The Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-07-24 00:00:00

DEATH IN THE WEST DERBY WORK-
HOUSE UNDER SUSPICIOUS CIRCUM-
STANCES.

CORONER'S INQUEST.

.
For Some. two or three days palt several rumours
have been aflOit respecting the death of a lunatic in
the West Herby 'Workhouse, Mit wt ieftaitted from
noticing it until an enquiry, which we knew was pend-
ing, would commence. `This course, we think, was the

fairest towards all parties, as the rumours were so con-
lictiag. Yesterday, the coroner held an inquest touch-
ing the death of Mary Anne O'Donnell, the deceased

person alluded to, when the following evidence was
given. Mr. Aspinall, instructed by Mr. Thornley,
appeared to watch the case on behalt of Mr. Shaw and
Mr. Smith, and Mr. Snowball attended on the part
of Mr. Gough, the governor of the Workhouse. The
following persons were examined :

Eliza Purcell, the task mistress of the workhouse,
said, Mr. Edward Gough is the master of the house ;
the deceased's name was Mary Anne O'Donnell, who
was an inmate, and about Friday week she was removed
to the lunatic ward; the name of the surgeon is Dr.

Nevins. I was constantly hi the habit of seeing the
deceased, she was violent at times, but had every atten-
tion paid to her by the governor and the surgeon. Last
Tuesday night the deceased had some severe fits. Mr.
Lupton, a student of Dr. Nevin's, was called. On
Thursday morning she had a violent fit, and I called up
the governor, and he came immediately. There was a

inaiie named Elizabeth Wilkinson in the same ward,

who had made her escape to the passage leading to the

cellars, and she was brought back by the governor into
the room where deceased was ; the deceased then became

more violent, and got oat of bed, and made for one of

he windows with a shoe ; Sarah Party, Jane Kelshaw,

Joseph Jones, the engineer, end the master tillor were
there. He tried to get her to lied ; the grivenior then

[eft the room, and went to the surgery with Jane

shaw, and in a few minutes came back alone. He had a
bottle with chloroform, and some lint in his hand, btit I did
not see him apply it. He rolled the lint np, with some

chloroform on it. He made the alteration in the lint

when going towards the bed. My attvntion was &awn
to the other patient and I did not see hitn apply it. In
eight or ten minutes after there *as a change, and I

heard the tailor say she was gone. The governor then

put his ear to try if her heart was beating, and sent for
the doctor instantly by the tailor, and Dr. Wilson was

n immediate attendance. I never knew the governor to

administer chloroform to deceased before, nor to any
other patient. I have known chloroform to have been

administered to deceased before by two students, and
thitt was when she was very violent. Once I believe it
bad a good effect, as she was very tranquil afterwards.
To Mr. Aspinall—There is a regular lunatic ward,
and there were only taco patimits there. hne Tf elshaw,

an inmate, is appointed as a nurse there, but I don't
know if she' has any experience in lunatics. The
Medical pupils come twice a day to see them, .and
_ .

Dr. Nevins or Dr. Wilson calls once a day. I

called Mr. Gough, and he got up at once. I can't tell
how long Mary O'Donnell was there ; I know her
three months, and she was in the sick ward, and was
then taken to the lunatic ward ; she was there about a

week and was very violent. She was in the scullery
before and got sore hands, and she was there until she
went into the ward. Dr. Nevins first saw her in the
lunatic ward. I don't know how she became lunatic

first. She got outrageous one night and Mr. Goiigh
was called up. I don't think Mrs. Wilkinson was right
when she was brought in. Don't know if it was

arranged to send Mary O'Donnell to Rainhill ; thinks
there are proper places for lunatics in the house; when
they get violent, we use straps, when, sometimes, two

or three men have to be called in. I was in Rainhill
for three months as an officer, and lunatics are treated
the same at West Derby. Never saw chloroform used

A Raiahill ; I would have put gloves on her and

strapped her down to the bed. The surgery is always open,
with the key in the outside door. Never saw chloroform

administered, nor did I see it done this time, but

I know it by the srdell. I saw it given to doieits, but
not to lunatics. Mr. Gough said, as she was making

such a noise, perhaps this would quiet her, or something

to that effect. A man had it a week before and it
quieted him, and he was well next day.—To Mr. Snow-
ball : It might be about three o'clock in the morning,
and she was very violent, and I felt Manned, and went
for ha. Gough to redder assistance, which I was sure he

would. When I called him he came at once. He
always attends to his duty. I know he is there many
years and has great experience amongst all classes of
sick; lam certain he did the very best, and lam sure
he behaved as kindly as man could to that woman.
Jane Kelshaw examined, said—l am-married, but live
separate from my husband. I am an inmate 'of the
_Workhouse, and act as nurse in the reception ward ; I
was acquainted with the deceased; she was quite well
in April, when brought into the Workhouse ; she soon
after complained of being ill, and NOad Bladed in the
invalid ward. She Aras placed under My card a week
last Friday ; she was quite out of her mind then ; I had
charge of the lunatic ward; Dr. Nevins and two of his
pupils saw her sometimes twice a day. On last Tues-
day niGLA ahe wa very ban; Wilkinson belonged to the
same ward, and made her escape about-half-past three
o'clock in the morning; the last witness was in the
room with several other persons, and the governor was
called up, and he came immediately. The deceased
was very violent—quite outrageous. The governor
asked me if I had any lint in the place, and I said I had
not. Ho went to the surgery and I followed him, and
he took a bottle, but I don't know what was in it. He
gave me some lint to carry, and went to where the
deceased was. I did not see him do anything with the
bottle, but gave him a scissors to cut the lint; but did
not see him put anything out of the bottle on the lint.
I left the room to attend to other patieuts. About ten
minutes after I heard that she was dead, I went and
saw her. The doctor was sent for. I never saw chlo-
roform given her. The governor is very kind to all the
patients in the house.—To Mr. Aspinall, the witness
said deceased was very violent. She wanted to break
the windows, and got out of bed ; when I came in, there
were four or five holding her. Never saw chloroform
given her; I don't know if any one saw it given to her.
_ _

There were four female lunatics ; and the reason they
were not sent to Rainhill was, there was no room for

hem ; they have been sent since.

Sarah Parry said—l. am an inmate of the West
Derby Workhouses, and am an assistant in the lunatic
ward. This witness stated that deceased was much
better after some chloroform given to her by rine of Dr.
Nevins' pupils ; but she was not sure if the governor
was present
at that time. She saw the governor apply
the chloroform to the nose of deceased whilst witness
was holding her ; deceased knocked it away from her
nose ; the lint was put to her nose a second time.
Thinks it was held to her nose about one minute by
the governor, and she then appeared insensible. In'
about ten minutes she appeared dead, and I heard
some one say "She is gone ;" • and he said " Is it
possible ?" and he sent for the doctor at once.—To
Ispinall : It is not common for the governor to
administer it. The first time, it was administered by
Dr. Nevin's assistant, who is about twenty-two years of
age. There was another pupil there named Bradley,
and they assisted each other. 'They applied it to the
nose. She was very violent before that. Mr.. Gough
administered it the same as the medical student did. I
was obliged to turn away from it. Did not tell Dr.
Wilson she got the chloroform. She was not quite dead
when he came. Did not hear any one tell him what
she had had.—To Mr. Snowball : I have seen people
very violent in fever. I had not the least idea she was
dead; nor did I think anything wrong was done.
Francis Ironomous, examined—l am a tailor, and was
in the ward where deceased was, between three and four
on Thursday morning. I was called up to assist, as the
two lunatics were in a very violent state. Assisted to
hroil . „
the lint in the governor's hand, but not the bottle.
Saw him put the lint to the face of deceased, who
struggled violently. The lint was held to her about
forty seconds, and she became calmer. Told the
governor he thought the woman was dead ; and he
sent witness for the doctor at once, and he brought Dr.
Wilson in twenty minutes after. Mr. Gough told the
doctor, in witness's presence, that chloroform had been
administered.—To Mr. Aspinall : He was down stairs
when he told the doctor. Lam not aware of the effects
of it. Did not tell the doctor she was dean, nor that
chloroform was given to her.
Joseph Jones, the engineer in the workhouse, was
examined, and gave similar evidence generally as the
witnesses who were examined before him.

Mr. John Henry Wilson, surgeon, said—l reside near
the West Derby Workhouse, and was called on Thurs-
day morning last to see a patient there. I saw Mr.
Gough, and he told me the woman was very much
excited, and he had given her chloroform ; he did not
know if she were dead ; I found her dead. I gave a
certificate of her death, and arrived at the conclusion of
the cause of death, as he told me he had only given her
a whiff, and there no smell at all of it off her, as I put
my head down to her, but got no smell. I have giien
it many times, but not in cases of mania ; I did in one case
of delirium trenuts.—To Mr.,Aspinall: I gave it myself;
never authorised a non-medical person to give it in my
absence. It is a matter requiring considerable discretion
and judgment ; I do not often use it. I think I would
not use it in a state of debility of a patient, nor would I
give authority to a non-professional to give it. I think
the majority of the profession do not examine the organs
of the patient before giving it, but I, think I should do
so myself. My impression was that chloroform had
nothing to do with the death. I was present at the
post ntortens and have qualified my opinion, and 1 think
it probable that chloroform had something to do with
her death—and I believe her death W 313 caused by ex-
treme exhaustion ; it is probable tha£ the chloroform
may have hastened death ; but, at the sams time, the
appearances are not altogether inconsistens with those of
exhaustion. I do not think a person hi exhaustion tit
to be placed under the influence of chloroform. The
opinions on this subject are various, and I only give my
own. The witness was examined by Mr. Aspintli, as
to the scientific bearing of the case, and said he knew

•
the deceasedhad derived benefit from chloroform ; and
he was not prepared to say that he wonii,npt have given
her some. It did riot matter the, quantity, applied. it
was the quantity inhaled that had the
,eitect. He,
in reply to further questions, said he still had a doubt
that chloroform caused death. He was examined about
maniacal exhaustion; and then Mr. Snowball examined
the witness about maniacal excitement, and he said he
was quite Piepited for the death of the woman. He
never knew chloroform to be giten In maniacal exhaus-
tion, but did in maniacal excitement with benefit.
Dr. Nevins was then examined, and stated—l am
medical officer of the Workhouse, and saw deceased
three weeks after her admission, when she was labouring
under acute disease of the hands. She was a maniac
ten days before her death. She became so bad that she
was sent 14 the ittaatio ward, and saw her often there.
Desired chloroform to be i.dthiflistered to her by my
pupil, Mr. Lupton, and also Mr. Gough, the goN:ernor.
I gave him directions, if she became violently excited,
to give it to her, and then send for me ; it *as the only
thing that relieved her, and she was much better after
it. She was so violent that it took several persons to
hold her. 'I was present at the post-mortem examination,
and I believe nothing could have prevented her death
but I think the chloroform hastened her death. I
expected every day to hear Of hei death. It may have
hastened her death an hour or two. Chlorol'th ()tight
to be entrusted to safe hands, and Mr. Gough assisted
me in its administration for the last seven years, and I
think him perfectly competent in this case to administer
it.—To Mr. Aspinall . I think the case was a proper one,
and I think Mr. Gough was perfectly competent to decide,
and I would trust myself to Mr. Gough's hands most
unhesitatingly. I think the administror of it should not
await the arrival of the doctor. Nothing but chloroform
could have saved her.—To Mr. Snowball : The witness
said he belieVed the chloroform had extended her life for
gthril days. Ife gate Mr. Cioligh the highest character,
and-said he was a most vaiiiable assistant td
Mr. Snowball—Then if there is to be a berdiet of
manslaughter, it ought to be against the gitardians.
Mr. Aspinall—From what I kridw of them it would be
Well if they were hanged. (Laughter.) There is only
accommodation for one lunatic.

_ -
Mr. Snowball—Oh, then the gdardians are riot accom-
modated there. (Great latighter.)
Surgeon Ayrton, who made a pelt morteni examina-
tion of the body, stated that on opening the skull there
was congestion of the brain ; the heart was flabby and
soft, and the left side empty of blood ; the right side
contained blood, but was not gorged; the lungs were
gorged. The immediate cause of death was congestion
of the lungs, which I believe was not the result of
natural causes ; it might arise front a narcotic, strangu-
lation, or drowning—as the same appearances are
observable in impeded respiration—but
.there were no
appettrances of strangulation or drowning. I heard the
evidence given to-say, slid the conclusion I come to is
that death was caused by chloroform. I could riot gay
that death would have taken place in an hour
or two if it had not been administered.—To Mr. Snow-
ball : If I had not heard of chloroform, I should have
suspected a narcotic. Many persons died of congested
lungs, but there would be evidence of the disease. There
is only one way that people die—for want of breath.
(Laughter.)
Mr. Aspinall then said the persons whom ho repre-
sented were only desirous of coming at the truth. He
did not attribute anything to Mr. Gough, except over-
ieal. He deprecated some of the proceedings at the
West Derby Worihotise, and said lie hoped the dis-
graceful scenes, for the future, would in put a stop td.
He then went over the case, and contended that Mr.
Gough should not have been allowed to administer the
chloroform; and he lacerated the guardians fearfully for
not having proper provision made for lunatici; and their
weekly indecencies.

Mr. Snowball then addressed the jury on the part of
Mr. Gough, and went over the case in detail, and said
there should be a medical man resident on the premises.
The Coroner then, in his usual lucid manner, summed
up the evidence, and said there should be a resident
surgeon at the house.
The jury then, after a deliberation of a fe* secotids,
said their verdict was, that death was the cause of mis-
adventure, without any blame whatever to Mr. Gough,
and they would recommend a resident medical officer
for the house.

The Coroner said Mr. Gough left the ceurt without
te slightest imputation on his character.
Mr. Gough was warrigy dongratulated by numerous
friends who attended to hear the cask

The investigation lasted till nearly seven o'clock.

LIVERPOOL POLICE COURT.-YESTERDAY.

(Before Mr. RAFFLES.)
ASSAULTS.

Charles Griffiths, a porter, was charged by Peter Murphy, a
carter, with having broken his nose. The complainant went
Intl) a public-house on Sunday night, where the prisoner was
pitting. and he at ones Made an attack on him. He went out
to al'oid,hitn, vTheri the prisoner: followed him, struck him on
the nose, anti according to the evidence of Surgeon M'Call, of
the Northern Hospital, the nose was broken, but there w'uld
not be permanent disfigurement. The prisdner tkds fined £2
and uwtN, or one muniire imprisonment.

John Jones, a sailor, was charged by Police-officer 141, who
said, on Sunday night, I was in Oldhall-street, when the
prisoner rushed at me and knocked me down. I got up and
grappled with him, when we went down again, and then he
kicked me in the knee and cut it. The prisoner was drunk,
and I never saw him before. The prisoner was fined £2 and
costs, or a month's imprisonment.
CHARGE UNDER THE MERCHANT SHIPPING ACT.

John Lee, a boarding-house keeper, at 42, Jordan-street,
was summoned under the 148th section of the Merchant Ship-
ping Act, with having obtained ids. {atm a black sailor, named
Saunders, for haring procured a ship for hini end another
black sailor, named Brown. The defendant is not a licensed
person, and therefore was liable to a penalty of £5. Mr.
Tyndall appeared for the prosecution, and Mr. Cobb for the
defendant. Saunders was called, and said he lodged at the
defendant's house, and wanted a ship, and the latter took him
to a house kept by a man named Clarke, and he was shipped
by him, and in the evening he gave the defendant 10s. for
having shipped bin' and Brown, the defendant saying he
wanted to pay Clarke. Mr. Cobb endeavolired to show, by
his cross-examination, that the money was gii'sn to defendant
for all the kindness show:; to him and Brown by the defendant,
but the witness denied that. Brown was called and have
similar evidence. Mr. Raffles asked what was the legal fee ?
Mr. Murphy, of the Local Marine Board, said the legal fee at
the Sailors' Home was a shilling for shipping and a shilling for
discharging, and the captains paid that when giving notice.
The defendant had no right to :my fee, as he was not a licensed
person. Mr. Cobh contended that the money was given for
kindness shown the parties by Mr. Lee. His Worship was of
opinion that the case was proved, and fined the defendant £2
and costs, the latter being Li 14s.
(Before Messrs. R. GLADSTONE and itostNflY.)
ASSAULT BY A BROKER.
Mr. Henry H. Goulding, corn broker, Corn Esc/Janne-build-
ings, Brunswick-street, was summoned by Mr. William Gcdby,
general dealer, of 2, Cunliff-street, for having assaulted him.
Mr. Bluck appeared for the prosecution ; and from his state-
ment and the evidence it appeared that on the 17th instant the
complainant purchased some goods at an auction, the defend-
ant being the auctioneer. Some time after the complainant
went to defendant's office to pay for the goods, and got :in
order for them, when Mr. Goulding told him the goods were
in a certain room : but defendant, on looking there, alleged
that the property was not there, and an altercation followed,
when the alleged assault was committed be- defendant, who
struck complainant in the face, and made his mouth bleed.
Police-officer 65 said he saw the defendant's mouth bleeding.
The defendant said there had been some mistake about a mark
on some parcel of the goods, and he told the complainant that
when it was rectified he would make all right. The defendant
the' used bad language, and accused him of trickery, and be-
can't most insolent. He told hint to leave his office ; but as
he continued to be insolent, he went round to put him out,
and then the defendant catight him by the throat, and nearly
choled him. He admitted that he did pvlt him out, but used
no mare violence than necessary. He called a
gentleman
naned Walker, who said he heard the complainant accuse Mr.
Golding of trickery and unfairness, and that he could not pay
tweity shillings in the pound. A lad in Mr. Goulding's office
said there wen ne more violence used than was necessary to
putout complainant. Mr. Gladstone said there appeared to
have been great provocation given to Mr. Goulding, but no
douot there were faults on both sides. They were of opinion
tha. an assault had been Committed, but of a mitigated descrip-
tion,and they would only fine Mr. Goulding 55. and costs.
ASSAULT ON AN OLD LADY.
Anold lady, named Mary Anne Reed, who lives at 8, Cran-
for hiving committed a violent and indecent assault on her.
Mr. Cobb appeared for the complainant, and from his state-
meat, and the evidence of the old lady, it appeared that defen-
dad was employed by Mrs. Reed's eon to do some work in his
stinks. On the night of the 7th she went into the stable,
whn she found the prisoner; and she then detailed the
asset he committed on her. A witness was produced, who
sal he heard the lady accuse the defendant of having
asallted her, and then he ran away. Two witnesses were
pridiced for the defence, but their evidence did not alter the
cafe The old lady said she complained to a man and a woman
who,ere passing at the time, and who heard her crying out.
The nagistrates adjourned the further hearing of the case, in
orde that these persons might be found, if possible, to give
evidace.

Metter from Gotha states that it was decided two
davAmck, at the Duke of Saxe Coburg's, to send an
expiition to Africa, to ascertain with certainty the fate
of B. Vogel, the traveller. Baron Steuglin of Wur-
ten?.rg, will undertake the voyar.
ATFUL DEATH BY LIGHTNING AT LEEDS.—A heavy
store of thunder and lightning passed over Leeds on
Thttelay afternoon. William Neptune, of Bedford-
row,Hunslet, a man thirty-five years of age, and
empyed in the locomotive works of the Messrs.
Kitts, Airedale Foundry, Hunslet, was killed by a
partularly vivid flash, which was noticed all over the
borcgh of Leeds a few minutes after five o'clock. He
was'ngaged in picking away at some rubbish with a
plate, when the electric fluid struck him, and killed
himon the spot. When his companions went up to
his ody his clothing was being consumed by fire, the
flans generated by the subtle current. His clothes
haebeen cut away as clearly as with a knife from the
froipart of his body; his whiskers were singed off his
ches, and the hair from his breast, and his eyes were
statg vacantly, whilst his mouth was widely open. No
dismuration of the body had taken place. The cart,
whi was being laden with rubbish, stood immediately
uneneath the bank on which Neptune was killed, and
leang against the shaft was another workman named
Jot Hardy. He, too, was struck by the lightning,
butM a milder degree. The current temporarily
parysed his right arm, and ran down his right side,
butic 'is now recovering. The horse was so alarmed
by ie flash, and probably by the shock, that it started
offt a gallop, but was overtaken and secured before it
haotraversed many yards. Neptune bad been nine years
in ie elill*y of the firm, and had risen by merit.

MUTINY AND# ATTENIPTtII MURDER IN
CHANNEL: ,

most daing act of mutiny on board the schooner
Flown, Captain titlselon, of Bideford, the robbery and
atteinrcd murder of the master, and the escape of the
crew, who made the attack,
was made known at Bide=
ford on Saturday. The schootier ‘Vds, an a voyage from
the Thames to Cardiff; and was pursuing her stay down
Channel on. Friday night, when about eleven o'clock the
vessel being some 12 miles off Berry Head, three of the
crew etude a desperate and sudden attack upon Captain
Balsdon, with the eldent intention of murdering him.
Having dealt him some fettifill blows on the head with
an iron pin, rendering him insensible, they seized the
mate and lashed him to the mast. They then robbed
the captain of his money, £8 10s., and his gold watch,
and taking to the ship's boat, the villains made off.
The schooner was afterwards fallen in with, and. ulti-
mata3, got into Brishatn, when the particulars of. the
daring act, and a destriptien of the three ruffians were
forwarded to various places.On tile coast. Information
has since been received of the finding of the boat near
Beer, some 30 miles higher up the coast, but the men
had decamped. They are reported to have been seen in
Branscombe, a neighbouring, village, and it is supposed
that they will not escape the hands of justice. The
captain, who was sadly hurt, is recovering.

ADULTERY AND ATTEMPTED SUICIDE.

NEwcAstit, July 21.

The quiet village of Newsham has been thrown into
a great state of excitement by a report which proved to
he true, that a navvie, named Joseph Chapman, had
attempted to take away his life by cutting his throat
with a razor. A few months ago, the navvie, who was
working on the railway at Prospect Hill, absconded
with the wife of one of the villagers, named Cleghorn.
Shortly after their departure, however, the woman,
repeutifig of the step she had taken, and being tired of
travelling the country with 'her gallant, applied to her
husband to forgave her and receive her hometO her family.
The husband agreed, mid Mrs. Cleghorn returned home
about a month ago. The navvie came back also, and,
as it were, haunted the place where she dwelt. He has
been freqUently seen in the neighbourhood by several
6f the neighbours, and it appeared that he had taken
lodgings about Percy Main. Yesterday morning he
was seen coming into the village about eleven o'clock.
Shortly afterwards he was found, with his throat cut, in a
small outhouse used for keeping poultry. Mrs. Cleghorn,
coming to the door, saw some blood, and finding that it
proceeded from her wounded lover, she called a cartman,
who was loading coals at the time, to come and remove
the injured man before her husband came home. Dr.
Trotter, of Blyth, happened to be in the place at the
time visiting his patients, and he speedily sewed up and
dressed the wound. Dr. Ward, of Blyth, was also sent
fort as was also one of the overseers, and Chapman was
conveyed by Sergeant Buglass to Newcastle Infirmary,
where he now lies in a Most cbingerous state. Dr. Ward
says the wound is a very serious one. nttmour asserts
that the foolish fellow had some poison on him, but
whether he took any is not ascertained.

ACTION FOR SEDUCTION.

At the Stafford assizes, on Saturday, the case of

'f Wooton v. Snape " was tried in the nis►: prints court,
before Mr. Justice Byles. It was an action for seduction,
and xVis a new trial, a rule for which had been obtained
by the defendant, a verdict for the plaintiff, with £5O
damages, having been obtained against-hini at the last
assizes for Stafford.

The plaintiff is a timber merchant, living in Blozwich,
South Staffordshire, and the defendant is the brother of
his present and second wife. His family consists of eleven
children, six of them by his present wife. The eldest of
these at home is Hannah, aged 15. The defendant is a
widower, and just previously to the last March assizes was
an innkeeper at Lichfield, but was then living with his
father, a man of property at Pelsell, and carrying on
business as a farmer and innkeeper. Defendant could
not agree with his father, and his mother induced
her datightek (plaintiff's wife) to allow him to lodge
iu her house. He entered the house as a lodger
December 8, 1858. On .the 22nd defendant entered
Hannah's bedroom undressed, but Sane, a younger
sister, who was unwell, and slept in another bed in
the same room, rapped the floor with a stick, and
the defendant threatened her with violence and left.
On the next night, Snape drew Hannah beer for
her supper, which he had never done before. Imme-
diately after taking it she became very drowsy and
went to bed,-where she was so powerfully overcome
by stupor as to leave her candle burning. This was
afterwards put out by Mrs. Wootton. Subsequently
defendant entered her room. Before leaving her
room he threatened to kill her if she ever said any-
thing about it. She was alarmed and said nothing,
but afterwards placed a chest of draWers against her
bedrocOn dour every night. The next morning he
repeated his threat, and she beard attempts made oh
other niuhts afterwardg, and subsequent to these attempts
defendant offered her some of his deceased wife's clothing
anq a silver thimble to leave her door open, but she
would not. She was confined of a child on the 20th of
August, 1859, of which the defendant was the father.
She did not know that she was about to be a mother
until a fortnight before the birth, when Dr. Somerville,
after an examination ordered by her father, pronounced
her to be in the family way. Till that examination she
had said nothing about the offence.
The defence was that not the defendant, but a youth,
was the father of the child, and that defendant had not
committed the offence charged against him.
The jury, after the trial bad lasted nearly two days,
; returned a verdict for the plaintiff, damages £23.0.