The Express.
London, England, 1863-12-31 00:00:00

ALLEGED CHILD MURDER ON CHRISTMAS

-DAY.

An inquest has been held on the body of an
infant, the child of •servant in the employ of Mr. Harris,
the keeper ol •ao eating-house in Halealerrace, West India.
road, Limehouse.
Mrs. Jane Harris, 2, Hales-terratie, deposed—The mother
of the child, Rebecca Porter, entered my service on the 10th
July last. I had a character with her from the barmaid of
a public-house where elm had previously lived. I had no
suspicion that she was euciente, but six weeks ago,
in consequence of her wearing such a large
crinoline, I taxed her with being in the family way.
She assured me most ,emphatically that she was not. A
fortnight ago I desired her to leave oif crinoline, as hare was
so large that it was in the way and the other servants were
jeering her about it. She told me she would not go without
crinoline for anybody, and she gave me notice to leave if I
did not like it. I said, " Very well, leave in a month."
She had denied so positively that she was enceinte that I
had then no suspicion of her state. On Christmas morning
she complained of a bilious attack and I let her
discontinue work. She did not come down before dinner,
aid I went upstairs and met her coming down. She sat
down to dinner, but seemed very ill indeed. She stopped
down, however, to take tea with the other servants. My
suspicions berme around, sad I went into her room. Is
consequence of what I taw I accused her, but she de.
pied for half an hour that anything was wrong. I then
threatened her that I would send for my surgeon,
and have her examined. She then confessed. I insisted on
I seeing the child. She unlocked her box, which was under
the bed, and showed me in a bandbox the decreed child,
wrapppped up in a piece of cloth. She had partly washed
the ild. I did not look at it, so that I did not see marks
oo its throat or peck. I told Mr. Harris what bed occurred.
The mother begged of me to allow her to bury the child,
and to take her back into my service, but of
course I could not, and Mr. Harris had to inform the
police of what bad taken plane. I have since learned
that she is sot a London woman, but that she was married
at Lynn, and that her husband is dead. She told me
that she was in expectation of being married to the father of
the child, but she denies that she hewn where he lives.
She did not state who he was, but said that be was a respect-
able young man.
Mr. Matthew Brownfield, M.R.C.S., mid that there were
two marks from preemie by the fingers on the throat, one
mark on the right side under the ear and the other on the
left. The child was fully developed. The post-mortem
examination showed that the child had fully breathed. The
lunge Boated. The fiord had been oat, but was not tied ;
consequently there had beau great hemorrhage. The child
might possibly have died from lose of blood sod want of
proper attendance, or it might have died from strangulation.
By the jury—The marks of violence on the neck might
possibly have been caused by effort, of self-delivery, or by
other means. It was difilcult to state. The mother was
much distressed in mind, and I found it necessary to en.
deavonr to °mole her.

The Comer adjourned she proceedings for the &Wildman
of the scared.

It is understood that the amused will be removed this
seeping by Inspector Beare to the infirmary of the work-
house, where she will be detained under surveillance until
she is sufficiently recovered to be brought before a magis-
trate.