The Sun.
London, England, 1864-07-18 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE,

HOME CIRCUIT—CHELMSFORD, July 16.
(Before Baron Martin.)
CHARGE OF MURDER.

Emma Howard alias Emma Pudney, 23, a wretched-
looking young woman, was indicted for the wilful murder
of her child, George Isaac Howard, otherwise Pudney.
Mr Walford and Mr Philbrick prosecuted, and the prisoner
was defended by Mr Peirce and Mr E. T, Smith.
The facts of this case wore very simple, and the evidence
for the prosecution left no doubt that the prisoner had not
only committed the act imputed to her, but had also at-
tempted to destroy the life of another infant; but at the
same time it also established the fact that the prisoner was
in such a state of mind at the time as not to be criminally
responsible for her actions. It appeared that she lived with
her mother at Halstead, and that she had two illegitimate
children, the one that lost its life, who was about a year
and a half old, and another about four years old. She got
her living by silk weaving, but it appeared that at the time
the offence was committed the prisoner was in a most miser-
able state of poverty, and this had, no doubt, affected her
mind, and, coupled with her mental condition in other re-
spects, drove her to the commission of the act with which
she was charged. It seemed that on the afternoon of the
28th of March the prisoner left her mother's house with her
two children, stating that she could not support them, and
that it was her intention to go to the union and
ask for some assistance. In about an hour she returned
without the children, and when she was asked what
had become of them, she replied that she hoped they
were in heaven. A police constable who happened to be
accidentally passing the river Colne, towards which the
prisoner had been seen walking with her children in the
afternoon in question, heard a child's voice cry out, " I
shall fall! I shall fall 1" and on going to the spot he saw
the eldest child hanging by both hands from the branch of
a tree and up to its neck in water, and the younger child
floating in the water and apparently dead. He rescued
the first-mentioned child, and then got the second out of
the water, but it was quite dead. The constable afterwards
went to the house of the prisoner's mother and found her
there, and asked her if it was true what he had heard re-
specting her children, and she replied that it was, and she
then said that she would go anywhere with him, but that
she wished first to see her dear children. She then said
that she first threw the younger child into the water,
and that she held the other child to look at him while
he was struggling in the river, and then threw him in,
and he turned his face to her and called out " Mother,
mother !" and she went away. The prisoner did not seem
to have attempted to conceal what she had done, and, ac-
cording to the evidence of her mother, she had been for a
considerable period before the occurrence in a low and de-
sponding state, and that fears were entertained that she
would do violence to herself, and that since the birth of her
last child she had frequently complained of her head, and it
appeared that several members of her family had been con-
fined in a lunatic asylum. The statement was confirmed by
Ithe testimony of a medical gentleman named Sinclair, who
had attended the prisoner, and who stated that she had on
several occasions exhibited indications of her brain being.
affected.

The jury, without troubling Mr Peirce to address them,
returned a verdict of not guilty on the ground of insanity,
and the prisoner was ordered to be detained during her
Majesty's pleasure.
The wretched creature was removed from the bar shriek-
ing, and calling out " Oh my dear children I oh my dear
children I "
This concluded the business of the assizes.