The Express.
London, England, 1868-08-15 00:00:00

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D'illinkt Bre*,Ca, 2a, and Caroline Brooks, 29, man
and wife, the former a shoemaker by trade, and
living at 23, Charlotte-street, Curtain-road, Shoreditch,
were brought up for final examination before Mr. Ellison,
charged with the wilful neglect of their three children,
whereby one of them, Barbara, aged one year, had died.
Mr. Taylor, barrister, instructed by Mr. Childs, ap-
peared to prosecute ou behalf of the parish autherittee
of St. Leonard's, Shoreditch.
The evidence already adduced against the prisoners has
been fully reported in these columns, and but little
testimony was required to complete the case against
them.

—Mr: Peter Lodwick Harebell, M.D., of 2, Kingsland-
road, and medical officer of the district, stated that he had
visited the two surviving children in the workhouse, and
was of opinion that they had considerably improvel,
although still poor, weak, and emaciated.
Mr. Daniel Kye Forbec, recalled, stated that the priva-
tion and neglect the deceased child Barbara had beaus
subjected to would have so increased the inflammation of
the lungs and bronchial tubes as to considerably accelerate
its death. He would not eay that the privation brought
on the measles, from which the child was suffering, hut
that it rendered its chalice of recovery leas hopeful when
pneumonia and bronchitis supervened.

Harriet Skelter, a talk:gess, living at 75, Willow-walk.
stated that she knew the prisoners, and remembered on
one occasion, the 7th July they went out oa an excur-
sion. As witness passed 'their house one of the children
called out to her, and she went upstairs, and found them
sitting on the bed,: which was covered all over with night
soil. They were perfectly naked, and they said
they had no food. Witness could not find any,
neither could she any garment or covering for
them. She left, and about one o'clock took
them up some broth and pudding, which they ate
ravenously. The child then appeared very ill. About
5 o'clock witness again visited them, taking with her
some tea, bread and butter, &c., and finally stayed with
them from nine o'clock until the prisoners came home,
which was about 11 o'clock.
Mr. Taylor then wished to know if Mr. Ellison would
deal with the case at this court as for neglect, an act of
parliament recently passed (the 31st and 32nd Vic.)
giving him power so to do.
Mr. Ellison could not withdraw the case from a jury,
the charge was much too serious, and he should commit
them for trial for manslaughter.
After the usual caution had been administered to the
prisoners, each made a statement denying that they had
left them without food or clothing. They had had a
doctor for the children when necessary, and purchased
saffron as a medicine for them for the ma'am'. They
called two witnesses, the first of which, Mr. Joseph
Knowles, a missionary, of Twindle-terrace, Loudon-fields,
declined to be sworn, stating that he was a believer in Uid
faith of the Lord Jesus Christ, which said, " Swear not at
all." He was then allowed to affirm, and on that stated
that when some nine months ago he became acquainted with
the prisoners he found them in a state of great destitution.
He believed the male prisoner worked up to his stsength.