The Express.
London, England, 1863-09-12 00:00:00

THE POLICE COURTS
(THIS DAT.)

t3TRATIPORD.
COMMITTAL OF TIMM BUROLAIUL

Henry Yates, flows' wi%non, Urfarowas ✓ona, alias
Collins, were brought up on remand on a sharp of alealing
• silver cruet stand, valued at 17 gnioaaa, the property of
Mr. Belle, a gentleman maid* at 1, Beaumont-villas, Wood.
ford.

The prisoners were seen loitering about on the after-
noon of the 29th ult., and while two of them were engaged
with their basketa near the entrance gates, Mrs. Belle
heard a noise in the dining-room. She ran upstairs and saw
the prisoner Wilson in the act of jumping out of the window
into the garden. She raised an alarm, when the gardener
and other servants ran utter him and captured him. The
other prisoners resisted, but were ultimately captured and
removed to the police-ststion. Nothing was found on the
pain:niers, but the missing cruet-stand was discovered in a
ditch by the coachman.
The prisoners said they were innocent, bat, former con-
s:ctions having been proved by the police, they were folly
committed for trial at the ensuing session of the Central
Criminal Court, Old Bailey.

THE EXTRAORDINARY DISCOVERY IN
WHITECHAPEL CHURCH.

ADJOURNED INVESTIGATION.-(THIS DAY.)
-• • • -

•
This morning Mr. Humphreys, one of the Mid-
&Nee coroners, resumed, at the Angel Tavern, High-street,
Whitechapel, the adjourned investigation respecting the
reoeot extraordinary discovery of the remains of children in
the rout of the belfry of Whitechapel Church.
Mr. Mitchell, vestry clerk, said that he appeared on behalf
of the defamers of the parish, and ou that of the vestry ;
and he wished to atoms the general disgust that was felt
by his client. at the fact of the church being made • reeep-
Mole for the remains of ebildres deposited in the manner
disclosed is the evidence last week. He wished to say that
the churchwardens no more sanctioned the burial of still-
bora children in the churchyard than they permitted the
interment of other corpses. It ought to be made a misde-
meanor to hater stillborn children without a medical certi-
ficate. The vestry would give every aid towards the deem.
Lion of the parties implicated in the present case.
Chart(' Waifs, a lad, mid that he lived at 69, Ilighotrest,
Whitechapel, and was a baker. He remembered a man
named William Smith. Witness only knew him by sight.
He used to be about the churchyard three years ego to the
beet of witness's recollection. One evening as withers was
pealing by he saw Smith going in the first entrance and is
the doorway of the church. He bad a black hag with seam
thing is it. It was dusk at the time. Witness could not
remember the Mob of year. Withers was passing by the
church cam's( a pail of water. He had no idea of what
was in the beg. The time most have been summer as he
was watering Bowers.
Joseph Bradley said that he was formerly an undertaker.
By the Coroner— It was the usual practice to hand over
stUlbor es to put in a grave whenever convenient. It was not
at ell usual for the relations of stillborn* tome them buried.
It was not sati.l to get certificate* with stillborn& It was
not usual twenty years ago, and he behaved the practice
was still precisely the same. It was not the practice
of the undertaker to ascertain is any way whether the child
was really stillborn. They relied ea the statement made'
to them by Mt nurse generally. There was great com-
petition among undertakers. dome of the formals were
undertaken at woremoserative prices. If an undertaker
got the burial of a child to do, and could save the fees, he
would be the more in pocket.
By Mr. Mitchell—lf the parties went hr procession to the
cemeteries a certificate would be required, not otherwise
for stillboros. Witness now was out of the business, but
his brother was as undertaker. The former customs were
unchanged.
Mrs. Allen, re-called, aid that she might be able to
identify the seas that took away her child.
Pekes, Ally, Parker, and Dormer, were ealled in by re-
quest of Mr. Mitchell, but Mrs. Allen could not identify
either of theta. _

George Pekes, ere engine-mac, mid that he wee formerly
as undertaker is the employ of Mr. Cariboo. The latter
west away 18 onetime ago. Wigwam used to take away
coffins of obildres (stillborn) from the shop to Bow Ce
He fetched any from private homes to the shorege
sever took any to Whit/clasps!. People used to brie' still-
bores to the shop themselves. Wit.,, used to eve the still-
born. to the gravedigger at the . He believed the
fees were 2a ed. The fess far other elf n were 10. The
differs*. would be saved by burying a child as stillborn
that had lot base born dead.
Jobs Davis Pilly, 2, Welliogion.plaes, Stepney, appraiser
and undertaker, said thet ocessionally used to waist at
funerals for Mr. Canhem. H. only oboe took e stillborn
to the cemetery from Mr. Caelsern'a. The only other still-
born be was meneared with was ass he fetched from Oal-
yert's brewery, in Upper Thameseereet. He dad not know
what had bemoan of that. He got a certificate with that, but
be did sot kilow by whom it wes signed. A midwife's certifi-
cate was never refused. The usual shame for taking a Mill-
bon was 7s. ed., of whisks 3s. 6d. was paid to Bow Osseo-
hey. If the panels "pail prompt." to was charged. The
met of the oaten was not 2s. It was perhaps la. Bd.
By Mr. klitehell—Witasee bad no knowledge whether
stillborn& were buried in churchyards closed by order is
counciL Such matten as stillborna never toned up ie
trade. (A laugh.) They were sever spokes shoat.
By • juror —Witsees did not know who fetched Mrs.
Jdlee's child away from Mr. Canbem's.
Peke, recelled, said that yesterday the witaess told him
that he knew all about the matter.

wamiaiierieiii;iu;VlTZlwas, that a worry had
fold him duo has, who did it. She said that it was Dormer
did it.

B. Dormer, 10, Thomas-Mere" Bancroft.mad, MSG
end-mad, said that ha was an undertaker. Hse I'
Nephews, and other relatives were undertaken. ll=
to assist Mr. Quibezo. He remembered going to Mrs.
Alleles, sod be fancied he fetched two bodies. The het
was en a Saturday, at 10 o'cleek at night. It was very
usual to fetch stillborn. It was not usual for the
puttee to Wag the *unborn themselves. It was perhaps
two years tare he fetched the last child from Mrs. /tibia's.
The 'bells were generally wrapped in • bag or anythhig that
was handy. The charge was about ss. 6d. usually. He
put children into the cones of adults.
By Mr. Mitchell—He could swear he never took • still.
born N Whitechaped Church. He Dever saw Smith at Mr.
Cullum's. He sever sew "Mrs. Foster' on one of the
coffins he brought from Mrs. Alleges. If that was written in
hie own writing he would know it.
Wm. Parker, M, Sale-street, Bethnal-green, said that he
was an undertaker. He wee formerly Mr. Canheen's coffin.
maker. Other ern used to fetch stillborn to the shop.
At times Dunes or parents used to come for a shell and
being back the body themselves. There was senessLy •
paper with the stillborn., but witness could not my by
whom it was signed.
Coroner—And would any steps be taken to lie if the
children were stillborn

Witaers—U they were &atoned down, we should not take
the trouble to opus them,
Carooer—Then you aught innocently bury a child not atiU-
lon es a stillborn. _

Witome—Certaioly one might. Wittier continued and
sold that it was usual to wait until there were several bodies
to dispose of before they were sent away. Whams Dever
sew may Woolly takes away. Whams made codas for
Ave undertakers in the sest.end. He made for Yr.
Cantiem about three dorms stillborn calm • year. He
made about the same oumber for the others. The number
he made 'nasally did not exceed 150 stillborn codins in the
year. Whom mod to see stillborn' brought into Kr.
Catboat's, bet la Deese sew theca takes out.
Comae—Yoe have two places of braise." now, and are
doiog
?•• good trade. Bow much do you charge for still.
borne

Witmer —Ant I bound to answer that question! Well,
hien 4s. fid. np to 11, if lam get it. I pay's. 6d. for
the fee at the Victoria Cemetery. It in not my business to
arenas bemithe child disd,lso Loot as liget the certificate.
There are so means of knowing whether the certificate is
really that of a midwife—it would not my to go and am.
I have sever pot • child in se adult's coffin.
Dormer, recalled, rid that the words " Mrs. roster, 35,
Bedfortimtniet," were written on the coffin by Mr. Canhem.
That min was the one waness fetched from Mn. Allen's.
Conran, he believed, was io Australia.
The Coroner said that the mei could not be carried say
further, and. though the evidence was sot so com-
plete as could be wished, it was still sufficient to
"liable the jury to arrive at a verdict. All the children,
with one exception, were shown with tolerable certainty to
hare been stillborn, end the child that had lived presented
no fracture of the bones or maim of violence. But the real
question involved was, how such number. of children
could have been 'meted iu the roof and clock tower
of the church. Mr. Wilkerson, the sexton, said
that be never received say bodies of "althorns from
Ilr. Holly, the uuderteker. sod had bed no cornmunicee
ace with him about such matters. Mr. Holly contradicted
Wilkarsoe distinctly on that point, and rid that it need to
be erreamed betweeu them that the gravedigger Smith should
be seat for them, sad Smith accordingly fetched them.
The evidence also disclosed that owing to oompetitiou under.
taken word nay they would bury stillborn" for a sum that
would leave only a profit of 941. on the treanaction. Where
competition was so keen there word alwaye be foetid black
sheep in the trade who would diver of the bodies crunepti-
truly with the omnivore of some perm whoa:old enable
them to save the burial fees. He (the Comer) winked tong
attenticio to another metier consented with this 'abject--
the great number of bodice toned in petals shout Ur
streets. to suc'i cones infanticide was always su.pected ;
but in numerous Marro it was impossible to &Neenah: the
coons at death. Upon reflection, he was relined to think
that many of three children were abortions, and that most
were stillborn.. If undertakers would compete no eherply
that it was worth their while to dispose of ehildrea in
the roof of a church, it was not doing them Unites
to believe that they would also desert bodies in the street.
The present inquest we. especially hell upon two childno—
one • child three months old, and the other a stillairo,
identified by Mrs. Alien. Au open verdict was mow all that
could be returned to the first use, bat the jury could add
any recommendation they deemed proper with regard to the
practice of any person calling herself a midwife being able to
gin a certificate is oases of still lionsi—• practice which
upend the door to all kinds of malpractices.
The court warn thee cleared, sod after a long deliberation
the jury roamed • verdict, That an the nod day of