The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-07-17 00:00:00

CONCEALMENT OF BIRTH AT HALES

OWEN.

On Friday, the 9th instant, considerable excitement
was manifested in this town, in consequence of a report
that a young CO an named Emma Grove, serving to Mr.
Ge,,ege Moleley, butcher, ~f flagley-str.mt, had in ordered
her bastard child, of which she bail Men delivered.
The girl` who does not lacer the best of clout...eters, mis
noticed to have been nat. late, and it appears that on
Wedncsday night Grove fell down tie dairy stop. an
hurt her hook. She complained of it to her
and ei.lied If she should go to bed. Mrs. Moseley con-
limited, and she went to bed. In about three-quarters of
an hour after, Mrs. Moseley visited Grove mei asked her
how ehe was, and Grove replied that she was worse. Mrs.
Grove observed some 'symptoms in the girl'. bed loom
which excited her suspicions. On questioning Grove,
she denied that she had been delivered of a child. Mrs.
Moseley was not eatistied with the girl's answers, but did
not take env further steps in the matter till Thurodav
morniug. Slav went into "roves bed room, and on look-
ige abont she thought a piece of carpet (which was hung
before the grater, had the Lippe:morel:of being disturbed,
and on putum.; her build under P, she found a newly•
born child. She did not remove the child, nor say :103 -
thing to arouse the girl's .uspicione till the iiaito: night,
when ahe informed her of the discovery ale had made.
Grove knowing tint further denial was now of no avail,
admitted that it was her child, and that air put it in its
hidieg•place. The next morning Mrs. Morielev arose
early, and procared the assistance of Mr. Phalli', sur-
geon, who ex relined the girl, and then cominunieated
with the police, and the girl was taken into catoily.
'liar inquest was held on Saturday, at the Balls Heal,
Hagley-strent, before Mr. It. li,icker, Coroner. Mr.
Erasmus lienjainiu Phillips, .urgeon, said that, from the
appearance of the child lie should say it had been born
within 45 hours. Witness had minutely examined the
child externall, and found that there were no marks of
• nce outside the holy except • very slight abrasion
at the skin of the back winch was evidently done whilst
the child was living, it having bled slightly. It was a
full.growu child, and fully developed. The inquest was
then adjourned until Tuesiley last. for the purpose of
Mr. Phillips making A putt wortrne examination.
When the inq .est was again resumed, Mr. backer said
the jury would bear in mind that the enquiry was ad•
scurried for the pUrpose of Mr. Phillips making • post
•,1, IN, and proceeded to read over the evidence given
at the firmer enquiry; and then called Mr. Phillipw, who
mild since the last enquiry lie had opened the body of
the child, which took place as Saturday night the 10th
inst. The child was fall grove, and git iuclies long. On
openitig the chest, the longs were of a light reddish
colour, the right lung proj..cting forward thr front
of
the heart, being on the pericardince, fully inflated.
They were crepftalit on pressure. The other lung
was the same. I removed the heart and lungs, and
Owed them in • basin of water attached. The lungs
floated, the heart being atta,.bed. Ile then separat.d
the lungs. ant they ft,hted. un I were very buoyant, the
lungs being distemied. ear as the sea lay the naked eye.
The cheat was folly occupied by the lungs, end perfectly
healthy and natural. The cheat must have taken a great
many respirations to UV!, iitilAted the lungs. The pul-
monary vessels counseled with the heart and lungn were
filled with blood, with a natural &near:time. The heart
contained a very mall quantity of fluid in the right
auricle. The heart W4S; ho.ilchy. Tlm stomach was
healiht, COataillicist a little magus ; also the abil nninal
parts Were healthy. The venacava was divided, and
aloud. Otis ounce of blood in it. There Were no external
mai ks act Yr:item:a, except en aaiaraamaan On the back. The
child was born alive anal lived soma time after its birth,
an death resulted iron exposure to cold, mid frisi want
~f proporattendanets. and partly from lots ,d Wood from
the he,' string. Mrs. Moseley Rai tile lontt witassA, and
the Coroner said he thought they hied better begin her
evidcrieLl again. as she appeared to be Under sortie tniaap•
prehension on the last Oeimalun,
Mrs. Moseley then came into the room. She did not
appear to be so tainted as on the former occasion, and
deposed that her servant fell dose the step. She after
went to lied. and witness visited her at ten o'clock. She
still in
from
e4vi
what
beil unwell. Witness had her sus.
arousalpiaciona
hmuvimag 'anPel'hild. (Hove denied it stoutly. Witness then
searched the whole rimer, but could not fin I antthing.
Scat morning the girl got up /IR usual, and went about
her work. She appeared unwell, and observed a differ-
ence iu her appearance. Wituese did not feel eatialied,
and determined tam stake further search, and maw a piece
of carpet by a chimney. She moved it, put her hand up
the en iinuey, and felt the leg of • child. Witness then
went, and accused Grove of being confined. She than
said mho had bad a child. Did not inform my husband
of it till we went to bed, which was after twelve o'clock.
The girl had previ.nsly gone to bed ebout eleven o'clock,
the child being still in the chimney. The next morning
(Friday) went to Mr. Phillips, surgeon, to tell him slit.
Had previoaly been in Groves room at six o'clock in
the morning. I asked her to pull the child out of the
chimney. I said "Sow come. Emma, let an are what
there is; tot I won't go out of the room till you have
shown me." Grove was half an hour before she fetched
the child out of the chimney. When she fetched it out
the child was naked, and she laid it en the floor.
The Coroner here asked her why she suspected Grove.
The Coroner: Yes, and it is very hard for Inc to ask
you ; but notwithstanding, you must tell the jury.
have 'to" beganglehe to
r suspicions.cry "i n
tog it was very herd for her
Witness then gars her reasons for suspecting the girl
had been confined.

---
Iu answer to the Coroner, witness said she had searched
the girl's room. There was no child's clothing of any
description. Grave was an excellent servant.
Mr. Docker said he did not think it necessary to tall
any further evidence, unless the jury thought proper.
They had heard the evidence of the surgeon, who said
the child died from exposure. They had beard the child
was born on Wednesday night, and how it came by its
death. The Coroner then pointed oat the law of murder,
and concealment of birth. It was for the jury to say
whether Grove had a hand in the death of the child. It
had been proved in evidence that there were no marks of
violence on the body, except an abrasion on the back,
and that the mark on the back wee done while the child
was living, but that was not sufficient to cause death.
The Coroner also pointed to the jury that the law gave
great latitude to women when in that state, and that ac •
cording to the evidence given, the child died from expo.
sure. It would be for the jury to consider whether that
crime amounted to murder. After some further remarks
the room was cleared, and the jury considered the case
for about ten minutes. and gave am their verdict that the
child died from exposure, combined with wilful neglect;
and appended to their verdict that they considered Mrs.
Moseley should be severely censured for not giving her
evidence in a proper way, and reporting her suspicions.
The affair appears to have caused a good deal of ex-
citement in the town. The girl will shortly be brought
before the Magistrates, on a charge of concealment of
birth.