The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-07-02 00:00:00

T 11.71 BABY-FARMING CASE AT
BRIXTON.

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On Monday fternoon Mr. W. Carter, the East
Surrey Coroner, held three inquests at the Idamheth
Workhouse upon the bodies el three infanta who had
expired trent the etfi es of alleged neglect and starva-
tion at No. 4, Frederick's terrace, Brixton.
Toe Coroner stated that two sisters, both widows,
had I•een arreoted by the vac° on a charge connected
with the death of the infante, and, therekre, he should
not at the fret sitting of the Court tak% the medical
evidence, for fear of prejudicing the cane againet the
accused perous, who are now in prison under remand.
The jury were then sworn in to irquire into the
deaths of two male children and one female infant.
Vac. Brat CA=O t tken up woe that of the illegitimate
child of Miss Jeanette Carey Cowan, aged sixteen.
Mrs. Cadle, 164, Camberwell road, the wife of a blind-
maker and china-shop keeper, said that she was in the habit
ot receiving women at, .Ut to e emit aml. Oa the let of May
kits Cowan was trouslit to her by air. Cowan, her father.
At 12 n'eloek on the 14th of May she was confiaed of a utCe
Oa the 17th, betweett Mite and ten t,'eheek at night,.
the child was taken away by a lady named (Imre. Toe child
then weighed 14,5 and could ant well. Witness next 5.W
Ike child at the policeritation on the 13th of June, and it wag
then his: IBM, emaciated.
Mrs. Mary Onerra, 1, Largliolme.villaa, Brixton, sal she
had a Manor named Mr. Robert Cowan. Has wile was not
living with him. Ile had a daughter. She left home lint
',arc: twelvemonth. Last Christmas ate returns I home.
Witness was afterwards present when she gave birth to a
child at the hsuie of the last witness. Oa the 17th of
alsy witness reessasti the child frim the last witnesa The
chi:it was taken to the Walwor h-road reiway start di of
the London, Chithem, and Dover Railway. Witness
that e met a woman repremating he sell as Mrs. Willis
On the previous day Mrs. Willis hail cello I at witness'a
home, alai said the wished far a hairy to tiring up en hey
saber own that the had beau 13 years married, and had
no children alai that her lot Ma. was passionately find
of them. Shs said she wool take the Is My f, rLi She
waa anded .C 2 and she pound it away from her three titues
saying that also did net care shout money. All that she
wanted was the baby. She eventually tonk the £2 and It
was agreed that she ahonlit call back for £2 in a few it -ye.
she never seat back for the .g 2. Witness ahonid know Mrs
Willis again. She said she tool in good circumstances, and
did not want money. The baby was given up to her at the
railway stati.m. Afterwards Sergeant Redo called up -n
witness and she went with hint tad, Freilerick'sherrace. Ile
ask .d a woman (the Meter of Mn. Wills) for Miss Cowan's
child, and she sail, "It does not live here." Eveatually
the chlhi was brought nit by lire. Willie It was
much emaciated, and whams said, " Mrs. WilSa you
have been etarvisg this child to death." Mt e.
Wtlls ream!, "Na I have nos I have date everything
I mull for the child. It has been snit:ring from tho thrush
and diarrtrea. I did all in my power to save the child."
Witneis then came away, and Mr. Cawo,, engaged a nurse
and tmik the child array. It was then taken to a house in
Camberwell, and given Into the carrot Mrs Rollie, a nurse.
It died on Friday night. After the child was taken from
Mrs. Willie it was at first thought that its life could be saved.
When Bak,. from her it w.le lring back with tut the pacer
to cry. Wltnese saw other halal :s at Mrs. Willis's, and sell
to her, " What is your &Jest in taking children to starve
them to death 1" and she replied, ") ara passionately fond of
children. The other babies ate nurse children, and I want
one to bring up as my own."
In answer to the Coroner, the witness raid that she plead'
not have known the child but for lie peculiar hair and nails,
It was so mire dlnliy s maciated.
Mr. Robeit Cowan said he was a musician, and that the
mothrr of the deceased wss his youngest daughter. When
the ch.ld was horn ho et feat Intended to have it Mott iht
its by is wet arse White he was neentiatieg with one
he 500 Mrs Willis's advertirenent in Lkyd's Newspaper,
lb receivod a reply, signed " Mary Willis." In noose-
atomics of that alter be went to the Camberwell Non-nand
station of the London, Chaohano, and Darer Railway. and
waited an hoar. He then left. The next morning he re-
ceive I a letter tined "Mary Wills," stating that she hat
arrive-1 at the elation just after he hot left, and she made
another appointment at the Brixton railway station for
that evening, lie wont to the Billt on Cation, and he told
tile teket collo-tor that he was wattiug to eee a limy. After
wenn g to eye Mrs Willis for three imarters of an hour be-
yond toe Appollittti time, a la ly steppea out of the city train
and spoke to the ticket collector. lie pointed towards
witness, and she came up to him, and holding a litter said,
" I no, the writes of that letter. My name is not Willi?,
hut I have given that name a t that the chill shall rot be
taken from mt. My husband is the representative of a
huge shipbuilding fleet in the city, and we have been married
for Iw,,ty )ears. We have no children, but are p ma-inn-
ately fold of them, atel want to adopt one to bit, g up ae
our own." Believing her statement, witness give her his
name and address, and said, "I do not wiah yott to
adopt an illegitimate and without you knowing
It was then agreed that she ehould call on witneis,
anti also asked when the could have the child. No
money was spoken of, bat thit appeared from the adv..-
titemem, and it was fixed at £4 for the adeplon.
nets asked her to give him slut of what clothes she required
for the child, and she replied, "None." W.tness asked her
If she would not allow him to make a present to the child,
and she said "No." He then handed her £2, and she
pushed It back to him three times, sayit g, "Von have been
at a great deal of expense, aml I will sot take it." The
witneis then put the money In her hand attd sail, "Spend
It on the child." S're received the child that evening She
promPed to mall upon him again and bring the child with
her, hint she did not do so. A few days afterwards he was
going Into the Camberwell New-road railway station when
he saw lbw Willis talking to Sergeant Belie. Being struck
with her appearance he bid himself brhiad a Ca' email to
watch her He afters. aids went with Sergesnt Rafe to 4,
Frederick'e-terrace, where he saw the child, hat it was so
altered in appearance that he did not know it.
The Coroner said that he now thought he could
dispense with the evidence of Bliss Cowan, as it was
clearly proved that the child was hers.
The witneso requested the Coroner that in justice to
his daughter, a girl between sixteen and seventeen
years of age, he should be allowed to make a statement
as to how she got into the unfortunate condition which
afterwards led to the birth of the child.
The Coroner at first objected to hear him, and ad-
vised the witness, not to make a statement, as it might
prejudice the interests of his daughter.
The witness entreated the Coroner to allow him to
make a statement, for all that he desired Wall that it
should be published.
The Coroner then ga7e his consent, and witness then
reacts statement declaring that the husband of a lady
in Witten, with whom his daughter was on a visit, had
committed an outrage upon his daughter which re-
sulted in the birth of the child. Six months after the
occurrence her family became aware of the fart that
she war enceinte and witness then applied to the ma.
giatrate at Bow-street, who advised the arrest of the
person who had committed the, [fence. He then cmd-
niunicated with the county conatabulary, but owing to
the illness of his daughter she was not able to go down
and prosecute the offender.
Men. Mary Rollin, No, 14, Alma-terrace, Camberwell, de.
Posed that the child wan brought to her by Me. Cowan's
orders. It was dying, and in a most neglected state. The
bones were comb g thronglv It, skin, anti its stomach was
flat. It could not cry from weakness, .d it MO ant! ating
frsm English cholera. Witness g tee it the breast, and It
rallied slightly, but it died on Frlday night.
The Coroner said he oh-mid now adjourn the ir quest
noon Miss Cowan's child, and then take formal evi-
dence with regard to the deaths cf the other two
infants.

Sergeant Richard Rolfe stated that In consequence of
ins, muttons he had received from his superintendent he
went into the Lamheth distriet for the purpme of making
inquiries. On the sth of March he saw an advertisement
in Lloyd'', lievropap,r, arid lie answered it. Ile received a
reply on the Bth f Starch, signed by a woman, who gave
the name of Oliver, nicking an appointment to nieet his
at the Comb, rweE-road station. Ile was to wear a gold
chain and a Fold ring, so that she might know him. He
met her on the 10th of June at the station, and Ice th.m
dodged her home to No. 4, Frederick's-terrace, Brixton. On
Saturday the 11th of June, he kne,cked at the door of the
house, and he saw the woman who had represented herself
as Mrs. Oliver. Ile said to her, "Does Mrs. Willis live
here?' and she replied "No." He then said, "tin you
adopt children?" and she answered, "No ; what put that
Into your head ? " lie then asked for Miss Cowan's child;
and, after some further converatioe, a woman called out,
" Margaret ! " and Mt s Wit ia then came up. Witness shortly
afterwards s civ Mi s Cowan's child. it was dying. Upon
goinglot' the kitchen of the house he found lying on the
rein, under some chthes, flee babies, all about a-month old.
They were all dirty, neglected, and starving, and lupe ared to
be in a state of stupor. In another part of the house he
found five more chil r.n. In the girden he found a digit
of about two years old. He remote, d ten of the eleven chil-
dren hi cabin the I; mbeth Wee khonso, and he then arrested
the two a omen who were lathe house.
Elizaheth Currey, workhouse nurse, proved that the female
child died on Thursday morelin4. :The was very 11l ivhen
brought Into the workhouse. Sue appeared to be a month
old.
Car, Toe Stiller, paid nurse, deposed that the deceased was
suite, log ten the nab when brou,lat in. lie eyes lo,ked
glassy, and her ioily was this. She weighed 4ili. IcC
Mrs. Caroline Hewett, nurse sail that the male child was
about a mouth old. fle died on Sundi,y. Ile had every care
while in the workhouse.
Mrs. C istle, 184, Camberwell-road, the lettuces in the
case of Miss Cowan'. child, Went:lied the bodies of the
male and female children as being two of the 11 children
found by the police at the house of Mrs. Willis, on the 11th
of June.
The Coroner slid he should now adjourn the inquest
until Friday.

At the Lambeth Police-court, on Tuff d Ay, Margaret
Watere, and her sister, Sarah Ellis, were further ex-
amined in relation to the charge of baby-farming.
Mr. Poland appeared to prosecute on the part of the
Treasury; Captain Baines, the Superintendent of the
District. and Superintendent Gernon attended on the
part of the Commissioners of Police ; Mr. Moore, for
the Associate Institute for the Protection of Women,
watched the case.
. _

Mr. Poland mentioned that post.mortem examina-
tions were to be made of thebocbes of the three children
who had died, and he should, on the present occasion,
be able to trace some of the clothes of the children to
the residence of the prisoners. Further publicity to

the proceedings would, no doubt, be given, which
might induce other persons to o one forward.
The first witness called, Mr. Robert Tussey Cowan,
repeated the evidence he gave at the inquest ; of ter
which Mr. Poland read the followirg letter, received
by Mr. Cowan, from the prisoner Waters :-
reply to your letter. I beg to say we are not wil-
ling to give our address. It taking a elitist, we ivieli to do so
entirely, Lever to tb: claimed We base I,en married many
years. Ant are without a family, and ore determined upon
brirging a little one up as our Own. My constant care shall
be fir the child, snot es my thug which will be for the child's
eoinf.o t shall be strictly studied Sir ,nid ycn think more of
this, and write when and where I can sea you, and how I
know 3 cc, we Shall feel oblige I. We have had several
letters, and are mixt ors to decide whose child we shall take.
Yours respectfully, Id. Willis."
M. Mayo, for the prisoners, crass-examined the
witness; who on re-examination said he would not
have parted with the child if he had not believed it
W:44 going to a good home.
After some further evidence had haen given, the pri-
soners were remanded.