The Express.
London, England, 1867-06-26 00:00:00

SERIOUS CHARGE AGAINST A DOMESTIC

SERVANT.

INQUEST.—(THIS DAY.)
At 11 o'clock to-day Mr. John Humphreys, the
Middlesex oorooer, held an inquiry at the King's Arms
Tavern, Abbey-street, Bethtud-green, respecting the death
of a newly-born child, the illegitimate offspring of Mary
Nicholas, a young woman, aged 23 years.
Mrs. Susannah Sheppard, 17, Romsey-street, Bethnal-
green, said that the mother of the deceased was her
sister. She was a domestic servant, and three months
ago she left her situation and came to live with
witness. Last Saturday morning from certain cir-
cumstances which arose witness said to her that she had
given birth to a child and she admitted that she had. She
said that witness would find the child on • boa in her
room. Witness went there and found the child's body
wrapped up in • cloak. It was dead. Her sister said that
the child had been born on the stairs. Witness had
charged her sister with being in a particular state before
she gave birth to the child, but she said that it was not so.
Witness did not know who the father of the child
was. No young men used to eaU to see her
at witness's house. She was in service. She had made
no preparation in the way of clothes.
Dr. W. H. Dayton said that he was called in to
see the body of the deceased on Saturday last, It
was a well developed, tall timed female child.
A post lawless examination proved that all the
internal organs were healthy. The lungs floated
whole and when cut in pieces. They were • bright rose
colour. The child had breathed, but witness could not
swear that it had had • separate existence. No me-
dical skill could undertake to say whether it had been
legally born alive. Witness saw no reason why the child
should not have lived. The cause of death was excessive
bleeding. If the child had been attended at birth it
would have lived.
The Coroner said that the medical evidence failed to
sustain any legal charge against the mother. lie might in-
form the jury that in a very abort time the law with
to independent legal existence would be altered, as the
law would then hold it that every child was born alive
unless the accused could prove to the contrary.
A juror said that if the inquiry was adjourned, and the
sawed brought up before the court, she might make
a statement which would supply the missing link in the
evidence and prove that the child was born alive.
The Coroner said that the accused would no doubt be
advised to hold her tongue, and if she did so the case
against her would break down.
A juror said that these eases were very painful and if
the law allowed the mother of the child in every case of
this description to get three months' hard labour and her
seducer to get two years' imprisonment, he thought that
the rigorous adoption of those means would very soon put
a stop to the evil.
The jury returned • verdict—" That the deceased was
found dead, and that its death was caused by neglect."

WEATHER REPORT.-(THIS DAY.)

WEDNISDA.T. .11.11111 28. 8 Lg.

I:2±iT.-1 W. 11:., Izir-r." w. aii to
is, 1.1 R. a.
—--...—, --.- —...—
Nairn 60.3260, W. 1111 L b
Aberdeen 30.53 50 BE. 1 1 N.N.L cb
Leith 5300250 N.N.W. 2I 2 I LN.L b
Ardrimaan 30.6066 N.W. 3 3 N.N.W. b
Greencastlit 30.61 65 S.W. 1 3 N.N.W. .ob
1
Valentin... 30.68 65, N.E. 1 4 N.W. b
CIPa Clear 30.61601 && 4 4 N.W. b
. 30.6 b 63 Z. 0 2 W. ob
Holy 30.65 57 N.N.W. 2 1 N.N.W. cb
Penzance 30.6562' N.& 11 3 N.E. ob
Brest 30.4763' N.E. 4, 6 N. c
(orient 53036 611 N.N.L 2• 4 N. co
Rochefort 30.5556 N. '2! 4 , N. o
Plymouth
3651 65 W.N.W. 3 6 ' N.N.W. b
Weymouth a0.54 60 N.E. a s N. L cab
Portsmouth 30.5060 N.R. •4' 4 1 N.N.R. ei
London
Y ,armonth. 60.5360 N.N.E. 4' 6 1 N.E. a,
Scarborough 30.5757 N. N.& 1. 1 . N.N.L ob' —. 1
Shlehla 30.6057 N.E. 2 2 N.E. ob