceived the child any worse. Witness did not see Mrs. Hulatt again and never heard her say how she found the child.—By a juror: The child lay nicely in bed when she first saw it.

A verdict of "Accidentally suffocated" was returned.