The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1871-07-08 00:00:00

TOAST AM) SENTIMEN IS.
'The Ladies! ''
May Woman, radiant with eternal mallet
lie et French petroleum cut on British Iglu!
—Punch.
_
A TRIPLE MURDER.

At the borough police-court, at Wigan, on Monslay.
Ann Burns, who had given herself into custody on her
own confession of having murdered her ster father
twelve months ago was placed in the dock, and the
Chief C instable (Mr. Simm), in applying for a remand,
made a statement in which were some frightful dis-
closures of immorality and crime. The C,.ief Constae
Me said theprisoner was charged with murdrting an old
man named Edward M'Gravey, with whom, along with
her mother, to whom the deceased was married, she
had lived for many years. It appear d that the
prisoner bad had five children by her stepfather,
and that some of these were actually born
during the life-tiro, of her mother. On Satur-
day morning the prisoner went to the police-office
and asked for the Chief Constable to whom she
made a confession, which he had reduced to
writing. In this statement she said the had lived a
long time with her stepfather' and that many people
believed her to be his wife. One night, rather more
than twelve months ago, she gave him some washing
liquor mixed in his medicine, and about a week after-
wards she bought a pennyworth of white precipitate.
She did not give it him all at once, but twice gave him
some in lukewarm water and threw the rest away.
About a fortnight afterwards the old man died. She
was tempted to murder him because he was insured
In several societies, and since his death she bad
drawn nearly £3O. After his death she could not
rest; " something" told her rhe must give herself up
to the police, and at length she did se:. This state-
meat, said Mr. Simm, had been carefully read over to
' her, and she said it was all true. The medical man, Dr.
' Reilly, who attended the deceased, had since died.
There had been no opportunity to get op the case, and a
remand was therefore requested. Before the Bench
made any order he (Mr. Simm) would read another
confession she had made that morning, which related
to two murders perpetrated about thirty years ago.
Shortly before the Court opened she sent for him, and
said that she had not told him all she had done. She
murdered the two children she had by M'Gravey about
thirty years since. At that time her mother
(M'Gravey's wife) was living with them, and her
mother knew about the children. The firet was buried
by her mother, but prisoner did not know where, and
the second was buried by some other woman. In con-
clueion Mr. Slinm said that, whatever doubt there
might be as to whether the d _ceased M'Gravey had
died from the effectaof the precipitate,—and according
to her statement he did not die until a fortnight after
it was admirdstered,—there was clearly an intention to
murder if she had told the Until. _ .

Ann Duffy was called to prove the death of
M'Gravey, and that the prisoner was living with him
at the time. So far as witness could tell, prisoner
lived with deceased as his wife, and was a good woman
to him. In reply to the ususl coestions, the prisoner,
who is about 50 years of age, and who looked very
haggard and careworn, sail she bad nothing to eay
concerning the remand. The statement she made to
the Chief Constable was, sLe said true.
The prisoner wee then remanded.

The condition of the woman in custody has caused
considerable alarm to theme who have her in charge.
She has partaken of very little food, and though there
is no appestat roof excitement it is plain she is gradually
sinking. She s ys she gets no !deep at all, and her
appearance goes far to prove it. On Tuesday morning
she was medically examined by Mr. 'Cowin, surgeon
to the police force, in the presence of the Mayor,
Messrs. Wall and Bonland, and Dr. It iscroft,
borough magistrates. The surgeon said that on
a cursory examination he was usable to detect
the slightest trace of insanity, but to give a positive
opinion a more methodical inquiry was nec.seery.
The mattistrates directed the removal of the woman to
the workhouse, where Mr. linwin was directid to
attend her. Soe adheres closely to her story of the
tnve oul lisps rb.• Las hod no pewe of mit:d
for a log time, and particolsily during the lest twelve
months. She has never beets so excited as elle was
when ehe commenced her first confespion to the chief
conetahle, when for a few mnmeuta she was hardly
intelligible, but she calmed down and told the straight-
forward story which she has never varied. It hats lseen
ascertained that M'ilrarey, the stepfather, said to
have been poisoned, although prisoner otitAlued nearly
£3O after his death, was interred as a !wiper, and an
exhumation of his body will be attended with con.
siderable difficulty, as it ;be in a grave beueath several
other corpses, which it will he necessary to disturb.