The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1861-03-12 00:00:00

ALLEGED CHILD MURDER ET BRIDPORT.

Helen I ottehimps, (26), was placed in the dockeharged
with wilfully murdering her illegitimate female child.
at Briditort, on the 4th of Nevaudasr.—Tke prisoner
pleaded " Nut Unity"
Mr. Stock appeared for the prosecution, and Mr. Cole
for the defence.
Mary Hill said :I was in the service of Mr. Oundry on
the 4th Noven.bor last as housemaid. He has two sons
in the house. The prisoner was cook there. There was
also • man servant. There were two kitchens in the
house, likewise two bedroom* on the top
The prisoner occupied one and I the other. !
and James Foley slept in a room above. On the 4th of
February the prisoner came down stain and had
some breakfast. She afterwartLi complained that she
was ill. She then went to bed, but did not undress.
No one came to the prisoner during the day. A woman
named Ralson was sent for. She was sent for to
assist in the house in consequence of the cook being ill.
Mr. Corey was sent for and Mrs. Ralson went up to the
bed room of the prisoner with him. He shortly after-
wards went away. The sister of prisoner came in
during the day, and she went up stairs to see her
sister. She cried out 'Oh !Mrs. Belson," and "Oh !
Mary, Mary." They asked her what she cried out for,
and she saw that she had had a child and that it was in
the closet. Mr. Corey Was again sent for, and he came
immediately. On his going upstairs lie asked her for
the child. awl she told him it was in the elos,t. He
then fetched it out of the closet, wrapped up in a carpet.
I saw that the child was cut about the face. I saw the
razor and Ida. NM the blood upon it. The
blood was (nib, I had seen the razor before in Mr.
Sidney Gundry's bedroom. I el`S, saw the prisoner
with it smile 'lays before. She said she had it for the
purpose of cutting her corns.
Cm:Ai-examined : I understood she bail had the razor
for cutting her corns. 1 hewed a noise in the prisoner's
heilrvoiet. I could hear what pissed. I heard her get
out of lied. I did not hear anything cry. 1 observed
or shale, sad knew that drea-es bath been lent Ito.
I did not hear Mrs. Belson say " You are in the family
way." The child was iii a closet. The closet had no
doors, but it was covered by a curtain.
Ite-examined : The shelf was about six feet from the
ground. Clothe* were kept on the shelves of the

closet.
James Foley : I *vas in the employ of Mr Gundry on
the 4th November. I saw the prisoner come down in
the kitchen on that day. Ido Oct remember
seeing her go up stairs. Ido not know whether any
person went up into the prisoner's room. I went for
Mr. Cory, and also to Mrs. liaison. I did not go upstairs
to the prisoner's bedroom on either occasion.
Mary Aim Belson : I am the wife of Joseph Ralson. I
have 41.eea,ionally gone to Mr. Gundry's house to help.
I wes reimested to go to Mr. Itundry's house to ',mist.
will to the house at half past siz o klr. Corry was
there, and I went with him to the bedroom of
the prisoner. He told her she was in the fancily way.
She ,it she Was lout. He said, " I'll take your word
for it. I shall be sure to know on the morrow." She
did not say anything about her master. I went clown
stairs with Mr. Cory. Prisononi sibter CAIIIO in the
kitchen while I was down there. We then wont to the

bedroom, and prisoner's sister. Louisa, began to upbraid
her for the state she was then in. Prisoner appeared
very agitated. We asked he: "whether she hail had a
child ?” She said, " Oh, yea, you will find it in the
cupboard." We then said, "It is not hurt, hi it? She
ainiwered. " Only a little cut." TI ey then sent for Mr.
Corry, who went to the cupboard, and took the child
out. After seeing the child, he said "Now for the
instrument." She then pointed to a razor which WAl{

fy-init-O;theltable in • bl:mtly state. A polietrunui was
sent for, and the prisoner was plated in his custody.
Cross-exatuined : She denied in the first place that she
was in the family way. Primner wan in a dreadful
state, and we hail great difficulty to keep her in bed.
Samuel S. Corry : lam • surgeon residing at Bridport.
I have practised there for many years. I remember
being sent for to go to Mr. G unary's house. Prisoner
was in best, and appeared to be in pain. I asked her if
she was pregnant. She said she was not. I
told her site was pregnant. and asked her if anything
bed pooled. She said "No" She desired me not to
tell her master about it. I do not remember anything
further psssing on that occasion. I was called for
*gain in the course of the evening. I went to the
house, and from what Mrs. Belson hail told me I went
to Om closet and took a bundle from the top shelf. I
took down the bundle and found it was the dead body
of a female child. I observed a cut on the mouth and a
out on each side of the neck. I then said " where is
the instrument?' and some person told rue it was on.
the table. I do not know whether pnsoner told me
it was on the table. The razor had wet blood on it. I
then gave her in charge of a policeman. I handed the
razor to the policeman, as also the body of the child.
I examined the prisoner's person the second time, and
found she had been delivered within • few hours. The
body of the child war cold. On the next day I desired
Mx. Hounrell to make a post-mortem examination of
the body, which he did in my presence. The body
weighed 71hs., and the umbilical had been cut and not
tied. The angle of the lower jaw had been cut out.
The cut extended from ear to ear. The lower jaw bone I
was cut from the socket. The jugular vein was cut ,
through, and the second rib was broken by the same
cut. The chest was laid open, through which a piece
of lung protruded. I put the lungs in water, and they
floated very buoyantly. The heart was healthy, and
the body was devoid of blood. The wounds caused the
blood to flow from the body. I believe the child wits
born alive. The wound on either side of the neck was
sufficient to cause death. A bucket of water was found
under the bed, which was very bloody. At the time
the policeman arrived, she said, "Oh ! Mr. Corry, I did
it to save others." I do not remember alto said any-
thing else. She was very agitated. She was in pos-
session of her senses, but very highly excited. On the
first oecas. she was very calm.
Crosseexamined : Ido not know whether this is her
first confinement. From the appearance of the child it
was a protracted labour. In first confinements the
agony is intense, and the mother will do almost anything
to relieve herself of her agony. The child might
breathe before it is born, and may she during
labour.
Mr. John nonnsell—l am a surgeon residing at &id-
port I have practiced since 1819. 1 eta 11l itt 0.1 the
child with Mr. Corry. The wounds were the can.° ofdeath.
The blood a ould be less in the ease of a child who had
been born dead than in the coot of a child who had
been born alive. I think the child was born alive.
Mr. Cole was about to erostecsainine this witness,
when his Lordship interfered, stating that he did not
consider there was sufficient evidence to prove that the
child had been born alive, as it was proved by the
medical man that the labour was • protracted one, and
therefore he reco 11111 l ended the jury to find her not
guilty of the capital offence of murder, and to Gild her ,
guilty id concealmeut of birth. It would be trifling
with facts to Nay that there was any doubt that she
had concealed the birth of her child, but to wake her
guilty of murder it would be necessary to show that
the child had been actually horn into the world alive be-
fore the wounds had been indicted on the body. It
is not sufficient to show that the wounds were inflicted
on the body in course of delivery, neither is it suffi-
cient to show, as Mt% supposed in this case, that be-
cause the lungs floatt.”l, the child was born alive, lie
therefsre recommended the jury to acouit her of the
capital offence, and find her guilty of concealment of
The jury, after a short consultation, returned a ver-
dict in accordance with the opinions of the judge.
The learned Judge, in "taming sentence, said the jury
had returned a very proper verdict, and he hoped she
was not guilty of the charge of murder. That, how-
ever, must be left between Almighty God and herself.
He should be corupelled to 1,11104 a heavy senteuce mem
her, as an example to other young women, for she not
only endangered the life of her child, but alro her own
life. The sentence of the Court would be that she
about.' be imprisoned for 18 calendar mouths' with
hard labour.
lITBALING area.

William Young was indicted for stealing beer,
the property of Matthew Onslow, on the tith of Feb-
ruary, who resides near Poole. Mr. Cook prosecuted,
and Mr. Edwards defended.

3lrs. Onsliry said her husband kept a house called the
Woodman's Tavern, and the prisoner lodged there
On Sunday, the 10th of _February, her atten-
tion was drawn to the cellar, where she saw the pri-
soner with a tea kettle in Lis hand drawing some beer.
Ile lied no right to be in the cellar. He did not come
out of the cellar the usual way, but got up through the
hatchway. On another occasion, the 20th of February,
she saw the prisoner again in the cellar drawing some
porter. On the following day she went into • stable
which was occupied by the prisoner, and taxed him
with committing the robbery. He was eating his tea,
and be said "lie hoped the knife would cut his throat
if he had taken the liquor."
He-examined : Ily brother was staying in the houlie,
with no at the time, and I told him of the robbery.
Ile did not say anything to the prisoner about the rob-
bery. When prisoner came to Bettie with me for the
rent, I told Win I would hive warrant. On the 6th
he was apprehentled.

John Onslow, son of the lest witness, corroborated
his titer's evidence, and said be saw the prisoner
conic out of the cellar and go into the stable. Ile them
saw the prisoner take the beer out of the kettle and
pour it into tie. jar.
I)os...examined : There was • water.truik in the
c.l!ar, must (bat was the only place where water flt to
drink cmdil he had.
Mr. I.:Awards then addressed the jury for the &tepee,
and urepal that in the position in which Mrs. Onalow
was she could not possibly see the prim:over draw the
bquor, as it was a dark cellar, and the affair took place
early in the morning.
The learned Judge having carefully summed up, the
jury returned is verdict of " ' of stealing the
porter, but not of stealing the beer, and his Lordship
3entenced the prisoner to one calendar mouth hard
labour.
ASSAULT WITH INTENT.
Jots Preite (Nil, was placed in the dock charged
with c.nuinitting an indecent assault on Caroline Peril*,
with intent, Ice.. at Church Knowle, on the 10th of
Fehruary.—Mr. Rook'. prosecuted.
The prosecutor was the daughter of prisoner, who
was a widower, his wife haring died some four pram
ago. The asoiault was clearly proved, the details of
which were so disgusting as to be unfit for publication.
Other witnesses were examined who corroborated the
evidence of the daughter, who was a modest looking
young woman.
The learned Judge having summed up, the jury re.
' turned n ver of " Guilty of indecent assault," and
his Lonlehip iii passing sentence said it would be
un-
possible to exaggnate the crime of which he had been
fiiiind guilty, el,ecially when the young woman was
I his daughter, who bore a good character amongst her
neighbours. If he hail succeeded in his intention he
should have sentenced him to penal servitude for life.
Luckily for him In, did not succeed. He should times-
fore sentence him to two year's hard labour.