The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1858-04-13 00:00:00

CHILD MURDER AT HERRINGSTONE.

The inquiry into the (Attu of death of the newly-born
male child found in bed with Anne Vincent, single-
woman, aged 18, at Herrinptone Farm, on the 27th
ult., was resumed in the Council Chamber, Townhall,
on Tuesday evening, before Mr. Symonds, coroner. The
jury assembled at 5 o'clock.
Mr. Mantleld attended, and cud he appeared on behalf
of the unfortunate mother of the child- to ask permis-
sion to put questions to the witnesses after they had
been examined by the coroner. Of course, the coroner
would say no one was charged with any offence, but it
most be apparent that the body of the child being found
In bed with Anne Vinoent she was placed in a position
in which the evidence adduced would affect her very
materially. He did not claim the privilege as • right,
though the practise was common, especially in London,
and he promised that the inquiry should not be pro-
tracted by him.
The Cotoner said he should be very happy to put any
question Mr. Manfield might suggest; but he was of
opinion that in an inquiry of this sort, where really
there was no charge, and which in fact wu only an in-
vestigation into the cause of death, until the point was
disposed of sato how the death arose, the institution of
questions by counsel was not allowable.
Mr. Manfield said, after • verdict he could be of no
assistance to his unfortunate client. The power he
asked, however, was only to be granted in the coroner's
discretion; but in many oases the attendance of counsel
was highly useful in eliciting facts—the great object of
the investigation.
The Coroner said he was desirous to learn all the facts
of the case he could ; but the jury were not no* trying
the question of guilt. Though uudesirous of establish-
ing • wrong precedent, he would permit any question to
be put to a witness through him (the Coroner) with the
qualification that the questions did not acquire the
character of a cross-examination. _

Mr. Manfield said the preoedent would not be estab-
lished by the present coroner, and thanked him for the
permission granted.
When the inquest first began at Herringstone Farm on
Saturday evening, March 27th,
James Vincent (father of the young woman, and
bailiff to Mr. Pope, of Sutton Points), stated that his
daughter went to bed on the evening of the 26th in her
usual state of health about 9 o'olmilc. He himself re-
tired shortly afterwards and woke about midnight, but
heard no sound. At live next morning he getup accord-
ing to his custom, and whilst dressing fancied he heard
a moan. He finished dressing and went to call his
daughter to make the fire. She did not answer, and he
entered the room. In reply to his inquiries she said she
had been very sick all night. Thereupon he called his
wife to make the fire and prepare some tea for her.
Anne Vincent (mother of the young woman, and
rather deaf), depomd that when requested by her hus-
band she immediately got up and made her daughter
some tea. Anne said she was very poorly, and without
raising herself put her right hand out of the bed and
took the tea. The mother then left her and went to get
breakfast ready. Some time after she returned to her
daughter's room and proceeded to straighten the bed
clothes* little when she felt something beneath, and
took out the dead body of a child. It was cold, and the
daughter said she knew not how it name there. The
mother at once sent for Mrs. Eliza Frampton, who lived
not far off, and that person remained with the young
woman. The child was then laid out on a box. On the
father returning to the house for a moment, between 7
and 8, he heard that a child was born, and at once des-
patched his son to Dorchester for Mr. Arden. The
father did not then know the child was dead. He and
his wife knew the daughter was pregnant, and every
preparation had been made for her confinement, Mr.
Arden, surgeon, being engaged to attend her, and •
woman being about to come and assist; but the time of
delivery was not so goon expected. On Tuesday evening
the first witness called was
_ . _

Robert Everitt, who said: I am a superintendent in
the county police. I attended the commencement of
this inquiry on Saturday, the 27th ult., at Herringstone
Farm. On that occasion the body of • male child was
produced to the jury. After the inquiry I took charge
of the body, and removed it to an adjoining room and
locked the door. I delivered the body on the following
morning to the surgeons, Mesars. Arden and Einson, at
half-past 11. I found it as I left it the night before.
Mr. Henry Arden said: I am • surgeon practising in
Dorchester. I received • message at 9 cm, on the 27th
ult., in consequence of which I went over to Herring-
stone Farmhouse. Mr. Vincent, bailiff to Mr. Pope, re-
sides there. Shortly after I got into the house I was told
the child I was to deliver the woman of was born, and
that nothing had been disturbed. I went up into the
room and found Anne Vincent in bed, and • labourer's
wife (Mrs. Frampton) present. I went to the bedside
expecting to have to assist the woman, and as I
was preparing to do so, I saw something covered
down on the top of a box in the corner of the room, but
not far from the bed. I inquired "What's thief" they
said "The child." Then I learned that the child was
dead. I did not know it was dead before. I took off
the cloth and partially examined the child. I re-
marked • good deal of blood coining out of its mouth;
dark marks were about the child's neck—in the front
and at the side ; other marks were on the forehead, and
there was • scratch, I remarked, by the side of the neck.
I found there wads considerable portion of the umbilical
cord still remaining, but no ligature attached to the body
of the child. The afterbirth was not there. The umbi-
lical cord seemed to have been cut. I then went to the
bedside and made BOMB inquiries of the young woman as
to how the labour had been over so loon, and before I
got there. The child was nearly cold, not so much so
as when we made the post mortem examination; but it
was scarcely at all warm. She said she did not know
anything about it; she had not touched the child.
By the Foremen: I did not look at my watch; bat I
think it was about a quarter to ten when I got there.
By the Coroner: I did not try the limbs at that time
to see if the child was rigid. It was laid out. I sup-
posed that it had been dead several hours certainly.
The lips were very livid—very blue. I removed the
child's head on one side and blood gashed out from the
mouth and some from the nose. I did not then ascer-
tain whether or not the young woman in bed had had a
child. About an hour afterwards I examined the young
woman, when I went • second time to the house with
Mr. Einson. I said there were very suspicious marks
about the child, and I wished it not to be touched till I
returned, and I should come again very soon. I came to
Dorchester and told Mr. Einson of the case. The only
thing I bad then observed on the body were the bruises
on the neck, and the long scratch on the face. I did not
then see any marks on the arms. On returning to Her-
ringstone Farm with Mr. Emson we examined the
young woman ; put the child on • table and made •
complete external examination of it too. The child was
a fine full grown male. 1 took up the left arm and
found a fracture, and then we inspected the other arm
which was also broken. The child was larger than the
average run, and certainly heavier than ordinary. On
the following day, about a quarter to twelve, I and hr.
Emson made a post mortem examination of the body.
We received the child from Superintendent Everitt.
)Witness then referred to notes made at the time of the
pod +Horton examination in order to refresh his memory.)
The same appearances externally which I have already
described existed. There was a sort of indentation,
which appeared to be made by a finger-nail, about an
inch above the left eye ; the wound was curved. It
seemed as if the skin bad been pressed very hard and
divided. The convex side was upwards. Under the
left eye were two similar contusions. There were two
contusions on the left neck. A scratch about an inch
and quarter long extended from the left ear down-
wards to the two marks. From those bruises ran a
dark line reaching round to the front middle line of the
neck. A quantity of liquid blood was coming from the
lips and nose. The pupils of the eyes were dilated and
the mucous membrane of the lids was very bloodahot.
Nine inches of the cord remained, and the weight of the
body was 71b. 13os. All the finger-nails were deep
blue. There was • dark sort of congested appearance
on the right side of the bead ; it looked darker than
the left. This might have arisen if the body had lain
on that side; but I think the body was on its back
when we first saw it on Sunday. We then tried the depth
of the bruises on the forehead and cheek, and we found
extravasated blood beneath. Upon removing the bones
of the head all the membranes of the brain were very
mach congested, or gorged with blood. The obscene.
of the brain was white and natural. The musees of
the neck were of deeper colour than than upon the

158,

1
chest. The tonfzire displayed several dark purple spots
at
near the tip, if bruised; and these ,narks appeared
to go soue y lute the muscles of the tongue.
The back part of the throat and base of
Wa found the tongue-
the tongue ere injunml.
root had bee separated from the tongde-bone. There
come fromf'the torn surface of the tongue and from irr-
juries inflicted upon the throat itself. The whole of fire
owfmtheatqhuaroatibetYhinofdctrguie wlainteddp
back part of the throat appeared congested. On opening
ibpleoodThinistwhi
muedppetOr
h.p.asr::
the chest we found the lungs naturally cooling forward.
ITuhnegscacanvkty.offaitl to he cheat w was
each
uralsidlye.ex
—the thynus—was of a natural size. The luny were
of A light pink colour, and appeared to have been fully
expended
1 xpanded and penetrated by air taken in by respiration.
''e heart and lungs weighed 3 on. We put them toile'
expanded,
deladrg, and n
gland
the
, ther into a basin of water. The limp floated well upon
I the surface and floated the heart. We cut off small
I portions of each lung and they individually floated on
the surface of the water. We squeezed the pieces in
I order to exclude the air, and then they floated. On
squeezing the lungs every part crepitated, and there was
I the sound of air coming from them. There were a
few dark blue spota on the surface of the lungs, but all
the rest seemed bright and as if filled with arterial blood.
The communication from one part of the heart to ano-
ther was shut, indicating that the natural circulation of
the child had commenced. We noticed that the midriff
—the diaphragru—did not project up Into the cavity of
, the chest, which indicated that the expansion of the
I lung. had pushed down the diaphragm. Also there was
I proof that fatal circulation had ended, and independent ,
circulation established. The liver was of a moderate
size and moderately full of blood; it likewise indicated
that the child had lived. The left arm was broken
right across, between the elbow and the shoulder, and 1
there was a fusion of blood at the ends of the fracture. I
The right arm was also fractured Cio6o to the elbow.
From this examination I ascertain that the child had
perfectly expanded its lungs and its proper circulation
had commenced. I have no doubt that the child was
born alive. I judge that it had lived a few minutes or
half an hour. The cause of stopping Its existence was.
' I believe, the injuries inflicted upon the base of the
tongue and the back part of the throat. I ehould think
those injuries had be n inflicted by some foreign sub-
stance thrust into the mouth. The mouth and throat
I must have been filled with • foreign substance, and I
' should judge that considerable violence had been used.
I because the muscles of each cheek had been greatly ex-
erted and become hard like tumors. The injury might
have been produced by, and would be consistent with, a
person's lingers being thrust into the throat and having
torn away what they came in contact with. I should
think that the child must have resisted from the muscles
of the cheek being so hard. All these appearances
might not have been produced by the young woman at-
tempting to deliver herself —not all the appearances, the
fractured arms, kc. I should say they would not have
been so produced unless she had an idea of inflicting in-
jury on the child; I don't think they are consistent
with her attempting to deliver herself in the ordinary
way. Those marks of violence must have arisen after
the delivery. The external injuries of the face and neck
might have been occasioned when the head was born and
not the body, or before the cord was divided. The vio-
lence perceptible on the throat, neck, and head may
have been done after partial birth; but the arms were
broken after the body was born. Supposing the birth had
been protracted the lungs might have shown the same
effects, and it is possible the lungs had become so ex-
tended after the head was born is to be so buoyant ma
we found them. The nail marks on the fees might have
been made by the mother in the course of delivery.
By the Foremen: I can't tell what was the cause of
the mark on the neck; it looked as if done by a cord,
but it did not extend round the neck. It was °ma-
chined during the life of the child, as well as the in-
juries on the arms. If the arms were broken by a fall
after death no blood would be effused at the wounds.
The interior organs were plentifully supplied with blood
and the child could not have bled to death by the cord
having been torn. The labour must have been very
painful. There was no evidence of blood outside the
bed, but there was inside. It was the first child and
must have been • very painful delivery.
Mr. Alfred Eamon, surgeon, said: I assisted the last
witness to make the post raortem examination on the
28th ult. I have heard all his evidence. and he has
described with great accuracy what took place. I con-
cur fully with him in his opinion. lam of opinion that
the child was born alive. I think the cause of death
MIA from loss of blood and suffocation occasioned by the
Injury inflicted inside the throat and at the base of the
tongue. The injuries might not have been inflicted by
the woman in attempting to deliver herself. The marks
outside the face and neck might have been caused after
the head was born, those I mean under the ear, front of
the neck, and on the cheek and brow. They looked like
the marks of her right hand. The injuries on the arms
were sustained certainly during life, the circulation was
going on whilst those injuries were received. The air
had been prevented getting to the lungs, and I saw
enough blood from the mouth to cause death by suffo-
cation. _ _ .. . .. .. ...

Bye Juryman : I cannot reconcile the idea that the
chill was suffocated by being under the bedclothes with
the injuries found inside the throat and at the base of
the tongue. The windpipe was oloeed completely, which
indicated that the supply of air had been cat off.
Mrs. Vincent, recalled by a Juryman, said: I did not
notioe any appearance of blood on the sheete before
getting the tea for my daughter. I put the tea by her
side, and she drank it, taking the cup with her own
hand. I did not stay while she drank it, but went to
get my husband's breakfast. It was light. She did not
get up, but reached her hand out only. I was at her
left side, and she took it with her right hand. There
was no blood on her hand. I prepared everything for
her, and sent for a friend to he in my house at the time.
I removed the child in M.'s. Frampton's presence when
I found it. I tied the cord as is usually done, and
cut it towards the after-birth with scissors. The child
was dead. The child was not warm when I took it out
of the bed.. This was between seven and eight. My
bedroom is the distance of a pamge from my daughter's.
My son sleeps in the room adjoining hers.
The Coroner read over all the evidence and observed,
that upon this very, very serious case, to say the least
of it, there would be three points for the jury to con-
sider, viz.—whether in their opinion the evidence was
such as to lead them to say if the child was born alive;
secondly, if born alive, to assign the causes of death ;
and, thirdly, whether the evidence pointed to any
particular person as having produoed those causes. The
two medical men concurred in opinion that the child
was born alive ; that the body presented all Viose ap-
pearances which indicate that complete respiration had
begun. Upon the first point these were the only per-
sons capable, as it seemed to him, to give evidence.
One of the unfortunate parents had stated that she
found the body cold between 7 and 8 o'clock. Mr.
Arden said it had been dead some hours when he first
saw it. The young woman appeared all the way
through not to have known that she had had • child.
As to the third point, it was difficult really to suggest
any but one person. The child was found with the
mother ; the child was found with the mother dead,
and with those appearances on its body. It was for the
jury to say if those appearances were attributable to
any person in particular, and if so, to whom.
The jury were left alone in the Council Chamber, and
after deliberating about three quarters of an hour,
shortly before 9, returned a verdict of "WILFUL
MURDER" against Anne Vincent, the younger.
The Coroner said be concurred entirely in opinion
with the jury, and did not know what other verdict
they could have arrived at.
The Coroner then issued his warrant for her appre-
hension and trial at the ensuing Midsummer Anises.
She has been in custody of the police ever since the
27th ult., though unable to leave her room till
yesterday. It is said that she is considered some.
what imbecile ; and the putative father is stated to be •
married labourer living in • cottage adjacent to Her-
ringstone Farm. It is not certain, but very probable,
that she will be brought before the county magistrates
ere taken to prison.

BOROUGH PETTY BIaAWNS, Townhall, Monday,
April 12.—(Before William Mantleld, Req.' mayor, and
J. F. Hodges Esq.) • Mary Ann Legg, of Forchngton,
was charged with
abenrri
e'f4,vaelduwe woman, was
the Property of
Csatenh:orllildnesoffniaenpdcice
keere,tta,nodfof
Rampisham. Prosecutor said he
attended Dorchester market on Saturday, and had
a stall in the meat market. About midday he left the
shambles for a few minutes, leaving no one in charge of
the stall, and on returning he missed some beef. He
identified the meat produced by P.C. Garland, but about
two pounds had been cut from it. He had bought the
beef of Mr. Medway to sell again to Mr. Beater, at
Rampisham. Thomas Burt, of Fordington, said he on
Saturday saw prisoner in the meat market for some
tune, and When he last saw her, about 3 o'clock, she had
a large piece of beet under her arm. About an hour
afterwards, on passing through the butchers' shambles
prosecutor salW him if he had seen any one with some
beef, and witness told him the woman's name he had
seen leave the market, and went with prosecutor to her
house, when proaecutor obtained the meat- produced.
Prosecutor asked for the meat, but prisoner appeared to
be very drunk and only iterated " You see, you see."
P.C. Garland stated that he received the meat from
prosecutor and apprehended the prisoner on Saturday.
She was in bed at the time he went to her house and
WM very drank. She said she knew nothing of the
matter. The Mayor said as so many previous charges
of • similar character had been proved against the pri-
soner she must be committed for trial to the next
Sessions. Garland was d Meted to preserve the meat.
—Thomas Lacey, driver of the King's Anne omnibus,
was summoned by Su. erintendent Pouncy for driving
on the foot pavement in Dumgate-street, on Thunulay,
It appeared that defendant went to the Green Dragon
to take up a passenger, and two of the wheels of the bus
were on the pavement all the way down from Cornhill
to Church-street, aml the horses trotted. The Mayor
said that the Bye-laws gave power to iinprison the
defendant for 14 days' hard labour; but, after cautioning
him and declaring that on the next occasion the law
would be fully carried out, Lamy was fined 40s. and
ss. 4,1. costs, which was paid. It was stated that the
danger to passers near the railway stations, canoed by
the furious and heedless driving of the omnibuses, WM
grown "proverbial ;" and the Bench expressed • deter-
mination to put the nuisance down.---Mr. Groves,
general dealer, of High West-street, applied to have his
name struck off as overseer for the parish of Holy
Trinity, behaving since the appointment gone to reside at
Weymouth, occupying the shop only at Dorchester, his
rating qualification for overseer being in respect of the
house and not the shop. The Bench ruled that if the
applicant had ceased to have an occupation in the parish
the appointment might be cancelled, but not otherwise.
—Mr. Keats asked for the magistrates' advice under
the following circumstances. He stated that he was an
occupier of land belonging to the Great Western Rail-
way Company within the boundary of the borough. He
had rented the land under Mr. Slade for three years and
a half, and had prepared for the ensuing crop. But
Mr. Yearsley, of the Antelope Hotel, had pulled up the
atil,ii.caji:'s fence and taken possession of the land. The
• tee said that being a question of title they
oo d not give an opinion. The Town Clerk said it was
a civil question, but Mr. Slade was bound to protect
his tenant who might pull up Mr. Yeareley's femme and
replant his own. Applicant then withdrew.
COMMITTHD TO DORCHRATIR GAOL.—.John Bow.
ditch, stealing brass pans, &a, Thornoombe. Serious
Henry Mason, and James Graham, assault at Weymouth.
1 month's imprisonment. To toed gaoler Silas;
Hurley, assault at Weymouth, 6 calendar months.
Char)es Monk, damaging door at Wimborne, 2 ealendar
months' bard labour-; John Bartlett, Pmehing at Hal-
sleek, 2 cakindar months,