The Express.
London, England, 1862-09-25 00:00:00

THE EXPEESS,

at the Wandsworth workhouse, where ale remained until
she was sufficiently recovered to be sent for trial.
Dr. Wiles was the next witness, and he proved that be bad
been sent for on the day io question to the residence of M.
Goldschmidt, and on his arrival that gentleman gave Lira the
key of a box, is which on being opened were found two
bundles, one containing a quantity of linen stained with
blood, and the other containing the dead body of a male
infant child, wrapped up in some article of female clothing.
The body war that of a fine, full-grown male child, and be
observed that blood bad flowed from the right nostril, and
woe remaining on the part of the bead and face. The lower
part of the body was very pale, but the upperpart, from the
chest to the crown of the head, was livid and of a dark
purple colour. There was no abrasion or wound ex-
terually. He returned the body into the box
and looked it again, and told M. Goldschmidt to
communicate with the authorities. He was then intro-
duced by Mr. Goldschmidt to the chamber of the prisoner,
whom he found lying on the bed. He saw that she was
very pale, and when he felt her pulse be found that she
wee in a very exhausted state and directed that she should
go to bed. At this time there was not the least sign of de-
lirium or wandering. From the appearances he saw in the
room, and her cooditioo, he was convinced that she had
been recently delivered of a child. He afterwards made an
examination of the body of the child, and found • bloody
serum on the utak, and clots of blood on both the parietal
bones. The substance of the brain was healthy and un•
injured. On examining the chest he found the lung of a
pale may colour, fully expanded and overlapping the pen-
cerdium on both sides, awl from that examination his judg-
ment was that the child had been born alive and had
breathed freely. On makicig an incision from the cheat op
to the throat, he found an internal severance where there
ought to be none, and this induced him to examine the
mouth of the child, and on looking into the back of the
mouth he found that the soft arches of the palate were
torn, and that the mucous membrane was detached from its
connection with the right jaw. He then laid the neck open
and found all the parte, including the trachea, the jugular
vein, the carotid artery, and all the muscles of the neck,
bisected. MI these were not in a natural, but in an ab-
normal state. The appearance he discovered could only be
produced by thrusting something, such as • jagged stick,
down the throat with great violence. In his judgment, the
cause of death was the injury done to the throat. The
body was that of a very healthy child.
In his cross-examination by Mr. Sleigh, the witness ad-
mitted that it was • common occurrence for • child to
breathe during the process of parturition, and before it came
into the world and was detached from the body of the
mother. He had known instances of • child to my out
during the process of its birth.
On re-examination by, Mr. Lilley, the witness repeat 4
that from the rosy appearance of the lusts the child bad
breathed freely, and had been bore alive, but had died from
the injuries to the throat.
This closed the evidence in support of the use for the
prosecution.
Mr. Sleigh then addressed • most feeling and impressive
a pooch to the jury on behalf of the prisoner, contending that
the medical evidence, on which alone the prisoner could be
convicted, was based upon theories and hypotheses which
were not supported by science or facts. The question was
this, was the child born alive? In this the case was ear-
rounded by improbabilities, and though the evideace had
been abundant in quentity. it was different in quality. There
wee • suggestion about • jagged stink having been seen,
bat no such instrumeat bad been found, and he submitted
es his suggestion that the injuries to the mouth and
throat which bad been described were far more
likely to have arisen from the unhappy prisoner,
in the agony of self-delivery, having inserted her finger into
the mouth, to assist nature in bringing into the world the
infant of whose being she was the author. Of course, he
could not reeirt the fact that there had been a concealment
of birth ; and the learned counsel coocloded an impusioried
appeal by calling on the jury to acquit the prisoner of the
capital charge, and to convict her of the minor offence to
which he had alluded. _ _ .

Yr. Justine Keating summed up the case with great
minuteness and awe.

The jury retired, and after an absence of a quarter el an
hour, returned into court with a verdict acquitting the
msoner of murder but finding her Guilty of concealing the
birth of the child.
Mr. Justice Keating expressed his concurrence in the
verdict, and sentenced the prisoner to be kept to hard labour
for fifteen calendar months ; the bard labour to be such as
was oonsiateot with her state and condition.

Adelaide Cole, 30, married. was indicted for the wilful
murder of her son, Charles Cole.
Mr. Bibtes and Mr. Winton appeared for the prosecu-
tion ; sod Mr. Sleigh defended the prisoner.
It appeared from the evidence adduced on behalf of the
prosecution, that the prisoner was the wife of Mr. Cole, • re-
spectable cabinet maker, living in Brunswick place, City-
road, and that on the 7th of August last she was seas by
her nurse and female servant to take the deceased boy, who
was only fifteen months old, upstairs, and in a few momenta
to come down alone. The domestics observing there was
j blood on her hands, and also that there was a slight wound
on her own throat, immediately went upstairs, it'd in the
back bedroom found the body of the child quite dead, lying
on ita side on the floor with its throat cut from ear to ear.
Blood was still flowing.
In cross-examination it was elicited f rore these witneesee that
the prisoner had for a long time been in ill health. and that
she wee very despondiog, noder religions delusions, ima-
gining that she was infested by evil spirits, that though she
prayed her prayers were not listened to, that she should
die and leave her children (of whom she was passionately
. .

food) unprotected in the world. . -
Dr. Rogers, who had attended the prisoner, corroborated
this evidence. and expressed sa his opinion that the delu-
sions under which she laboured had resulted in homicidal
monomania, and that at the time the act with which she
was charged was committed she was incapable of distin-
guishing between right and wrong.
After an able address to the jury by Mr. Sleigh on behalf
of the prisoner, and a careful summing up by Mr. Justice
Keating, the jury Acquitted the prisoner on the ground of
insanity, and the learned judge directed her to be detaioed
in custody during her Majesty's pleasure.

On the applicaticn of Mr. Beet, the trial of Robert
Cooper, charged with the wilful murder of Anne Jane Ben-
ham, was postponed until the next 'Woe ; Mr. Clark and
Mr. Beasley, who appeared for the crown, not oppouiag tG
application.