The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1862-05-06 00:00:00

the child, when found, were, however, in so decom-
posed a state that it was impossible to tell whether
it had been born alive, and an open verdict, after an
investigation which lasted nine hours, was returned.
On Monday week, Jane Tuck, who is described as a
respectably-attired young woman, manifestly in
great distress of mind, was charged at the
Worshipstreet police-court, Lohdon, upon her own
confession, with having committed the above offence.
Inspector Webster, of the N division, said : About 12
o'clock last night (Sunday) the prisoner came to me
at the Robert-street station, in Heaton, and at once
observed, "I wish to give myself up for having con-
cealed the birth of a still-born child." 1 gave her
the usual caution, and she thee made the following
statement :—" My name is Jane Tuck, and am now
lodging at 80, St. Paul-street, Finsbury. In the
month of January last I gave birth to a still-born
female child while in the service of Mrs. Brett, of
Westborough, Wimborne, Dorsetahire. I after-
wards buried it in the garden there, but it was
found by Gower, the gardener, three weeks since.
To him and his wife I made the coufesaion that the
child was mine; and on Friday, the 4th instant, I
arrived in London, and went to the Servants' Home,
196, High Holborn." The inspector added, upon
this statement, I took her into custody. She appeared
to be in great mental anguish, and has been very ill
ever Since. Upon inquiry 1 found that she bad
been lodging in St. Paul-street, as stated, and that
a woman came yesterday to give information that an
officer bad called at the Servants' Home. The books
at that establishment notify her having been an
inmate there; and the Police Gazette of the
17th instant gives a full description of her as
being wanted by Superintendent Boynton of the
Dorsctshire const•ibulary, for the offence in
question. She was allowed to be seated during
the examination. She subsequently stated that
she had been in the service of Mrs. Brett about
nine months as a cook, and that she was 24 years
years of age, and that until the discovery of the
secreted body not any person upon the prem'aes
know of her previous condition. She was remanded
for a week, and Supt. Baynton was communicated
with. Oa Monday Sept. Boynton attended the
police-office at Worship-street, when the prisoner
was given up to him.—On Friday last the prisoner
was brought before C. J. Parke, Esq.' Major Port-
man, Rev. C. J. Glyn, J. T. Baskett, Esq., and St.
John Coventry, Esq., when the following evidence
was given : —P. C. Benjamin Smith said on the sth
April last,in consequence of information he received,
he sent to the house of Aire. Brett, in the•West-
borough. He saw Henry Gower, Mrs. Bras gar-
dener, and went into the garden, where witness
dug up the body of a child, wrapped in a piece of
canvass, and in an advanced state of decomposition.
He took it to the Union Workhouse. A coroner's
inquest had, been held on the body. The body had
been buried about 20 iuches beneath the surface of
the ground. There was no difficulty in seeing it
was the body, of • child.—Henry Gamer said he had
attended to Mrs. Brett' e garden ever since she had
lived there. She left home somewhere about Christ.
mu, and remained away somewhere aboatjthree
months. The prisoner alone was left in the house.
Witness went to the house in January, and rang the
bell, but no one answered the door. He went to
the house again in the afternoon, and the prisoner
came to the door. She had a shawl thrown over her
head, and asked him to send his wife in to get a cup
of tea for her. About a week afterwards he went
to the ash-pit to spread the ashes over the ground in
the garden. As be was spreading the ashes,
h i
e saw a parcel tied up n an old cloth.
He thought something 'like a bone was
sticking out, but lie did not examine it. It smelt
a little, and he buried it in the garden, and after-
wards
told his wife. He had no suspicion that
anything was wrong. He could not recollect how
long this was ago. It was after Christmas—perhaps
it was three mouths ago. He sewed the first sowing
of peas about a month after Christmas. This ISM
just after the second sowing of the peas, which took
place about a month after the first sowing. Mrs.
Brett came home about a fortnight or three
weeks afterwards. She gave him *letter to take
to Mr. Baskett, the magistrate. He took this letter •
to Jane Wick to read, and when she had read it
she said "I'm a done girL" Witness and, his wife
took this letter to Mr. Baskett. He never told
the prisoner what he hail seen. When he returned
from Mr. Beakett's, the prisoner again said she was
"a done girl," and asked him what she should do?
He told her he bad " See'd summut," but he did'nt
tell her what the "aummut" was. She said she
would not stop to receive her " He did
not remember that he stated before the coroner at
the inquest that she told him to bury the bundle
"decent." Prisoner wrote a letter to her mistress,
and read it to him. It never struck him what was
in the bundle—he had not the slightest idea that it
was a child. What he bad said was like a bone,
looked like the finger nail of an infant, but he could
not say what it was.—The Bench told this witness
that his evidence was very unsatisfactory.—
Elizabeth Coaser said she was in the service of Mrs.
Brett, as nurse. The prisoner lived there as cook.
She had been there as cook seven months and a
half, and left a day or two before the coroner's
inquest. Mrs. Brett left home on the 24th De-
cember and witness went with her. They remained
away about • month. They remained at
home about a fortnight, and then went to Bourne-
mouth, and remained there till the 31st March,
when witness returned. Corner and his wife had
to open and air the house daily. When witness re-
turned on the 31st March she went into prisoner's
room. A piece had been cut out of the mattress
and a new piece had been sown in. There was also
a mark on the carpet. Mri. Brett was in the room
at the time, and saw everything. They went batik
to Bournemouth, and Mrs. Brett sent prisoner to
Wiraborne on the lst. of April; she also wrote a'
note for Mr. Baskett. Previous to their going beck
to Bournemouth, Mrs. Gower made a communication
to Mrs. Brett. —lnspector Webster, of theNDivisiOn
of the Metropolitan Police, stationed at Horten,
said at twelve o'clock at night on Sunday, 20th I
April, the prisoner came to his station in Robert- I
street. She was crying, and said "I wish to give I
myself up for the concealment of a still born female
child." He gave her the weal caution, when she
made the following statement : "My name is Jane
Tuck, now lodging at 18, Panlotreet, Finsbury.
In the month of January last, L delivered myself of
a still born female child, at the house of my mistress,
Mrs. Brett, of Westborough, Wimbome, Dorset,
and buried it in the garden. It was found by the
gardener abaut three weeks ago, and to him and his
wife I made a confession that it was mine. On
Friday fortnight, 1 came to London, and went to the
Servant's Home, 196, High Holborn." Witness then
examined the Police Gazette, and found the par-
ticulars, that there was a warrant for her appre-
hension. He then took her into custody for the
charge on her own confession. He went to the
Servants' Home, and found an entry of the name
"Jane Tuck." She was taken to the Worship-street
Police-court the next day, and remanded to enable
him to communicate with Supt. Boynton. The
prisoner, who cried bitterly during the whole of the
proceedings, was accomodated with a chair. On the
usual caution being read to her, the prisoner said,
"I have nothing to say. 1 have Lade :11A-statement
to the Inspector." She was committed for trial at
the next Assizes.
LYTCHETT MINSTER.—On Friday, Freeland
Elkins was charged before the Wimborne Police
Court for stealing some rails, being part of a fence
belonging to John Plowman. The case was proved
by William Sansom, who saw the defendant carry- ,
ing the rails away. He was fined 125., inoluding
costs, to be paid in a week, or to be committed for
14 days' bard labour.
HAMPRESTON.—SamueI King was summoned
before the Wimborne Bench on Friday last for
obstructing the footway leading from the church,
en Sunday evening, the 20th ApriL It appeared
that the defendant and a number of other young
men were in the habit of attending church, of
behaving in a very disorderly manner while divine
service was going on, and obstructing the pathway
to prevent persons going into, or leaving the church,
from passing. Their conduct was so bad that the
case was placed in the hands of the police, and hence
this charge. Tbe Bench told the defendant this
was a serious charge, and if he or any of his com-
panions were brought up for creating a disturbance
JO the church they would be punished very severely.
This was a charge under the highway Act, and he
would be fined .61, including costs, and if not paid
within a week, to be committed for 14 days' hard
labour.
SIIESBORNE.- Comm Parr,' SERSIORS, Thursday,
May let. —Before J. F. Valwasser, Esq., sad the Rev.
W. J. Goodden.
DTSPOTRD Rionr.—George Gillingham, of Sherborne,
was summoned for trespase.—John Walters said : On
Friday the 18th of April, the defendant came to his
premises on the Bristol ,road for water. Ile told him
he was not to have water. Defendant said he should
have it, ankh° (complainant) might summons him if he
likei.—Complainant told him the pump was • great
expense to keep up. No one, save himself and Mr.
Upshall's tenants had a right to the water —Defen-
dant said be had been in the habit of borrowing water
there, and was never denied until that day.—Mr.
Falwasser asked biro if he was willing to pay hie share
towards keeping thetpump in ropairl—The Clerk said
that would be acknowledging defendant's right to the
water, which complainant was not willing to give.—The
summons was dismissed on defendant promising not to
repeat the offence and paying the cost of the summons.
Upon his stating that he was unable to pay it, having
a sick wife, he was fined 6d., and the costs remitted,
and a month allowed for payment.—The sixpence wu
at once paid.
LILLINOTON.—DAMAMING Al! EMPLOYER'S PROPERTY.
—Emily Ifolmes, aged 18, of Lillington was charged
with damaging a hedge, the property of George Dunford.
Complainant said on 7th April he saw defendant taking
dead wood from a hedge in one of his fields. He took
the wood from her, and retained possession of it
since. The offence was repeated subsequently.—Defen•
dant said she hoped Mr. Dunford "would not do mutt
to it.?'—Complainant said she had bees repeatedly
cautioned, ond at the time was in his employ. Instead
of being dropping beans, she neglected her work to break
hie hedges.—Ordered to pay 3d. value, fine 3d., and
costs is. 61. Allowed till next court day to pay, or in
default, a fortnight's imprisonment.
THOMFORD.—QUARRELSoMI NEIGHBOURS.—Henry
Gray, of Thornford, and Elizabeth Gray, bia daughter,
were charged with assaulting Charles Moore at Thorn'
ford, on 26th April. Both defendants denied it' the
female said complainant at the time gave her a black
eye, All the witnesses were ordered out of court. Cons'