The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1819-03-22 00:00:00

murder of a female bastard child, Ly sendieg it
from Hull to Thorne, in a basket, in such a 111:100er
NSW occasion its death. The Prisoner is s respect-
able-looking elderly woman, and 'appeared to be
deeply affected with the awfulness of her situation.
Mr. Couvem a a, after mentioning the facts of the
case, which are detailed in the following evidence,
observed, that, if the Jury, after investigating the
circurustssices, were of opinion, that it was the fixed
purpose of the Prisoner to destroy the child, Weis
this was a case of murder ; if, on the contrary. her
object was not to take its fife, she was guilty of
manslaughter. Ile took the law on this subject to
be, if a person did an illegal act, and death ensued,
though the party doing it had no intention to cause
. death, or if even the act was lawful, and in the
mode of eloiug it is culpable negligence and disre-
gard of !Inman life was displayed, the offence
amounted to manslaughter.
diary Be'house lives lot Milk-street, Hull. She
knows the Prisoner, who has a daughter, unmar-
ried, named Sarah Anderson. 'Fins daughter was
delivered of a female child on Tuesday, the aOth of
October, at witness's house. The following even-
ing the Prisoner came and took the child away, say-
ing, she was going to send it to its mother's emit.
Witness saw her ote Thursday, and she said it won
gone. The Prisoner appeared to be very fond of
the child, sod to take great care of it.
Joseph Wilson is erigitteer of the Hull and Thorne
steam-boat. Ile sailed from Hull to 'fliortie an
the 21.1 October last. Remembers receiviog a
basket from a woman about half-past live iii the
morning of that day. It wits quite dark at the
time. The stoma., said she was going with it,
but had first to go back fur some other luggage.
lie took the basket on board, and she went away,
but did not return. The packet sailed at half-past
seven. Notice is given every dory by the bellmin
of Hull, of the time the vessel sets out the next
morniiig, which varies on account of the tide ; and
a clock face is put up in the rigging, with move-
able hands, which are made to point to the proper
hour. When the woman gave him the basket., she
particularly charged him to put it where it would
be dry, and to place nothing upon it. lie took it
into the cabin. The lid of the basket was tied on
with a little small band ; and on seeing it lift up,
lie slipped his lingers in, felt fOirleiliwg very warm,
and judged it to be live poultry. Ihi delivered die
basket to Thomas Downing, e carrier. who meets
the packet at New Bridge, to take the parcels to
Thorne. The packet is called the Thorne Parket,
and when the tide serves, reaches Thome. Tile
cabin is very warm.
Thomas Downing received a basket of lust wit-
ness on the 1.2i1 of October, which he supposed to
contain live poultry. He did not at the time look
at the direction, but lie afterwards saw it aims Ha-
dressed, " Dr. Nlaples, Thorne, with care." lie
peeped into it,.and saw some flannel. it was placed
out the top otitis waggon. The day was rainy when
he set out, it became fair afterwards; but there
was a cold high wind. His waggon is not a tilted
one, and a loose cover he had thrown over it wits
blown off in that part where the basket lay. He
was too hours and a half that day on the road, which
is longer than usual, having to go out of the way
to deliver sonic goods. The distatice is about four
miles. On his arrival ist Thorne lie sent the basket
to Dr. Maples, by a boy named Arrandalr, who
proved its delivery.
Ann Walker, servant to Dr. 'Maple', received the
basket from Arratidale, owl opened it by her mis-
tress's directions. It contained hay at the top, but
underneath she found some !men, fl iuorl, and a
female child. She felt alarmed, and crated to her
mistress; several other females came in. Airs.
Hestisworth took it out of the basket, carried it to
the lire, and got it some milk ready, which it could
not swallow. It died that day. Her master, who
had been sent for, came in, and soon after a coo-
!liable arrived. She carried the child to the win k-
bombe, tt mule distant, in the same flannel it cline
in, and the constable went with her, hit whether
it was alive or dead at the timesille does not know.
Iler master has a large family, but 110 small chil-
dren at home.
Mrs. Mills, mistress of the workhouse, received
the child, but beleves it was dead when it *arrived.
She chewed it to dies Dove half au hour alteraards.
Mr. Dove, surgeon, saw and examined the child,
which appeared to be two or three days old. It
was then quite dead. From appearance, be thought
some aiiodytie, such as Go ilfrey's Cordial, hail been
given it,—(One count in the indictment charged
the Prisoner with administering to it " a certain
noxious, deleterious, and deadly poison, called
Ciiiilfrey'e Coiled, and thereby occasioning its
death."] Ile stated the effect of this cordial would
he to render it less susceptible of rulrl; that it oils
too " a deadly poison, " but ft trim why given to
children to create sleep. He said that children of
Ilia age %mild often sleep four, five, or six bouts,
without food. Ile could not say with certainty
what was the cause of the child's death.
Mr. Whilty, a constable, was present when the
Prisoster was examined before the Nlayor of Hull,
and ',tortured the exantioation, *loch the hail eiglied
in his presence. She was cautioned not to crianinete
herself. It was read, and contained a lull ail-
nitssion that she had sent, the chili!, 111 the man-
lier described in evidence, but stated in addition,
that when she gave the child to the man, her it:-
telitiou was to go herself. That she went home to
prepare, and when she returned the packet was
gone. Her initid was greatly distressed, and the
wrote a letter to Dr. Maples, requesting him to
take care of the child.
A letter, which appeared to have been seat from
Hull to Dr. M. on the day after was produced mid
read. It began with hoping he would pardon the
rashness of the writer in betiding the dear child to
lino, which was done from a knowledge of his hu-
mane disposition. As soon as things were settled,
and remittances received from its father, she would
make all the recompense its her power. It con-
cluded by saying, " Do what you cams—my mind
is bordering on maduesa—the Lord help me—you
will see me in a little time."
The Prisoner, when celled upon by his Lordship,
said, in a tiesoulous voice, " I hail no design upon
the child's life. I did every thing I thought nrcsii-
vary, and for the best to save its life."
His Lordship, in uddreoling the Jury, said the
law had been clearly and properly stated by the
Learned Counsel. lie pointed out mail circum-
stances which wise favourable to the Prisoner, and
they returned a verdict—Guilty of Murisheughter.