The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1821-01-15 00:00:00

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NORWICH SESSIONS.
The Qaarter Semlees tar ibis city cemaseeeeff ea Tres.
day last before the Right Worshipful the Maw, William
Bert. Rag. the Reeerder, C. Harvey, Esq. and ether Magi-
strates.
CRUELTY.
THIS SING, ON THE PROSECUTION OF ti. 11. PHIL.
LIPS, V. SARAH POWELL.
This was as indictment against the said Sarah Powell, for
cruelly beating, wounding, and otherwise ill-treating Mary
Aim Phillips, • child abouLsix years and a half old, sn that
her life was almost despaiitel of. The Defendant pleaded
Not Grill, to the charge.
The jest 'tithes, called on the part of the prosecution was
Samuel Hasell Phillip., father of the child. H. stated, that
he pat his child last Midsummer to a ltharding.schaol, con-
ducted by the Defendant, Miss Sarah Powell, who told him
at the time she bad several other boarders. He took his
chill away front the school on the tOth November, because
he hid beard she was ill used by the g When he
first demanded his child he could not obtain her. On the
Sunday morning, shout eleven o'clock, he went to Miss
Powell's house, and knocked at the door, but received no
answer. lie remained nearly an burr at the dour, knock-
ing violently, when he went fur • amiable ; he had
every reason for believing that bliss Powell was in the
house, and he set persons to watch whilst lie was gone.
He ret•reied in about a quarter of an hour, with a con-
stable, who demanded redeemer, hot received sic answer.
They then went In Aldermen C. Binaries, end procured a
warrant; when they returned they knocked again, and re.
eriving no suswer, the officer burst the door open. The wit-
ness then ran Or stairs, and found his child seated on a
form, near the fire, apparently devoid of animation, and
Miss Powell standing near her. He seised his child tii his
arms, end asked Miss Powell how she could be so cruel as to
use • child in that manner; and without waiting (or her 11111.
suer, he ran down stairs. He took the child to Alderman
Broom's, where she was undraped by Mrs. Brown sod the
iii, wbu were greatly shocked at the treatment the little
girl had received. Witness afterwerds took her home; where
her mother undressed her; and i• his presewee the child was
examined. The father then described the state iii whims the
child appear.,d: from its fingers ends (he said) up to its
star, its breast, its legs, in foci every part Of b.r body was
most dreadfully bruised, and quite • jelly; the back part of
the neck appareled to Lave been gored as it were with a usd,
sod was covered with dried blood. The toes of the iinforin.
nate infant were so bruised that the shoes could out be put on
for three week,. He had heard her, whil.t lying by his bed.
site, groso,asid when she turned in the bed . *Haien, " 0 dear!
how sore I am" With respect to the b.uiees, the Governess
told him she had several black places from hsviug fallen
down. Ile was confident the child had been instructed to
say she liked lirr governess, because when she saw Miss
Powell in the Sword Bearer's room, before the Mayor, she
11( reamed out, "My governess will kill me!" and they could
nut pacify her. No reason was ever given by Miss Powell
for having refused the father of the child admission.
On his cross-examination (by Mr. Preston, the Defend.
dam's Counsel), this witness, in answer to sonic questions,
whether there was a bell in the room, and how Miss Powell
was dressed, said that his feeling, were so nincli hurt, that
he did not stop to make any remarks; he only knew that
Miss Powell was very dirtily dressed ; he slid not know whe.
tier the child had any shoes on; he seised her hat frum off
some drawers by the window,
Mrs. Phillipps, mother of the child, corroborated the
statement of the last witness, as to the appearance+ of her
daughter; witness Sidnot believe such bruises could he or.
casitmed by a fall or by a rod; she went once or twice to
the school, anal said she was sorry to hear her child had hero
ill-treated. Miss Powell said it was false; she was not,
however, satisfied, and told Mr. Philipps she would go
again.

was
daughter had been vaccinated ; she
was perfectly well after the vscethation. Miss Powell hail
two girls sod one lisyiwhen her child went ; could nut say
whether the bruises might not bare liceir.,occasioned by •
qUiVrt, 1111“tIli the children.
Elizabeth Clay, servant to Alderman C. Brown, spoke
as to the appearance of the child.
Mrs. Mary Aim Harrison lived next door to Miss Powell;
has had often occasion to remark how ill used the poor child
wax, she had 'Veil her slap the thud on the face violently, and
remarked she thought she was moth lOU severe; the governess
said the child was a great story teller. The child came
into her (the witness's) house one afternoon to borrow some-
' thing; the witness asked her whether she should tell her mo-
ther; the little gin I said," don't stop me, or my governess will
beat nie again." On the Dili November, about twelse or oue,
when Mr. and Mrs. Harrison were abed, they beard screams,
and the child say, " Pray don't beat me any more, you will
kill me." MISS Powell asked the witness out day to take
care of young Phillips (the child iu question); this the
consented to du; she examined the child, and seat for Iwo
neighbours to see her; she was very much bruised, and
appeared very low, and hardly spoke ; she look the child
and put her to bed. The next morning she was near
enough to see Miss Powell heat the child, and beard
her inquire what Mr. and Mrs Harrison bad asked her over
night; she at first said nothing; the Defendant then threat-
ening to heat her very violently if she did loot tell, the
child told the truth. Wilsey' saw the child wills • very
black rye, which the child said was occssioued by her go-
verness pushing her out of bed in the middle of the night ;
she went in to speak to the Defendant, sod asked her how
the eye became's° black ; she said it was done coming tint
of the school-room, against the dour. The next day witness
went to Mr. Phillips.
On her cross-examination' witness said she saw the De.
readmit strike the child with part of a parasol; never saw
her brat the other children; the Defeudant always seemed
spiteful to the child—bas seen her knock her bead against
the door.

Mr. Carley, he surgeon, was neat called in, who bore
Imitating to Ilse appearance of the child ; he did not believe
it could have been done by • fall, nor that the places in the
neck proceeded from varcinatiou.

There were other witnesses in attendance, hat the Counsel
for the Defendant said be would spare the Court the trouble
of examining them.
Mr. PRESTON now rose, and in an able defence addressed
tie J u.ry on ter part of the Defendant. He argued chiefly
on the improbability of the case, that his client, who pre.
vious to this time had borne a good and respectable cha.
racier, could use a child in the frightful matiner that had
been described. lie was not in a condition to rebut the evi-
dence with evidence: he could only give Miss Powell's so-
lemn denial to the charge, which she did through him. He
would call sum- witnesses, and if be mild by them rebut
some of the charges, the Jury ought lobe very cautious how
they admitted the real.
Mary Buxton called.—She bad been servant to Miss
Powell; used to dress the child; the Defendant always he.
bayed exi ceding well to young Phillips, who was • dirty
child and would Nand and cry fur nothing: knew Mrs.
Harrison, never told her the Defendant would kill the child ;
vice saw the child fall down stairs, there was a chair at the
bottom against the corner if which the eye of the child
struck, has seen the children quarrel.
Examined by the Recorder.—Only recollects Miss Powell
giving the child • slight correction ; witness went into De.
.irendesit's service the Monday after Michaelmas, stopped
imith her sia weeks.
In answer to • question put by a Juryman, witness said it
• was about • fortnight previous to her leaving Miss Powell
that the child fell down stairs.
▪ Mr. C. Norton knew Mr. and Mrs. Philipps; has heard
the little girl asked, whether she would go bark to school
ere stay? The answer was, she preferred going.
Crose.exainfuest —The Gu was at Mrs. Phillips's at
the time.

Here ended the cue on the part of the Defendant.
The RCCORDIR then summed np, and the Jury, after
few minutes consultation, returned a verdict of Guilty.
The COURT then passed sentence of dime mosithe im-
prisonment 'pow the Defendant.

On Friday night the very extensive sugar-house
of Messrs. SMITH and DONALDSON, Deid-street,
Mile-end New Town, was entirely destroyed by
fire. The premises were insured to the amornt of
10,0001.

PRICE OF STOCII
II pet Ct. Ked...69k 70
3 per Ct. Cons. 69
4 per Cents. . .81
5 per Ct. N. Aim. 104

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