(First degree murder)
Shanghai, Mar. 18.
On an information filed by the District Attorney, Mr. Leighton Shields, indicting ' Gerald E, Casement, first class private of "D" Company, First Batt, U.S, Marines, with rst degree murder, a warrant for his arrest was issued yesterday by the US, Court for China in conneetion with the death of Floyd Allan Sebastian, of 15 month old infant] whose bruised body was discovered In the compound' of the Jewish School in Seymour Road early on the morning of Afarch 14.
At the close of the inquest on the body of the Infant, Commissioner N.
Lurloh, acting as coroner, deliver.
a written verdict that the child fad died from criminal assault "in. Mieted by one Gerald E. Casement between the hours of 7 pin. on March 12, to 430 am, on March 13, 1941, at' House No. 4, in the Pacific Gai dens, Shanghai, China."
Casement and his wife, the mother of the child by a former marriage, refused to testify at the Inquest. Addressing the marine after summoning. him into the witness-box the Coroner said: "It appears from the evidence Thave heard this morning that a child by the name of Floyd Allan Sebastian is dead. The facts that have heard indicate that foul play hag been the cause of this child's death... Under these circumstances 1 am calling you as a witness, but I am informing you of your rights as an American citizen. Your constitu. tional rights are that you: can refuse. to testify In this case It you so desire, if you feel in any way that it might Ineriminate you, otherwise you may testify, but any' evidence you may give, may be used against you later if a charge' ig brought against you. Do you want to, testify under these circumstances." Casement briefly replied in the negative and left. the witness.box, Evidence of identifteation was furnished by Mr. Thos. Hardie of the 4th "Marines who told the Coroner that he saw the dead body of the child on Friday last at the Bubbling Well Police Station and recognized fas the body of Floyd Allan Sebas-
Medical evidence was given by Dr, Dana Nance who conducted. a. post mortem examination on the body in the mortuary of the International Funeral Directors on Kiaochow Road, Asked his conclusions on, the exe amination, witness said: "It is my opinion that the death of this child took place suddenly within one or two Hours after-a meal. The body was in all respects that of a healthy and sound child who did not dle by natural causes, but, from the evidence, from suffocation.
"Asked to describe the condition of the body, witness replied that the child appeared to have been well nourished and unusually robust. There were numerous signs of external wounds on the body, includ. ing bruising of both cheeks, espectal-Ly the left one, abrasions on the side of tie forehead, laceration of both Tips, with blood stains on them as well as around the nostrils and gums, bruising of the right thigh os if it had been gripped roughly, scratches on both Knees and injuries to the private wharts, Dirt or brick dust was ground into the skin in the fore-ead.
Continuing, witness said an aus topsy was performed and the vital organs inspected but no evidence of cerebral homorhage was detected ud the siculi was unfractured. The reek was limber, but no evidence of fracture could "be made out and Xray plates of the cervical spine taken ater, showed no fracture Asked how long after death rigor marti had set in, witness replied that it could be from three to twelve hour "The amah of the child, Lu Sung $5, s0ld, the Intant was known "Skipper" and identified him from photos produced in court. She had worked for the Easements she said, for the past three months at No, 4 Pacific Gardens, adding that the mother of the child whom she ident. fied in court, went to hospital of March 10, She Identified Casement fu court as her "Master" and went fon to say that "Skipper" was a good, healthy baby and didn't cry much, On the evening of Thursday lest, she related, Casement appeared at' her place of employment which he was fu the habit of visiting ever since Jshe started to work there, a one-roomed flat, and said he was drunk and would stay for the night, telling her that she also could remain in the premises Witness went on to say that she decided. to leave and at 7 am, the cee dean ae, aa, Hu ote infant, Rigor morris already had set atthe "Body was given ty" police Hie Aa tee ear m cee Sate "caaie atts
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.