The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-02-29 00:00:00

THE CHARGE OF CRUELTY AT
BRIGHTON.

Charlotte Winfield, aged forty-five, and her son
Alfred Winfield, aged fifteen, were on Monday brought
before the magistrates at Brighton, on remand, charged
with having assaulted a little boy named William
Tugwood, who is great-nephew of the elder prisoner.
The case, which involves charges of horrible cruelty,
excited much interest, and the court was crowded.
The principal facts have already been made public.
The little by went to stay with his great-aunt at
Brighton, by her invitation, for a month. His mother
—a poor widow --residing at Boveny, near Windsor—
first requested, then insisted, that he should return
home. When he went to Brighton he was quite
healthy; when he was sent back his body was covered
with a winds and marks of ill-snare; his frame was ems.
elated, and the doctor who was called to examine him
considered his life at that time in danger. He toll a cir-
cumstantial story of the cruelty to which he had been
subjected; and inquiry which was made so far fort-
fled it that the present char, was preferred. The
elder prisoner, when taxed with the crime, imputed
the cruelty to her son. Her eon retorted by accusing
his mother. Both of them were placed at the bar.
On Monday, however, Mr. Lamb, who prosecuted on
behalf of the Society for the Protection of Women
and Young Children, withdrew the charge against the
by Alfred Winfield, and he was admitted as witness
against his mother. A great portion of the evidence
on this occasion was a repetition of the facts testified
to on the first examination. The mother of the little
boy, Eliza Tugwood, gave evidence, and while she was
in the witness-box, the sufferer sat at the solicitors'
table. His Lewd had been shaved, and the wounds
upon it were plainly to be seen. The poor little fel-
low altogether presented a very shocking appearance.
While the surgeon, Mr. Gillam, of Burnham, was in
the witness-box, lie uncovered the boy's arms and
showed. the
.injuries, and took the bandages (roil! his

leg, exhibitin-g.-a terrible wound there, -from which
blood spurted. A sickening impression of horror was
Ireceived by those who were spectators Its Well as those
who were officially concerned in the conduct of the

' case.
Alfred Winfield, the discharged prisoner, said he
was fifteen years old last Christmas. From June last
: to August last, witness was staying with his mother
(the prisoner) at 1, Sudelepplace, Brighton. From
August to the end of September he went to school at
Shoreham, and on returning to Brighton he remained
at 1, Sudelepplace, till he took the child home. Wit-
ness remembered las mambas bringing the child h
last June. lle looked very healthy then. From June
: to August, when witness was at home, he did not see
anything done to the child. After witness came back
from school, the child had two Idaek eyes. Since he
(witness) came hack, he saw the prisoner put the child
into the tank. (A tank which has been described at
the previous examinations as being on a landing out-
side prisoner's bedroom.)
Prisoner: You put him in yourself, sir. You've
dine so several times..

Witness proceeded : She bit him several thnes,
She said the child had given her poison. She lets
"flung" brushes and the poker at him, and hit him
with the poker, but not with any other instrument.
Only witness and the prisoner lived in the house at that
time besides the child. Before witn. as took hiss home
he saw the bruises and burns all over him. Ile had
seen „some of them before. One morning when
witness got up he saw a wound in Isis ear. Witness
slept in the bedroom next the drawing room on the
second floor. Prisoner slept in the front bedroom on
the third floor, and the child in the back room on the
third floor. After witness went to bed of a night he
frequently heard the child scream, and heard noises;
and on one oceassion he saw a cut on his forehead the
next morning, and another time he saw that his ears
were all sore inside and his fingers raw. The
screaming lasted one evening a great time, when the
child was in the tank. About three weeks before
witness took the chill home hp hearth the screaming
far the last time, and it was the next morning that he
saw the child's ears and hands sore. Witness had
been home from school about a week when he first
heard the screaming. Witness hail seen the poker
produced in prisoner's bedroom. He had seen pri-
soner strike the child with it.
Prisoner: That's the verything rst struck I with
yourself, sir; and you stuck pins into his poor dear
legs. You did it yourself.
Witness : She struck him in the bedroom with it, on
his legs, head, and hands. It was hot then, and
prisoner took it out of the fire. (Sensation.) It was
between the bars, and she took it ont and struck the
child with it. 'The elsild was undressed on one occasion
and dressed on others. Witness had seen her use the
hot pokeron three ocesssions. Witness went to Boveny
on the Tuesday before he took the child home, and saw
Mrs. Tugiwood. That was without the prisoner's
knowledge. Witness met Mrs. Tugwaxrd near her
house, anal returned to Brighton on the next morning
(Wednesday). When he got to Sudeley.plage he told
prisoner he had Peen litre. Tuewood, and he hail got
to take the chill home. Prisoner tlsen s rat witness
out to buy some clothes for him, and he was washed
by "Squatty" (the man Frussell).
Prisoner : You would not allow me to keep a servant,
but turned them out.
Witness I.roceedeal to state that he took the chila to
London by the six o'clock train on Wednesday night,
and slept in London that night. The next day
he took him to his mother, and he was then in the
same state as when he left Brighton. The child
c suld hardly walk, said witness had to carry hisn at
times. He either rode or was carried all the way to
Windsor.
The pilioner, after being cautioned, said she had
never beaten the child. Ile lstunt himself by falling
on the fender and falling downstairs. It was all a
conspiracy.
She was fully cominittoil for trial.