The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1871-05-23 00:00:00

THE CHARGE OF MURDERING CHILDREN.

TeAlmony taken on Thursday at the Lambeth FoHoe
Court tended strongly to implicate the wry Agnes
Norman, who is in custody on suspicion of having
murdered several children. Besides the infant daughter
of Mr. Beer, it was proved that to infants, named
Gardener and Taylor respectively, had diet while under
the prisoner's care. The most damaging testimony of
all was given by Mrs Milner, of Park-road. Grosvenor.
perk, who stated that in January, 18,9. prisoner
enteied her service, her mother saying she was about
1$ years of age. Witness had four &aired, aged
respectively 8,0, 2. years, and 10 months. They WM)
all in perfectly cord health when prisoeor came to
service. Wiine.s was in eh. habit of going out as en
envelope folder every day. In February she went out,
leaving pri,oner and the four 'Andrea. When she
returned in the evening she found the youngest child,
Thema+, vile dead. He was lying on the bed. Witness
asked priaoned if she treated the child kindly, and she
said she bad. There was an inquest on the child. A
fortnight afterwards, on the 24th February, wittier
again left home. The children were left with prisoner.
About half-past 7 o'clock in the evening when she
returned she found Minnie, aged 2i years, dead.
Chore was no inquest upon this child. About ten days
attar that prison,q, was left in charge of the
two remaining children. Upon her return the
boy Arthur will insendble, and be remained so
until the following day. About six o'clock in the even-
in„; Arthur told li, r something, rin I in consequence of
what ho said witness leaked prisoner if it was true
wl,at the boy bad told her she lied done to Minnie?
Witness asked her if it was true whet Arthur had said
about Minnie being shut up in the wardrobe, and she
made no answer. Witness then asked her if 'he bad
done right by the children in her absence. and she said
she had. She also asked her if she lied done anything
to fiighten Arthur about • ghost, and she made no
reply. Witness afterwards discharged her, and told
her she believed she weld put her in prison, but had
not sufficient evidence to charge her with murder.
She alao r.usoned with her, and asked her if she liked
children ; and she said, "No, not mach." Witness
told her sho 641 better not take another situation
where there were any children ; and even if ever she
did to think of Tommy, Minnie, and Arthur (the
unseal of the children). To this prisoner made no
reply. Then she discharged her.—Crossexamined:
Was not told that Minnie was put in the wardrobe in
play. With regard to Arthur being frightened by a
ghost, prisoner said it was only in fun. Had no suspi-
cion at first that prisoner caused the death of the two
younger children. She now bad a suspicion that she
suffocated them. Witness believed prisoner stifled
them. Her reason for ssyind so was because they died
do stiddenly.-00arles Parfitt was examined, and said
be was 11 years old, and was now at school near Wind-
SOF. Mr. Brown, of 19, Temple-street, St. George's-
road, was his uncle, and he lived with him in August
Lest. He remembored prisoner, whom they called
Helen. Upon the night prisoner had a holiday witness
slept in her room with his aunt. He WWI awakened in
the night by feeling something hurting hint. Upon
looking up he saw Helen (meaning the prisoner) on the
bed. One of her hands wason his mouth and the other
on his throat. He felt as if he was being strangled,
and he tried to got up. He tried to make • noise, but I
could not. She gave him a sweet, and told him not to
cry. His aunt came up, and Helen was then on the
bed. He told her Helen had been trying to choke
him, and on getting into Hrs. Brown's bedroom he felt
a sureness in his throat, and his lip ITU swollen. Pre-
vious to Helen acting no to bin his throat and lip were
all right.—Croes-examined : Often stayed with Hales.
Did not very often dream. Helen told blur she did
not mean to hurt kim.—Mr. Bison, at titillatese of the
ease, ordered a remand, and the prisoner was removed.

A. resting place for the remains of Bit John Herschel
bee Ova trued in Westininstet Abbey, close to the grave
of Sir Isaac Neaten.
Mama. Stern Brothers have issued the prospectus of
the now Spauieh Six per amt. Loan. It represents •
total of £2,622, 781, and a similar amount has been
reserved for subscription in Spain.
A FAMILY YOUIONID. --The family of a farmer named
Harper, residing at Linley-hill, near Beverley, were
seisAl with symptoms of poisoning after drinking tea
on rhursisy evening. Mr. Harper and his son were
absent at Beverley. Mrs. Harper and a granddaughter
hale sioes died, mail other members of the family are
entrains severely. The cause is at present unknowe.
LODGINGS AT VSILSAILLNe.—A. oommuniostion from
Versailles states that the diluent* of strangers to that
plaoe is so great that some visitors newly arrived have
had to sleep in cabs. For • night's rest on straw in a
stable or reaoh•house the charge is 61.; • bed on a billiard-
table lets for 7f.; a pilot on a bench in • catit, ; any
one may try and sloop on a chair for 2t, 50z., or on a
stool, without • back for If. 50c. A.s for beds the price
is not quoted, as not one is to be had for any money,
Breekhoits usually charged It. 2:irs., are now 51., and
everything else in proportion.—(JaZigaani.
TIN TRIAL Or BUULTON AND. YARK.—ifter 0001Ipy.
ins sic dsys, the jury, al masonic' dedberatinu, sequined
the de(elAlehte on ail the counts or the Li:Wit:among,
and the verdict waa received with mach applause by
the fashionable friends of the pawners who mowded
the court. Tue trial for the minor offence—for walking
'beetroots in women's clothes—was postponed, but the
prosecution will probably be orntent with the severe
condemnation of the prisoners' conduct expressed by
the lord Chief Justice ; and it Is hoped that the public
will be saved • repetition of the scandalous details.

A biaLaGIII 'TALL ISOM ilinirminerila- IT-The
peintefol village of Soidlesboroup,h, near to Dunstable,
the seat of the straw plaiting branch of manufacture,
was disturbed from its woated propriety by a rumour
that certain of the unsu.speosing villagers had been
dining off "flesh obscene of dog," se rendered by the
poet. They were in no inconsiderable degree of excite-
ment. and experieneed no small amount of nausea on
making the discovery that on Sunday, what they took
to be veal, or pork. or lamb, was really the flesh of a
' defunct unddle-oged member of the mine non On
enquiry, it apperneci that a butcher, carrying on
Mumma at Deuastable—that old historical town—had a
fine retriever dog, whiah, in oonsequeuce of its
propensity for worrying pigs, was downed to death and
killed. A man was ordered to bury it, but, being of •
mercenary tUru of mini, he, alter disposing of its akin
for " • cousideration," dreseed the carriage, sad sold It
to • botcher of the village of gddlesborough, represent-
ing it to b‘s a toot. Oar knight of the axe and chopper,
whose experieuce abroad, it would be thought, hare
taught him to distinguiah between • dog and • gusty:tut
up the carouse and sold it to his customers, reserving,
however, use of toe priessetjeints for his own Sunday's
dinner. The hese wee bead one the nun day, end the
Os jokes bad o " novo off " wad Ow dotesisee.