The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1873-11-22 00:00:00

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A SAD STORY.

A distreising case of child murder and attempted
suicide has just been tried by the Peels Court of
-, the prisoner being a poor widow who had been
to the last stage of poverty, and who deters
mined to take away her own life and that of her ouly
remaining child rather than be compelled to stare des-
titution in the face.
The arts daccusat ion set fprth that Madame Cretpin
aged 31, bad lost successively all her relation., her hus-
band, and nine children, the only one remaining to
her being • boy of mix yeare,_ of whom ahe appeared to
be paseionately fond. limier the influemoe of
trouble, disappointment, and ill-health, ehe was
unable to provide sufficient food for herself and
child and pay the rent of her bumble lodging.
Reduced to • state of utter misery, and owing ,
several quarters' rent to her landlord, eve was served
with • notice hi quit her lodging in the Rue d'hisy, at
VallVele ; in deepair at the prospect of being thrown
upon the world, she resolved upon committing the
crime with which she was now charged. On the 14th
of August, about ten o'clock In the evening, ahe re-
tired to rest with her child, after having lit two pans
of charcoal and written an explanation of her misery
and stating the determination at whieh she had arrived
The little b y died esphylied during the night, but the
neighbours having forced the door the next morning
the mother was mind to be still alive. and WWI at once
c inveyed to the hosiottal, where she ultimately re
covered. After the reading of the document, wilich is
a remakably short one for a Frentdi criminal trial, the
['reddest of the court proceeded to exsmihe the
prisoner.
You are 31 years of age, and you are a washerwoman, are
you not r —Yes.
You hare lost your husband t—Yes, during the Commune.
Bare yen had any children I—Yes ; ten.
Alia what has lacome of them T.—They are all dead.
Were ',lima. before • court or Janice or condemned /
No, never. . .

How Img were you married t—Terelve years.
The court Is aware that you have had to battle with many
suislortunes. Intermitlon taken respecting you represents
you as being of weak mind, nervous, and somewhat lazy !
If I could nit work regularly it was because I was ill:
'vet low people are energetic when suffering as I have
done.
- - -

lice much did you earn a day I—Two francs.
At the time you committed the wicked and ctimlnal act
for which you are now being tried, did you net owe several
quarters' rens $3700? land esrd I—Yes.
And he gave you notice to quit 7—Yes, on the ltth of
August.
On twit night you lit two pans of charcoal, and went to
hel with yew sui whom yin dictri t undrnast ; I eoiilil
not undress him, I etched h.m S., he buried wad me ~.11
was, (sloe the ptisniier bent into tears.)
Are ym not aware that in takine the life of your child,
you committed a grievous al me 7—Yes, sir, I know it.
Vin were in a state s I the utmoet misery ; you had ex-
perienced umoy and were hardships. but you were wanting
In encricy. Are you penl. tatr Po you regret rating m y. .0
di '—Vol. sir, I have regrnts.od it deeply suit sincerely ever
sines.
several witnesses were examined, their evidence
tending to show that the prisoner had always been
exemplary to her conduc`, and an affectionate mother ;
but that overcome with muntal and physical coffering,
she had become almost unaciodutable for her acti.ms.
Her counsel made a touching appeal on her b-half, I
and read the following document which she had writ.
ten juA before committing the act:—
Vanvs s, Aug. 14, 171 Trig Is the rinse of my death
and that of my child. Goring fallersill again on the 13th of
July, I was unable to pay rny rent. I took the remainder of '
my thlog• to the paennolfice, and received 71. for them. 't wo
days afterwards, finding that I gut no better, I decided
to go to the hmpital, where the doctor gave nse some
medicine. Gsd only know. how I suffers I; but now
that I am no loiger, I shall have no more suffering.
I pray God to pardon me ter having put an end
to my miseries. . . . My last whiles are 111., you should put
a cross and. crown on tie grave of my little is. Ii 1 wiatt
him to die with on It is because I would not have him W ex-
perience the trouble. I I are gone throu.h. I frost my
brother and sister will fonder me also I wieh the weird to
be left round my neck; II contains my fathes'4 hair; and
alto that my child eh .ul.l be buried in his nest Clothes.
1 t soy yam of charcoal with the notice to quit served upon
me by the landlord."
The court woo much moved by the reading of this
document; and the jury. after a brief consultation,
brought in a verdict of Not Until',. Previous to the
President ordering her discuarge, a collection was made
for the prisoner amongst the members of the court and
the jury, and the sum of 75 franca wee handed to her
as she left the dock.