The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-09-03 00:00:00

SUPPOSED CRUELTY TO AN INFiNT.

CORONER'S INQUEST.
atkai
On Wednesday ternoon an Inquest was held at the White
Bear, New E wend. before TUOYA,,, beim.' siG, Esti.
Coroner, on the ' cof Harriet Dowley. a child seventeen months
old, who cam.: to her death under the following circumstances:—
It was generally reported throughout the neighbourhood of
Hampstead and Highgate. that the deceased had been used in the
most cruel manner by its nurse, who, it was said, starved it
to death, and the interest excited was so very great, that lung
before the arrival of the Coroner the Jury room was filled, and
crowds of persons assembled near the house.
Henry Cowley. the father of the child, deposed, that the de.
ceased was about seventeen months old, and had been in a sickly
condition ever sin.:e its birth. The mother who was of a con.
sumptive habit, died about five weeks ago. During her illness the
child was suckled by another woman, but it gradually became
worse, and at length it was deemed necessary to place It at nurse
with a woman IMMO" Mary Davies, of Hampstead, who was a
woman with several children of her own. The deceisetl had been
with her during the last five weeks, and she was paid 7s. per week
for nursing it, &c. Witness called to sec the child two or three
qnies a week, and never had any rearm to suppose that it had been
ill-treated by Mrs. Davies: but he heard reports that she hail tier
glected it, and had left it without food, Sic. fur hours. Mrs. Davies
had frequently said to witness that she would rather be without the
child, and requested him to place it at nurse with somebody else,
it was so very cross. Witness did not think it necessary to take
the child away, as he thought it was well treated. The child died
on Saturday last. Witness had no reason to believe otherwise,
than that it died a natural death. The nurse had several children
of her own, and one illegitimate child since her husband's death,
which she suckled while the had the deceased.
Mr. Charles Jacobs, surgeon, of Hampstead, deposed, that he
had attended the deceased. and knew it from its blab. The mother
was a woman of consumptive habit, and died about five weeks ago
of that complaint. Dunng her illness, having no milk, the child
was suckled by another woman, but its health was not improved,
and it was plated under the attention of Mary Davies, and it died
on Saturday Last, of a complaint in the bowels.
Juryman—Can you judge, from the appearance of the deceased's
body, whether it died from starvation ?
Mr. Jacobs—Certainly not. The glands of the bowels were af-
fected- which prevented the decked receiving nourishment from
its (food, and consequently its person would exhibit a reduced ap-
pearance, although every care might have been taken of it. Con-
sumptive mothers were likely to produce consumptive children,
and witness had no reason to believe that the child died from ill.
treatment.. •
Two women named Pearce were then sent for and examined,
they, according to the beadle, being the causes of all the " bobber),"
p that had been raised. Their evidence was remarkable only for pert
folly, and did not in the slightest degree make out any cluer:N
', against Mrs. Davies.
The Jury then proceeded to view the body. On their return, the
' Coroner and Jury being convinced that the reports prejudicial to
, Mary Davies originated in jealousy, returned a verdict of--" Died
by the visitation of God."