The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1818-11-21 00:00:00

ALLEGED ILL-TRRATMENT OF A UHL&

Yesterday afternoon an Inquest was held at the Monmouth
Head, Castle-street, Leicester-square, on the body of Martha
Purcell°, a child about four yesrs and ten months old, who
met her death under the following circumstances:—
Jane, the wife of James Street, No. 3, Whibrosihe4treet,
Commodore of the India House, beingsworn, stated, that the
deceased was pat to nurse to ;La wife of Joseph Hill, a tai-
lor, residing iu Heminiug's-row, St Martin's, fur which she
was to receive 4s. per weak ; but the child beiug taken
was conveyed home by its father on Tuesday week, and died
on Sunday lasi. Witness attended the child from the
10th instant to the 15th.; she was regularly attended by a me.
dical Gentleman, and believes she died in consequence of
treatineut. The day before she died, she said, " Oh! dots%
hart sae—will you not hurt me?* but witness had nut seen
her receive any ill-treatment. The day P. be was laid out,
there were three or four black marks upon her back, 'high
appeared to have been done by fingers. When she came
home, she said she was afraid to tell soy thing fur fear her
aunt would beat her, if she should be sent hone spin, mud
begged nut to he sent back again.
Mr. S. J. Moreau, Is, Great Newport4treet, Gorgon,
sworn, said, he was requested to Weed tbe deceased at her
father's house, No. Itl, Castle street. He saw her late in the
evening, and found her labonring under an inflammatory
fever, with a great number of blotches on the akin, produced
by the sickness; she was also Wronged by Mr. D. Morgan,
his partner; there was au likelihood of her recovery, but yet
there were some hopes et her until within a few days of her
death, when witness o*s called np at three o'clock,and found
that violent symptoms bad returned attended with delirium
every thing was dune which was deemed proper, but the
symptoms terminated hi same low typhus, which caused her
death. _ _

Coroner—" Can you judge what was moat likely to pro-
duce that fever!"—A." Nothing is more likely than the ill-
treatment ; but as a medical roan, I mien state that abso-
lutely, as many causes would produce it. The typhus
fever has bee. very prevalent, it alight come on nein ally."
Jurymen—" la the tourse of your attendance, had the
child related any thing respecting her ill-treatment to you ?"
—A. " She was only four years old, and the last four days
she was quite insensible." Witness's partner corioborated
his evidence, be having shortly after attended.
Ann Sophia Blast, wife of William Blunt, bardwarentas,
12, Hemmiwg's-row, stated, that Mrs. Hill, who bad the
child to nurse, lodged in her second door. Wbea she first
had the child she iras is perfect health, and continued to until
about ten weeks ago. Witness met her is Mrs. Hill's arms.
She asked the child bow she Wes? She replied, " Not
very well, Memo " Mrs. Hill said, she mast have gut a
cold or wormy, as she is contently relaxed is her bowels.
Witness asked Mrs. Hill, whether she had given her any
physic? She replied, that she had given her rhebarb.
Witness then recommended her to take medical advice, as if
she was poor mostly all the medical men in the neighbour-
hood pve advice gratis. Witness thee west sat of toss,
and returned shoat three or four week, ago, and asked her
servant how the lodgers were ? She replied," " Very well," and
then mentioned many cruel acts exercised upon the child.
About the 3d instant Mrs. Hill brought the child down
naked, hearing her matter swarthier, and in a few tainulett
after heard her go to the water-closet sod empty a slop pail,
which she filled with water. When she dose this she threw
the water over the child, as slit supposed, from the noise the
child had made ; heard the child catch her breath hardly, ua
which Mrs. Hill said, " dont cry." Witness instantly raw
into the passage where the wateeniott was and then sair
the child quite naked, sud Mrs. Hill ill the act of demi/jag
a second pail. %Vitoria exclaimed," Mrs. Hill, you will
murder the 'child." Mrs. Hill answered, " Madam, mind
your own family." Witness said, " you shall not do it
in my house." Mrs. Hill again replied, " Mind your own
family," and flinging another pail of water over the
child, said, " There I will do it in despight of you, and ern*
if I like." Witness called her husband to prevent it, bet
she was too late, and be told her he would acquaint her
husband when be came bume, adding, you are in the fa-
mily way, how would you like your child to be seed au.
She answered "I don't rare." She at other times midribs
did it to clean the child. Upon another measles she (Mrs.
Hill) let the cock run over her, and left her in a damp place,
naked, by way of puuishoietit, sod beat her very severely
with a rod, of which she bore marks some days afterwards.
On the day Mrs. Hill bad flung the two pails of water urer
the child, she drove her up stairs naked, shut the door, and
brat her violently. Some days previously, she had wiped the
child all over with a flannel and cold water, she then dine
her up stairs, and also beat her viuleatly.
Ann Cole, late servant to Mrs. Blast, stated many other
ions nees of cruelty used towards the child.
Hannah M. Wood, a lodger iu the same house with Mrs.
Hill, confirmed the foregoing evidence in most of the path-
ciders, Mrs. Hill is 23 yearend, but newer lead any eliddreu
of her own.
William Martindale Wood, the last witness's buthand,
gave his evideuce corroborative of the preceding witnesses.
The child's grandfather (who is a German) stated, that be
had seen the child daily, but he never bad seen Mrs. Hill
ill-treat her.
Mr. Ort.t., the Coroner, asked the surgeon's opinion
again, and be was answered that such treatment would pro-
duce death, but that it was doubtful in this ease.
The Coroner summed up the evidence, and the Jury hay-
ing deliberated, retuned a verdict of Manslargkrer against
Mrs. Hill, who was is the public-house, and was instantly
taken into custody by Hartley, nu officer of St. Martin's,
and she was committed to Tutkill.ficlds upon the Curoocr's
warrant.

CORN EXCHANGE, Fatimv, Novionstit SO.
Having bad but a limited supply, with Wheat and Oata
since Munday, although tlwre war plenty left over for the
demanil, cacti of ilium articles hail a tolerable brisk sale ■t
our last quoted prices. Barley supports its prim. Harlow
a lurk, supply of Boiling Pease, the sale was dull. in Besot,
and other knob of graiu, there is uu alteratiuu.

SMITH FIELD MARKET, FRIDLY, Noweata 20.
Thi. day's market had out a good supply of the radio'.
kinds of cattle Mottoes awl Kirk were cheaper; St.( awl
Veal ash! at last prices; and the trade in general was sumeer.
what dull. The sale* in the Haymarket WIT,: out lively;
Hay, Straw, am' Clover have dropped iii price.
--------

COAL MARKET, NOVEIIIIIIII 10.
S lips at hlarket. Ships Sold. Pries'.
1211 Newcastle
32 Sonata-laud
1 Cook's
--.....

BIRTHS.
Lately, at Nitride, sear Boa thmutpten, the Lady of the
HON. and Rev. J. L Duadu, of awn.
On the 6th inst. at Genoa, Era. Edward Gibbon Woke'
of • Dun and heir.

- . .
HIGH WATER THIS DAY AT LONDON-BRIDGE.
Nursing 37 anti 7. I Evening o_!!..!8

--
LONDON: Printed autl Psitslmbed at the fillet, No 147,
Stroud ; where Advertieemeuts are reeetv,il, zifil LAW'
(puet-paid) meet be lieldressetl.—C. 8%.1TH, No
Clement's lea, rfillltt —1 WHITE, Nu DT, Sl,lls+'

I