The Express.
London, England, 1852-07-28 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

HOME CIRCUIT.—M.►IDSrONF., Jri.T 27.
Colors Snm.—Basots Jutricx
. .

Catherine Ihooke, 33, a well dresmd, good looking woman,
was indicted for the wilful murder of her male illegiti-
mate child.

---- -----
Mr. Deedcs prosecuted; Mr. Rebton defended the pri-
Sener.

The learned counsel for the prosecution having briefly
opened the case to the jury, the following evidence was
adduced .

Martha Brown deposed that she was the wife of • fisher-
man, and they resided at the Town Pier, Gravesend, and
let lodgings. In March last the prisoner came to her and
wished to hire a lodging, and it was arranged that she
' should hare • bedroom, and that two of witness's children,
one aged live and the ether three year. should sleep with
the prisoner, and she was to pay half-a-crown a week.
Witness had no suspicion of the prisoner being in the
family way, and she said nothing about it herself, but re.
presented that she had been very ill. On the morning of
Thursday, the 22nd of April, witness got up as usual, and
she found the prisoner's bed-room door locked, and, upon
asking her if she should bring her breakfast up to her,
she declined, and said she should be down as 1.0011 se she
had washed herself She came down shortly afterwards
and said she had been very ill in the night, and in a few
minutes, witches went up to her bed-room. The bed was
very untidy, and roe was about putting the clothes straight,
and when she got to the head of the hod she saw the
end of • shawl hanging out underneath the bottom bed,
and, on putting her hand underneath, she felt what she be-
hoved to the body of a child. She was too frightened to
make any further search at that time, and went down imme-
diately to the prisoner, who was in the sitting-room, and
said to her "Oh dear, what has happened ?" She replied
" What !" and witness then asked her if she bad bad •
child, and she said she bad. Witness inquired what it was,
and she said it was a boy. She then asked the prisoner
how she managed by herself, and she said " Very
well ;" and witness then said to her " Did you destroy it r
and she replied " Yes." Witnessthen said that, aa the thing
had gone so far, she should call in a doctor ; and the psi-
, eerier begged her eat to do so, but to let her have her
things and go. Witness told her she could not do that,
and the prisoner said sits would give her anything if she
would. While this conversation was going on her hus-
band came in and be inquired what was the matter, and
she said that the prisoner had destroyed her own chili, and
the prisoner upon hearing her say this, replied " No, it did
not lire." IS item, told her she was sure tho child was
bon alive, sad that it must have been the child which her
husband had heard cry in the eight. A police-constable
was this sent for, and the prisoner was given into his
charge. About four o'clock the same afternoon witness
was passing the prisoner's bed-roont, when she' heard
• sound like the wheezing of a child, and this
induced her to go into the ram, end believing that the
child was not dead, she called for assistance, and some peer
pi* rune up stairs and took the child from under the bed,
sad it was found to be alive. Dv. Seeders was sent for, and
I be examined the child and prescribed for it, and it lived
until the following Saturday night at nine o'clock, when
it died. When the child was first taken down stairs, she
placed it in the yriaoser's lap, and ashen her if she loved
it; and she replied, of course she did. The child was
haptieed and christesed by the name of William Brooke,
before it died.

Cross-elamined—Witaess's children came down stairs
from the prisoner's room attest eight o'clock. The prisoner
appeared always to be a well-disposed good tempered
woman, and scented to be very kind to witness's children.
She took hold of the child's hand, when witness put it into
her lap.
William Peewee, • Gravesend policeman, deposed that
he was sent for on the day in question, and west up to the
prisoner's bcd-room, and on turning over the shawl be
found the body of • male child, and Le pot his hand upon
its face and found that it was quite cold, and he thought
the child was dead. He then went to the prisoner and told
her that he most ask her two or three questions, but that
she need not answer them unless she pleased, and he then
asked her name, and she replied "Catherine Brooke."
He then asked her where she had been living previous to
coming to Gravesend, and she gave him no answer, and he
asked tier no further questions.
Mr. W. Sanders deposed that he was a physician and apo-
thecary at Gravesend, and that on the 2!nd April he went
to the house of the first Witness, where the body of a newly
born male infant was shown to him, wrapped up in &shawl.
The child was alive but the body was very cold and the
breathing very difficult, and at long intervals. The um-
bilical cord had been divided apparently with some sharp
instrument, and the end had been tied in • knot.
Ile ordered the child to be put into a warm bath, and its
spine end chest were rubbed, and in about en
hour and • half the body became warmer,
and the child breathed tolerably well. At this time he
observed that:some mucous slightly tinged with blood came
from the child's mouth and he saw a slight wound or
scratch just above the left ear. On the side of the neck also
there were four or live slight marks as though from the
pressure of finger nails. The neat morning he saw the
child again and it then had a convulsive fit, and it had
a second fit the some evening. The fits continued at
intervals until its death which took place on Saturday
night about half-past nine o'clock. The child
would not take the ',breast, and he was not
aware that it swallowed any nourishment whatever
daring the two days it lived. On the 26th April be made
• post martens examination of the deceased, assisted by Mr.
Young, another medical gentleman. There were no marks
of violence on the body, but the back of tits head was
bruised very coosiderebly. The posterior portion of the
brain was very much congested. None of the bones of the
head were fractured. In wionese's opinion the death of
the child was occasioned by convandons produced by the
injury to the head. He did not believe that a (all would
have occasioned those injuries, and that they were more
likely to bathe result of blows, and the injury on the beck
of the l'ead, in particular, cou:d only have been occasioned
by very considerable violence.
B Mr. liable•--Convalsions were undoubtedly the im-
ttesiials at the child's death, and he believed that
the esselihime 1/8911 the result of the Wary done to the
Desk we of the lead. It was • very common thing for
eltildmm is have convulsions, without having previously
reeetwell way injury or violence whatever.
By the Judge—Children frequently died of convulsions,
weitlimetailp apparent cause for the coavulsiotts being disco-
nd.

Cromeammaimmli—lf 6e had not men the injuries epos the
bead, he dada dma have imagined that the convulsions
I had bats ammismsd by natural muses, and not from vio-
ham, sad is we sal, from seeing the injuries that he came
Is naiades that they were the mime of the mama.
MOM The ibak of a child just horn was extremely tender,
awl the would lean• mark.
By lbs=nesiarialjery at the beak of the bead was
the =set swim
be
ad it was to Bat BM be ealdbuled
the slate of the bads width bad essaissed that seaveleisas.
Bo deaglit it waft um this hippy might bare bssa
sassed ly one IA or we blow.
Ms. lobwend Team eastbste medial glatlesis= wt.
essided the tel Idioms ha suking des post asereaa semi-
mistedalesd et
spiels& des the wakem.
st
spas doe heed et the demand ddld il-
idly the saw of its death. Be elm Mimi that be beim&
the injury at the INA at the head, 'bleb was the meat
anions, aught 11111111 boa pealorteil by ekaera it or blew ;
bat h• did not balm k I.a that as assidesid ddb st
the tin* of delivery weld bare essesimed sub =dew
Wary.