I heard the Child give two loud squals I then listen to hear the Child squal again, but did not hear it squal so loud any more, and as the Child continued to squel, it appeared to be a smothered Voice, I heard Lucy Smith, the dead childs step mother tell it to hush up, I heard two blows when the child was crying so loud and the blows sounded like They were made by something flat, as if they might have been made with a board or a strip ... on one occation saw Signs of a severe whipping which she give the child

I saw Lucy[?] Smith strike Lula Smith the deceased child ... the fater of the child came after me to go and see if I could do anything for his child ... the child was haveing spasms when I got to it, and continued to have spasms until it died ... one of the childs eyes was badly swollen ... I have seen her beat the child shameful, and have made her stop beating it several times, we have had quarrels about the way she would beat it

I give as my opinion that the said Lula Smith died from natural causes