The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1871-07-22 00:00:00

Our fonbon earttsponlunt.
(We deem it right to state that we do not at all times
identify °mottled dh our cormasindent's opitmeuit
The news from France continues to be on the whole
favourable to the hopes and aspirations of those who
look for the gradual ran&ilitatimi --to use DM appro-
priate French word —of the country. The claims of the
legitimist appear to have been virtually wholly set
aside, and that simplifies "the situation;" the National
Guard is doomed to disbandment, and that will re-
move a dangerous element of disc, ord ; the trials of the
insurgent prisoners if the Connintne, if they be con-
ducted fairly, as there is every reason to hope they will
be, will strengthen the party of order ; and if the
municipal elections go off peaceably, and the extreme
politicians receive another damper, the entire positien
of Franco will be certainly much improved. Meanwhile
our el mutrymen and isamtrywomen are flocking over to
France —despite of that " odious document " the ISISS-
port, and this will tend to revive trade and foster
goat-
feeling between the two countries. But I think it is
easy to over-t-ate the 'sauce of passports. When
we have said that they coq money and cause trouble
we have said all, and, having got over this, it will fre-
quently be found, especially in the present unsettled state
of the country, that passports are tad whined their value
and convenience to the peasessors. At all events, what
ever the inconvenience or trouble, we must 'grin and
bear it." Depend upon it it will be along time before
the renewed restrictions are removed.
The great volunteer gathering at Wimbledon in this
year on the whole, perhaps, a better managed and
snore agreeable affair than the annual muster has ever
been in the history of the volunteers, and the shooting
is certainly highly creditable to the skill and practice
of our citizen sohliers. Wimbledon has been a most
attractive resort for daily crowds of visitors, while
the voluntee.rs seem to enjoy themselves heartily, and
to make their self-imposed duties and labours a
plereatre. It cannot be denied, however, that the
?Auden of the sermon by the Bislep of Manchester, ,in
Sunday, was not at all out of place or uncalled for.
Re told our volunteer defenders some home truths in a
thoroughly practical common-sense way. "Even
among you," said the right rev. preacher, "gallant as
are your aims, truly Christian as is your motto, even
among you volunteers the spirit of insubordination is
said to be creeping in, and duty calls to deaf ears.
Officers cannot or do not command; men will not or do
not obey." Rather severe that, lint is it not severely
just? Ilia lorihrhip's sermon is at+ much worth reading
as it was worth bearing, and it would be well if every
volunteer could have a copy of it.
The Session will pass without any Act to cheek
adulteration, though more than one attempt in this
direction has been made during the parliamentary
campaign. And yet we undoubtedly want an improve-
ment in the law as much as we ever (la A journal
that is specially devoted to the milk trade has stated
that out of 50 specimens of milk tested not one was
found to be genuine--not one. We have had some
disagreeable revelation e lately about spurious tea
—villanous stuff that ought to be burnt, and which is
yet sold to the poor at a nominally cheap but virtually
dear rate. And one other fact, among many which
could be stated: adulterated food makes us ill, and
then adulterated drugs are given to us as medicine! It
is to be hoped that during the recess some of our
legislators will specially turn their attention to this

THE ALLEGED CHILD MURDERS BY
A SERVANT GIRL.
At the Central criminal Court, in Lomhm, Agnes Norman,
15 years of age, a domestic servant, has been indicted for the
1111 l Met. of Jessie Jane Beer. There were three other
charges of murder against her. and also an Indictment loran
attempt to murder. She pleaded " Not guilty."
Mr. Poland, for the prosecution, briefly related the
facts of the case as they were afterwards in substance
proved in evidence.
The first witness was John James Beer, a jewelry
dealer, at 58, Newington-butts. Be said the prisoner
entered his service on the 4th of April as a general
servant, and she had to look after his three children,
the youngest, Jessie, being 15 months old. She was
in his service for a week in all. On the 7th of April
((lood Friday) he anti his wife went out to see
Sonle friends and left their children in charge of
the prisoner, they then being in good health. He
and his wife started at a quarter to three in the after-
noon, and returned shortly before midnight. They
. found the prisoner in an finnan& in the sitting-room
ayparmitly asleep ; and she got up. as they went in.
His wife asked how the children were, and she replied
they were very well. After hieing in the room a few
'idiots.s he hear I one of the children crying. They all
slept in a room above, which it was usual to lock,
there being some lodgers in the house. He went mi
and unlock.' the door, and found his second child,
a boy of three years of age, lying on the lioor, no
if he hail fallen out if bed. There wad then no
light in the room. He put the boy in bed again,
and felt surprised that the baby, who was a very
wakeful child, had slept through the noise. He found
on feeling her that she was lying on her hack
close to the will, with the clothed thrown off her.
Iler head was near the pillow nnd close to the wall.
The mattress was wider than the lied, but there was no
hollow into which the child could have fallen. She
appeared to have kicked off the bedelothea, being very
strong in her Hints% the took hold of her legs and found
she WM dead. His wife being calks' up, took the body
into the sitting-1..4m, and the prisoner, who WM there,
was in no way concemed. She sail, in reply to a
,Inestion, she last saw the child alive at half-paat ten,
when it Wan sleeping in the middle of the bed. Witness
on that toll her he did not believe her, to which she
made no reply. The child had had small-pox very
slightly. Every one of his lodgers must have passed
the room on their way up or downstairs.
Being croasexamined, he said the girl's wages were
:Is a week with biefiNl and lodging. The prisoner might
have been asleep when they returned home. Neither
the List nor the mattress touched the wall. The child
Wise lying with its legs higher than its head. The
coroner's jury returned a verdict of "Accidental death."
• He had not observed previously any want of feeling on
' the part of the prisoner.
Rosina Beer, the wife if the last witness, said she
took the prisoner into her service without waiting to
get character. and was preposseased in her favour.
The child on that day hail not taken much dinner,
which consisted of salt fish. When witness returned
I home the yrisoner said the children were very well, but
1 that Jessie had been crass in the park. She seemed
! reluctant to get a light for Mr. Beer when he called
from the bed-room for one, and she was not at all
agitated when she heard of the child's death. She said,
at half-past ten the baby was lying on its left side in the
middle of the bed, as she hail placed it. The child Wan
not subject to fits, but was strong and rather restless.
It wet teething at the time.
.1 Mr. Lees, a surgeon in the Walworth -road, deposed
that the child died from suffocation. On the surface
iif the lower lip there were two white marks, which
might have been caused by the child being pressed
against issue hard substances but not against a bed.
He believed that the marks had been made during
life, and that the pressure continued until shortly
before death.
Being cross-examintsl, he said he had known a pea,
or even a cold, to produce suffocation. He could not
say that the child M. itsi not accidentally suffocated. AU
the air passages were clear.
_ _

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_ . .
matter, and, when Parliament again meets, will give B- the It. , ourt :. Nothing m the appearance of the
mark,- was inconsistent with an aoldostal suffocation.
us such a measure as the Legislature can adopt, and
He formed a strong impression that the marks were
which will be easy to work, the result oof pressure. He could not say whether
Sight-seeing is hard work, but the Emperor and Em- the suffocation in this case was accidental or not.
press of Brazil evidently can do a good deal of it ; and By Mr. Morgan mums (who defended the prisoner):
A blow inflicted shortly after death might present the
they begin "is. early in the morning" that, they have
same appearance as a blow or a bruise during life.
" been, seen, and conquered,- before most of us have left
Mr. Willkuns another surgeon, said he examined
our bedrooms.
And their Imperial Majesties do their the child about 'midnight on Good Friday, and found
holiday-snaking Mato free and easy a manner as possible. some marks of its teeth on the bower lip. There was
Courteous, affable, and agreeable, they at once place all no room for the head to fall between the bed and
with whom they come into contact on a level with the wall. The child might poossibly, he thought,
have been suffocated by pressing against the edge of
themselves, and chat as freely and unaffectedly as any
ordinary lady and gentleman of the middle-class might the bed.
i cross-exsznination he said the appearances were
do. Probably enough, it is just because they take nollince tn i to.‘nt with ths. do ath icing accidental. He
matters so easily that they can get through 101 much should 'Ka; 'the' marks were cause,!. shortly before death;
sight-seeing.' There was moisten, in the bed, which might have conic
An important decision has been given by one of from the chill-, mouth. If its stomach had. been much
overloaded with food it was not impossible that suffo-
our magistrates, on the prosecution of the Govern-
cation could loe produced in the position in which it was
ment in reference to a working-men's club. Mr. 1 lying. If the lower lip had been sucked in by the
Ellison has decided that- the defendant WM something . (11l the marks might in that way have been caused.
more than the manager of the Times Club -that he : He had known in his practice many children die of
was, in fact, its proprietor; and that the drinking • suffocation without any apparent cause.
which went on at Drohibited hours was very ob- - Dr. So-allow gave it as his opinion that if Mr. Peer's
wh
as-count waso crrect, the death could as. not have been -
noxious to " those 'o were ooppotsed too the sak of enlental and that the pressure must have continued up
liquor during tin se hours," and to the publicans ; and ,to the time of death.
cosaidering ttie case against the defendant proved, the i The Common Serjeant said he thought that, as the
magistrate: fined him i::1 and costs. The case, of , jury could not exclude the alternatives as to the cause
of the child's death, there was not sufficient evidence
course. will not end here, lot is to be carried to a I
so o supatior court. The decision of this oourt will toeonvict the pri mer f murder.
prosecution said he
be inu ortant, inasmuch as it w ill certainly I woMedrd ni."f"-onila l'olgsis'lll:e'c'fovidence. ' '
affect other working men's clubs, and will pro. l
1 The jury, on the directio aof the Court, returned a
bably raise questions in respect to clubs lif a very verdict of... Vet Gailty.
different class. There are fashionable West-End clubs The prisoner was then indicted for attempting to
which are lomprietary, quite as much so as was the murder Charles Parfitt
club against which this Government prosecution was Elizabeth Palau, of 19, Temple-street, Newingto on,
directed ; and one question will arise Which may be tstitt her.
HeiVli'tl't}l.l:rashl:a, raf b.tTy"of.c2A): ri7iwtitil.' IC
thus put-Is there to be one law for the rich and Manic with her, anos 'one: day" in August last she:
another for the poor? I left him in bed. The prisoner was then a servant there.
On larger grounds than mere personal considerations, ' After being down stairs an hour she heard a stifled crY,
t and going up she found the prisoner in the act of ans very glad thaVthe first grand benefit 1-f " Jupiter
Pius ius," announced for Saturday last-St. Soithires ! g
Xi-L44 raff,i tt:ll.';'hl;.d:ono I 'trill': ilo'i'-'s.o .11.a.sr rteZitnitsiutlliati he
day-at some well-known suburban gardens, turned out ' must have been dreaming. The boy at Once denied
a very agreeable disappointment. The following had 1 this, and said that Ellen (the prisoner) had been trying
been announced : "the opera oof the Waterman 'grand ' to strangle him. She said in reply that it was untrue,
display of waterworks ; water fireworks 1,,y prof,.. r : tlsion which the lad pointed to his mouth and throat.
Wells ; Simpson oill Le in attendance at the '
, 111.neliralilazsl. sweet
ihnimhins
ostnt%),Ucthry,.whigehiem3toctioliit.licao
fix-.
tea bar; clef de cuisiae, Mr. Rainor ; "umbrellas I wards were very gore, and his glands ninth swollen,
and macintoshes om application." Simpson, the She had heard the prisoner Ray she WfiN not fond of
reader may remember, is the name mysteriously given ' children. She left the house a day or two after.
I 'harks Parfitt, the lad, spoke to being awoke by
to water when used for lowering London milk. of 1
; (sling a hand on his month and nose, and a pressure
course, this aqueous fete turned out a misnomer, and ! ion which
at hioithroat. He tried to make a noise, n '
St. Swithin was propitious, the delicious change in the 1 the prisoner, who Wal lying upon him, gave him asweet,
weather giving pleasant promise in regard to the crops, I and told hiss not to cry. His lips and throat were
the state of which had previonsly given so much con- very sore. He had not been very good Monis with the
viva; but he did not think that she was going to
cern. Our prospects in nganl to the weather are
certainly somewhat more cheering at the time of writ- Mr. and Mrs. Brown, relations of the lad, and living
Mg than they hav', been, and I can but hope they will in the same house, dejosed to questioning the prisoner
continue to br'lghten. on the subject of the attempted suffocation, and to her
Certain !eatures introduced into divine service are 7.:lioee Ise otalale,oefr tlsiiencterutlLonf
very
lfaitsd,testntimvaosinta
exciting a good deal of argument pro and C 0.,, to which nervous'Y, and would not be left alone. 'The witness
I shall not add; but I will just note one or two facts, admitted that the case had been preferred in elm-
The service.. at St. Alban's, Holborn, are of such a Bel
r
uence of other disclosures regarding the prisoner.
I character that it would be well for visitors to London
dwelt. Moon the'rn indikelY character
Thomas'
in the prisoner's defence,
-ter of the tram tion as
to judge for themselves. They will then form their detailed by the lad, upon the invariable denial with
Opinion of the propriety of introducing drums and wind which she had always met the story, and upon the
and stringed instruments into the service, and of having massy opportunities which she possessed of committing
a clerical conductor who beats time like Sir Michael a crime if she has! ever intended it.
l'he jury returned a venlict of Godity, with ayecoun
Costa, Mr. Maims, Or any other gentleman in that '
menolation to mercy on the gtound of the prisoner's capacity. I may remark, however, that one visit will youth.
not enable the would-be critic too form an accurate Mr. Poland, in answer to the Court, expressed an in- .
judgment, as the services so much differ, according to tention to abandon the other indictments for 'minter.
the calendar. There are other clenches M London The Common Serjeant postponed passing sentence
and its suburbs in which regular orchestras have been Zul litts'ekiedirlereoLuislertalitLinetxp session, and said ,he
introduced, but the church referred to is unique in the Goon in connexion withthe „theireti'"len rteac=ii li-
. t e
1
character o . f its services. Whatever the reader care.
... . _ .

may think of this matter, I should think few
people wouhl approve of other new features of
place.% of worship—happily not yet to be found in our
owu.country. It is well known that at Mr. Beecher's

—Tile prisoner, who sat during the trial, and who ap-
reared quite unconcerned, waa then removed from the
dock,

fashionable chapel in New York the sittings are put
up to puhlie auction, and knocked down to the highest
bidder. But the congregation who patronise this
gentleman have lately introduced a novel feature into

divine service ; they have taken to applaud him during
his sermon I The neat step will Is, to hiss him should
he say anything that displeases them ; and then " what
next? and next ?" But, to revert to music as an
element in public worship; it is undoubteilly gaining
more and more attention among all sects and parties in
the Christian Church, and fewer and fewer perhaps, in
'ham days when music is so largely cultivated, can say
la vain, with shill and tuneless ear
I linger by soft Musics cell,
Anil In my heart of hearts would hear
What to her own she deigns to tell.
The reputation of Charles Lamb, the "gentle Ella,'
is national property, awl throughout the country his
charmingly quaint and humorous essays are still read
with that calm satisfiwtion which is better than the
" sensation " which 14101111. .1 our modern writers like
to proluce. As lie is taw of my specially favourite
authors. I an, delighted to hear that his erewhile
..

....-
gracefully neglected gray.: in Edmonton churchyard
has been restored, and that a tablet to him memory is
to be placed in the church. Pity that the memorials
of 80 many of other f England's classic authors should
be allowed to be from time to time carted away as
rubbish.

When the celebrated Tichborne ease was on, there
were frequent occasions for laughter, and during so
long awl tedious a trial a little langhter was 11011141 CM
a relief to those in court, aml made the trial all the
more interesting to that onellivorons persorge_T the
general reader. But in so serious a ease as that agfiinst
Mrs. Davy, when the inquiry Is to ascertain bow a
gentleman cans, by his death, and whether the pris‘mer
caused it, and how, laughter seems to me painfully out
of place. .And yet on several occasions there was
laughter in court, and this at the most trivial and
commonplace remarks. There is a time to laugh, says
Solomon; hut surely this was not the tune; nor Wag
the Central Criminal Court the place.

PUBLISHEItB AND BOOKSELLERS.—Thb Ath,Cl,-
tiust, says that the same disputes between the publish-
ing and booknelling trades which exist in Italy prevail
also in the United States. 11,. retail dealers complain
of the publisher for supplyimt customers direct at a
large discount from the advertised prices, and the
publishers as ha Italy, defend themselves by alleging
the indisposition of the publishers to order their publi-
cations. The 4 ntrican Literary Gazate suggests that
advantage should be taken of the approaching
autumnal sales to convene a Congress of the parties
uterested.