The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-10-02 00:00:00

ILL TREATMENT OF AN INFANT.

Saturday a very extraordinary investigation
took place at t4is office. before J. S. Ca Lim eat. and R. HEDGER.
lEsqrs. respecting an infant that was reduced to a Rightful state of
emaciation, in con.equence of st“rvation.
Nary nnrrotes, the supposed mother of the little sufferer, which
is tin illegitimate child, was brought up in custody, by the parish
officers of Newington, to whist piatsli it was now chargeable, to
&Amer for the oftc,.cc.
_ _

The Rev. A. C. Onslow. the Rector of the parish, attended, for
the purpose of assisting his brother 31agistrates in the development
of the extraordinary circumstances connected with this case, which
excited conilderable interest in Newington, and collected a vast
number of the irltabitanta of that portion of the district to the office,
to hear the proceedings.
. .

The unfortunate irTant, the subject of the inquiry. was brought
into Conn by the midwife who attended the accused during her
accnuchement : it presented a dep!orahle sight, biting reduce.. to a
mere skeleton, front want of food. The bones in its meagre and
decayed frame were slmost stetting through the skin, and the
thumb and fore-linger of its hft hand were dreadfully excoriated,
which was produced, as will be seen front the surgeon's evidence,
in consequence of starvation, the child having sucked its own flesh,
and caused deep-seated wounds, fur the wait of proper nouris::-
ment.

The defendant, on her entrance into the office, appeared exces-
sively ill, so much so that it was with difficulty she could walk
without assistance. She is a respectable-looking woman, apparently
about forty years of age. During the investigation she became so
much worse that it was several times apprehended she would have
landed.

Snow, the beadle. rated that a female named Mary Lin field, a
midwife, who acted in that capacity for the defendant during her
accouchemenf, came to the workhouse a few days ago, and re pre-
navel that the child of which Mrs. Burrows was delivered in
the month of April last was dying for want of food, and that
the mother appeared quite careless as to its fate. He lost no time
in attending to the case, and proceeded to the defendant's residence,
where, after having experienced some diflicu:ty, he SAW the child,
which at that time was apparently fast approaching dissolution, be-
ing redeced to skin and bone, and animation being scarcely
perceptible. Having been informed by the midwife that the child's
illness had arisen from want of food, he ronveyt d it to the work- i
house, where proper attention was paid to it, and the child was now
so far recovered as to bald out a prospect of its ultimate return to
health. Snow added. that the Overseers of the parish determined
on making an example of a mother capable of neglecting her own
oirspring in the shameful and unnatural manner ascribed to the de-
fendant. and had her brought up on the present occasion, in order that
the Magistrates might visit the offence with that punishment it de.
served ; the accused, he understood, asserted that the child was not
her own, deelaring it to have been changed by the inalwife who at-
tended her during her lying-in; this assertion, however, he (Snow)
was convinced was without the slightest Veranda' ion, for incontestible
evidence could be brought forward to prove the fact of the child's
identity.
Mary Linfield, the midwife alluded to, was then called.—She
stated that she attended Mrs. Burrows, who has been a widow for
some years, during her arcouelicnient in the month of April last.
The child that she was then delivered of was the identical child that
she (witness) now held in her arms. On the occasion of the birth
of the child, the mother requested her to take it Ironic with her and
nurse it. Site !metaled to that, knowing that thetlefendant was anX•
bus to kelp the circumstance of her having been brought to bed
a secret. Witness kept the child for two or three weeks, until she
procured another nurse for it, who,' however, treated it with such
can leanness and inattention, that she took it away to her own home
again. The child at that time was thriving fast, but the mother,
on her recovery, evinced a total disregard of maternal affection for
it, scarcely ever calling to see it, or making any inquiry about it.
This conduct on the putt of the mother surprised the nurse, who,
_
ill able to afford the expenses of rearing another woman's child,
had an interview with the defendant, the Truth of which was, that
the infant was given np to her. The midwife, suspicious of
the unnatural manner with which the defendant treated her child,
called subsequently to see how it was cettit,x on, fearing that pro-
per care or avention would not be bestowed upon it. When she
did call, which was in the course of a week afterwards, there was a
visible alteration fur the worse in thechild, and its mother was per-
. •

fectlycareless a• to its fate. On that visit the witness said thai she
was convinced the cause of the child's illness proceeded from the
want of food. She, however, went away, after imploring the mo-
ther to attend to it and feed it properly. The defendant pro-
mised to do so, but when she (witness) called afterwards, the ac-
cused refused to let her see the child; and when witness expressed
her dttomtitistiol of seeing it either dead or alive, as she krew
that the mother was starving it, the latter could not be pre-
vailed upon to acquiesce. and she (the witness) hearing that the in-
fant was in a dying state ft om actual starvation, went to give intbr-
mation of the facts to Snow, the constable. She added, that she
proceeded with snow to thedefendant's residence, and saw the child
in the state already described. Since that period she has been ours-
in:( the child herself, and by her care and attention to it, coupled
with the assistance of the doctor, the child was saved from perish-
ing of hunger.
In reply to the Magistrate's questions, the witness said that th
child was its the most thriving condition preparatory to its being
given up to the mother ; but when that took place, the child fell
away to a skeleton, and the lodgers in Mrs. Burrows's house told
her that it was starved by the mother, who evinced a total disre-
gard for it, and appeared to be most anxious fur its speedy disso-
lution.

Ale. Hardy, the surgeon, who attended the child immediately on
its being taken away from the defendant, stated, that when he was
called in to sce the child, it was in a frightful state of emaciation,
produced from starvation. The holies almost protruded through
the skin, anti its back and loins were covered with wounds, appa-
rently caused by friction, or lying long in one posture. tlr. Hardy
then procr,ded to describe the nature of the excoriation visible in
the patient's thumb and fore.fitiger, which he solely attributed to
have been produced by the act of sucking, which the-child resorted
to for the want of nourishment.

Mr. CALDWELL-Might not the symptoms that you have de-
scribed have arisen from weaning the child at too early a period
. .

Mr. Hardy replied, that it wit; impossible that cerise c.uuld have
produced such dangerous symptoms. He then added, that he was
apprehensive, when he first saw the child, that it could not survive,
and had it not been for the care and attention bestowed upon it by
Mary Linfield, the nurse, who seconded his endeavours, the child
would never have lot through it.
Mary Burrows, the defendant, was now called upon to give an
account of her extraordinary conduct towards the child She com-
menced by stating that ever since her lying.in she had been labour-
ing under a nervous fever that almost brought her to death's door.
The child that she hail brought into the world, she said, was taken
away immediately on its birth, by Mary Linfield, to whom she ac-
knowledged she had intrusted it to nurse, to prevent exposure, as
she was the mother of several lawful children. When she had in
some degree recovered from her illness, the midwife's conduct was
such as to impress her with a belief that the infant she had brought
to her was not defendant's own offspring, but that bent was
changed for the one in question at the time of its birth.
Mr. CALDWELL-Rut supposing that to have been the case, it
was unnatural to starve the infant. Why not apply to .the perish,
rather than to pursue such a Inc of conduct as that attributed to
you ?
The defendant—l can declare to you, Gentlemen, that I was
very ha•i for a considerable time subsequent to the nurse bringing
me the infant • and although I was convinced in my own mind that
my child had been changed, yet I paid the one that was alleged to

he mine all the attention I could, hut it wasted away i,
I could do for it. I tell yt u again, Gentleniei,
ant) that Mary ',infield is a very bad wemon, anti tit,
keeping the secret of my lying-in, as she promised, tr
then actl;the executors of some property of mine, she
forth to the world.
The Alagintrate—But that has nothing to do with
starving the child.
The defendant again protested that sh^ (lid as mint
in taking e.t.a of the child, and than. t'.e state 10 w
duced was in consequence of disease. ~• not the v
nourishment. as le,l;it with thick tail!: con.t.ooly
it. The def,rlant then added that site wag
was a God in heaven that the chill wiis not her
was either Mary ',infield's, or soine chili I
was trh•ngril for her's.
Mary 11,infi.1 here solemnly declared 0 it the el I'd
was the identical on., of which Mrs. 11111,11Y,11;i'i I.
DCfelltilitit —1 kilOW it is not my child ; there is t.
lure in its whole counts once that apt•roaclies to a re
myself or the father of my child.
The Rev. Mr. onslow said that he could not
any reason for induci;• Mary 'infield, the witty.,
us had been t IVhat sl
he could rot well distetn

:.nut .ter t

is cot::d

d. is not my baby ; the midwife's pt
is as bail as c di be, and I know it to h. ehil
Mr. CAT.I.W ELI., as the iitinr 11
consider:dile surprise, and asked if any
brouifht forward to prove the identity at the 611
tnhelfra.

hff l

\LIUSI ''c

f all

Snow, the beadle, sold, that at present thtYc wan rot ant. body
Court to speak to the flict except the midaM..; but ea a future dr/
he should be enabled to prove it to the sti,i,taction of the flag;,.
trate% Ile then applied to ill,. :tench to have the defendant's
formation taken an t,t alto was Ow father of tier child.
havi•ig sworn it vet to any one, and it bei,,g at present chargeatuL
to the parish. the woman was accordingly examined, and, in re-
ply to the questions. devised that I tiivin wan the lath^ r ci
her child. um he was of no Lusiress or frotestoion, and that he wt.&
et the present time travelling on the Continent in cohstqueni.c et di
health.

The examination having been taken. Snow requesice, that t;,„
Magistrate would g:an, his warrant fur the apprehension of the
repotedfath,r of the child.

Mr. Carsnw Ent. re In•ed the applicasion, on the ground
was not sufficiently satithed as to the identty of the child in qui,-
lion being the offspring of the pawn against whom the warrant
was applied tar.
Defendant—Another strong reason, gentlemen. that I have far
supposing the child not to be mine. is the very great atlx!ety snown
by Mary Lintield all through tins husines,,, and h.rr
the child. I have heard her say brou;lit it lack that
she should never see it want, and she caressed it in 5:.211 a
manner that convinced tee she was 'nine nearly allied to it than 1 arr.
The dellndant was next asked whether she knew Mary Lintield
was pregnant about the same time that she was 1ter,...1r. :she re.
plied that Mary Lintichl hail \,ral illegitimate children, and that
she was certain this was r•ne of them.

The ltlagistrates all agreeing that the child in question was
aatisfactmily identified us the offspring of 3lary flutn•ws. no.t.
poned the further hearing of the case for a few days. and in the
terim gave directions that the child was to be taken care of in the
parish workhouse.

SPORTING I NTELLIGENCE.

FEMALE PEITi;sTRIANISM.

A novelty in the sporting lie was presented to the citizens of Oil
F.bor on Wednesday lasi, in the performance of a pedestrian fem.
out of Micklegate liar, by a female sixty years of age, who under.
took to walk forty miles in ten 011.1C,:e.,iVe hours. Proclamation et
this feat having been made by the Hellman, on the preceding day.
numbers were attracted to the spot to aitness the exhibition. At
half-past eight o'clock in the ntorning, the fair heroine enneareti at
the starting-place, at flohlgate-lane.enil, wh• re a box, atli cc' to a
chair, was placed, haying a label soliciting the pecuniary aid a rye
spectators to the Pedestriancsas From this chair, half-a-tole a,
measured along the high south mid, cud in this cruise the I tidy
performed her task. she is a tall woinan, and was attired in a e.at:
coloured skirt, a white cotton waist, over wl.ich was pinned a cc•
loured neckerchief; a white muslin cap completed the tipper part
of het customs., whilst a pair of black stockings finished her attire;
she wore no hat nor shoos. She set oft at a brisk rate, evidently
showing her consciousness that she was mistress of lilt week.
Those who recollected the performance of Powell, the csichrat
walker, discos eyed a great similarity between his gait and that cd
Mrs. 31‘3fullon, the subject of the present paragraph. In the
course of the day, several persons attempted to accompany her in
her walk, hut hint we e able to keep her pace, without having re•
course to a shuffling trot.
The following is the time occupied in accomplishing the task
it. 3f. S 11. M. S
The first ten miles 2 2 40 4th ten miles
2d ditto . - 2 16

2 ..) c

:id ditto . - 216 01 843 LI)
She finished her engage ent at half-past five o'clock, thug, exclu-
sive of the time occupied in taking refreshment. havirg nn hear to
apace. Throughout the performance she maintained the sine
steady but rapid pace, and at its conclusion exhibited nn signs of
fatigue. Indeed, at the close of the undertakit g. she declared her-
self able to have continued her escrrisc much longer. We under-
stand she has accomplished a similar feat at divers rlaces. ac•i cu
all these occasions she depends entirely upon the gtnerosiry ui the
spectators for her remuneration. In the present IliMal.Cc, we XVl-
tlerstand, the spectators were not parsimonious in rtuartling tLc
labours of the Pedestrianes..— Yin llt odd.

MEETINGS OP CREDITORS.

LONDON LIST.—:From the London Ca:r;h•.!
AT TR! COLItT O► COMMISSIONER., OP BANXnETES,
PITTIENT, ON I.TXDNEsnAY NEXT.
Harrison, T. Fleet-market, victualler, Slitler'a mart. are . ...
111.kintion, T. Wapping High-atrert, oilman, H
Strwati, C. Itirchip.laue, merchant. am—no:taut
Trott, tt. Stepney, .........

11X LIST.
Bard.lcy. J. Reaton-Nonis, hat-maker, Bullreley Arm , (

. . _ ..
Ist examination
Francis and Watmough, Whitrbutch, •choolmaxtera, Lint , M.

church, Ist examination
Gettp, J. H. Uphill, dealer, Lion, Bristol, let ex:tniiiiatitm
Harrison, S. Manclie:4er, grocer, George, Li Verpool, Ist ...do
Hunt, J. Holywel,, Innkeeper, Itel!, Holyis cl,
Lowe, J. Manchester, nil merch. King's Head, Mary hexter, 1,4 cx .
Morrow, 3. Liverpool, muney.scrisener, Situ., Liverpool, 2,11 Yt:111
Sampson, J. H. Sculcoates, merchant, Ittic arid Hock, Kim:au" ill,
Smith and Votes, Heaton Morrie, biass-founders, Hctcl, Manche •L,

tiather dividend .......... ...... .......
Thuilell and Giddvns, Nora it 6, 1,..La in-inauni4vVirers,

Norwich, dividend ..
Welch, S. Whitchurch, saddler, Lion, IVhitcharch, lrt cram

At the Middlesex Sessions, on Friday, John
young man who was on Thursday found guilty of ae auc-
cious assault on Charlotte Gunnell, by throwing h•r ie!)
the water over Cowley-hridge, was sentenced to d, iiitei-
soned one year in the House of Correction, and al,o to
kept to hard labour. The prisoner, as he was being r,•
moved, solemnly protested his innoetnee.
Oxeorso, Serr. 30.—Early cn the morning of Sur-'ly
last a species of villany was committed, which, forteeee:
for the character of the place, is of rare occurrence ii, ;Le
city. Several yards of the balustrade of Magdalen ltrid-l•
were forced off, and one of the lan-in-irons and its suffer!
torn down by means of -a rope. This deliberate act ;Lee
have been committed by the worst of scoundrels ; fcr u.
could be actuated by no oth,r motive titan that of mi-ce •
and doing injury to the public. Itiiileena•er, the mate,:
of the gas-lamps, when he was extin,,,,,tising the
that part of the town, heard the nreuh s at their n.
r.
destruction; but as soon as they perceived
jumped into the meadow, took to the river, and thei.ce
up Long-wall. Bridgewater, who deserves much ur3,e•
for his exertions, pursued them, bur they recap,: le,i
him in the Parks. He describes them as !lasing th: •
pearance of working masons ; one had on a festian j 17'e:-
it is hoped that some reader of this pararerepli to::y
lest persona of the above description rerirrnioe iu
•ii "
condition to their lodgings, and give surd, iet'ermaeen
may lead to their detection and punishm.i.t. As an
is
crow and other tools must have hero used, we
pose it was a premeditated act, and we most
hope the perpetrators will be discovered. ire se:e C:
feeling on the subject throughout the city ; that of .*-
tion of the villains who could he guilty of such an etre,- -•
act.—Oxibrd Herald.

BIRTHS.
On the 28th ultimo, at Liverpool, the Lady of Cart. H. P:
R.N. (Regulating Captain of that Port), of her se%cntli:on.
At NVentworth House, on the lath. ult., Viscountess 31i1::-
son. The ceremony of bar:titan was performed on Ihe
by the Rev. J. Lowe, Chaplain to Earl Vitzwilliam, and 0:
fent named Charles AVillism.

MARRIED.
On the 27th of Septemher, by specirl licence, at St. Jan
Church, by the Rae. ri,alterbert Fuller, George W.
Esq. .51. P. only son of Sir George T. 'Puppy, Bart. of Oast
berland-place, and of Hinton Admiral, Hampshire. to Ora, a
daughter of Augustus Eliott Fuller, Esq. of tlifrord.sucet,
of Ashdown Hou►e, Suestx.

DIED.
On the 17th ultimo, at Largo House, Mrs. Durham, the L:.,
of Lieut. General Durham.
On iVednesday last, at the Palace at Wells. Jane, wife ef t'
Lord Bishop of Bath and IVells, and eldest daughter of the la
General Adeane.
On the 29th of April last, at Sattara, in the East Indies, after
illness of lb days, Lieut. Edward Burgess, Adjutant of the 24.
Bombay Infantry, aged 211.

HIGH WATER THIS DAY AT LONDON BRIDGE.
Morning .... 22 min. after 21 Evening...—. 40 min. after 1

Printed at THE BRITIsH PRESS ONce, by d• W.CARLTON,NO, 16
SUOMI, and publivlut4 by IL CANNON, robe place.