The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-08-24 00:00:00

CHILL' MURDER AT KINVER.

COMMITTAL OF THE ACCUSED.

On Saturday last, Ann Edwards was brought up before
Major Fletcher on a charge of feloniously, wilfully, end
of her mal,ce aforethought, did kill and murder her
female Want child, on the 4th inst.

Prisoner was undefended.

'the first witness called was Mary Ann Fletcher, who
deposed I live at Stsurton, in the parish of Kinver. On
the 4th Atlanta, Sunday afternoon, I went to the house
where prisoner resides at Kinver Edge. About six o'clock
I missed her out of tho house. I went to the petty and
saw prisoner there. Blood was on the floor. I asked the
prisoner if she had been nick. She said, No." I asked
her where the blood came from. She said from her
stomach. I noticed dirt on the seat, and she had a spade
in her hand, which she was in the act of pulling iron
the hole of the petty seat I then called my mother,
and we both looked down the hole. I saw a child's hand
and foot. I then went away. The child was moving.
Sarah Fletcher deposed I am wife of Joseph Fletcher,
and live at the Rock House, Kinver Edge. lam aunt to
prisoner, and the prisoner lived with vie. On the 4th
iust I missed her about six o'clock in the evening. My
daughter went to look for her. and my daughter called
out, " Mother, come here." I went to her to the petty.
looked in the petty, and saw • child's foot. I fetched
a pair of tongs and got the child out of the petty. I dot
some water and cleared the dirt out of its month. I laid
the child down, and ssmt for a neighbour, Mrs. Hughes.
I then sent for the doctor and the police. The child was
taken jolt, the hone and washed, and it lived until half.
past four the next morning. I noticed prisoner's clothes
after she came from the petty. They were stained, and
she bat the appearance of having been recently delivered
of a child. I noticed that the child had brniees and
wounds upon it:

Harriet.- Hughes deposed: I am the wife of Richard
Hughes, and live on the Rock House, Slaver. I was at
home on the 4th August. Sarah Fletcher called Inc. and
I went with her to the petty. I saw a child on the floor.
I brought a cloth and wrapped it in it. I gave it a little
milk. I saw cuts and marks upon it. At the back of the
petty I found the spade produced. It had fresh soil upon
it, and appeared to have been used. I went to Mrs.
Fletcher's house, and saw the prisoner. Her hands were
stained and dirty. 1 told her to go up stairs. After the
doctor had been I examined prisoner, and found that she
had been recently confined.

Thomas Holyo.ake, jun., deposed: I am a surgeon,
practising at Kinver. I have known prisoner a many
years. On the 4th inst I was called to prisoner's house,
at Kinver, about eight o'clock in the evening, to examine
a female child. I found it was a seven months child. It
was living. I found four wounds on the right side of the
head. They were incised wounds. One was a severe
one extending to the bone. These wounds were from two
to four inches in length. The spade produced might
have inflicted the wounds. Besides these wounds, there
were others all over the body and legs, both incised and
contused. I was called in again the following day, and the
child was deal. I made a postmortem examination, and
found • wound over the right sar semi-contused, and one
it'd a half inch in length, communicating with the frac-
trued bone, causing compression of the brain, and being
the cause of death. I found that 'food was in the
stomach. I examined the prisoner, and found that she
had recently been confined. I have attended her since.
Thomas Fox, police-constable, deposed: From infer-
maticn received I went to Rock Houses, Kinver Edge. I
saw a child lying on the flo,r of the petty. It was hying,
end had wounds and cuti upon it. I remained thererantil
• et r Holyeake came. The spade produced I received
I . 1m witness flnghes. It had fresh soil upon it, and was
sined upon the lower edge.