The Sun.
London, England, 1864-08-04 00:00:00

Child Murder,

Yesterday forenoon an inquest was held by Dr.
Lankester at the Elephant and Castle, King'aroad,
Camden-town, on the body of a male child, which
had been registered as " Henry Bowen," the off
spring of a woman named " Mary Hartley," which
was discovered dead up a chimney. The accused,
who was in custody, was produced before the
coroner's court by order of the Secretary of State
for the Home Department. She is a fair, well-
looking woman, about 28 years of age, and appeared
very weak and much affected durin g the proceedings.
Eliza Taylor, a nurse in the lying-in ward of
Clerken well Workhouse, said she knew the accused
by the name of "Annie Bowen." She was ad-
mitted on the 16th July, and gave birth to a male
child the same evening. She said it was her seventh
child, and only one was alive. She discharged her-
self and left the workhouse shortly after 10 o'clock
on Saturday morning last. The child was in good
health at the time, and left with its mother.
Eliza Screwby, servant at the Harrison Arms,
Harrison-street, Gray's-inn-road, said that on Satur-
day morning, about half-past 10, the accused came
to the bar and asked for a glass of hot gin and water.
Told her they had no hot water ready, and she said
she would not, as she was tired, and she went into
the parlour. Having boiled some water witness took
the hot glass of gin and water to her. Hartley
asked her to shut the door as she wanted to
fasten her drawers and she did so. Noticed that
Hartley hada paper parcel when she came in. About
five minutes after having the gin and water accused
came out with the glass in her hand and placed it
on the counter and then went away. Witness went
into the parlour and noticed soot on the hob, which
she thought strange, having cleaned the stone
about half-past nine. She pushed up the
door at the top of the stove, and saw a parcel up
the chimney. She pulled at it and the paper tore,
and then she saw a white cloth, and on touching it,
finding it wet and warm, was frightened and called
the potman.
Charles Hubbard, potman at the Harrison Arms,
deposed to being called about 11 o'clock by previous
witness, and to finding a parcel on the right side
of the chimney. It was wet and warm. He called
a man named Tolmer who was standing at the bar,
and he pulled it out. Seeing it was a child, as its
face was uncovered, he immediately went after the
woman he had seen in the parlour, and on reaching
Hunter-street gave her into custody.
Henry Tolmer, 53, Harrison-street, said--About
12 o'clock on Saturday he was in the Harrison Arms
for change, and heard the two witnesses say there
was a parcel up the parlour chimney. He went,
and on putting his hand up the opening he found
the parcel wedged tight in on the right side, and
he got it out with difficulty. He then found it was
the,body of a child, with the head and shoulders
expose. It was warm, but appeared quite dead. ,
Police-constable Fk. White, 33 E, said—About a
quarter past 12 the witness Hubbard gave the
accused into custody, saying the had put a baby up
the chimney. Asked her if she had been at the
Harrison Arms, and she said " Yes." Then asked
Hubbard if the baby was dead, and Hartley said,
" Yes, it is dead. lam sorry I have done it now.
I wish I had taken it to the workhouse and had it
buried." Took her to the station, and when the
charge was read over to her she said, " I did not
kill it." She attempted to tear up some papers, and
among the rest the registrar's certificate, which
showed that the child was registered on the 20th
July as "Henry Bowen." She tore np several letters,
but the one produced, addressed to Mrs Jacobs, 11,
Wellington-terrace, Wellington-road, St. Jobn's-
wood," and stamped ready for posting, was saved.
The Coroner said it was a most important letter,
and read it to the jury. It was as follows :
" July 29, 1864.
" Dear Jane,—l received your letter. and am very glad
to hear the child has gone. It's better off. lam also happy
to tell you that mine is gone; so as I am empty handed I
shall come out to-morrow (Saturday), though I am not very
well ; but if mine had lived I should have stayed in another
week or two, for I don't believe I shall bo able to walk. I
shall be obliged to ride up by the Underground, so that if
you are out on Sunday I hope you will call, and pray don't
torget the gin, for I am in a very delicate state of health at
present ; and after living on the fat of the land in the work-
house for a fortnight, I shalt turn up my nose at anything
common. Tall Charles I should have been exceedingly
obliged for his kind offer, only there is a family grave dug
at Colney-hatch for my son.—So as I hope to see you soon
I shall close with my kindest love to you both, frcm yours
truly, " A. Bowrx."
Catherine Prior identified this letter as one which
she saw the accused write on Friday night last at
Clerkenwell Workhouse, with the intention of post•
ing it in the morning when she went out. She beard
her read that part of it about the fat of the land.
he had seen the deceased child, which was then
alio and well.
Mr J. T. Paul,surgeon, was called to see deceased
at the station-house. It was quite warm, and to all
appearance just dead. It was about 14 days old,
and was a Well-
nourished male child. On making
a post.morten; examination he found under the
scalp a considerable effusion of blood. There was
an effusion of seruCi in the ventricles, and the chest
and lungs were much congested. There was no
sign or smell of poison. The cause of death was
suffocation.
By the Coroner—Examined the accused woman
Hartley, who admitted she had given birth to a
child, and said it took place in the grass at High-
gate on the Thursday week previous. She had a
quantity of baby's clothing sewn on the inside of
her petticoats. She attempted to destroy all papers
and writing she had, but witness succeeded in se-
curing the pieces of the torn certificate, and also
the letter which had been read.
By the Jury—l have no doubt, from the evidence
and my own observation, that the child was put
up the chimney alive.
The accused, Mary Hartley, having been cau-
tioned by the coroner, made the loflo wingstataese
ment :—From the time the child was born be w
ttriloeubatletednwiliotnh
owfinthdey
very hard and
choking with the wicd. When
Sa-
turday morning I felt it breathing
gaontdtolthweasHarri-
son Arms it was half past eleven, there
would choke. After leaving the workhouse on snPuarssme toa ni
dt
, Ia
as alve wasof tae fnr ac eidi
up the chimney. This is all I have to say.
half an hour. The child was dead before it was pat
The witness Taylor contradicted the statement
e called to the child hav-
ing the windy spasms-
There being no further
The Coroner addresed t e jury, who, after a few
minutes deliberation, returned a verdict of " Wilful
evidence,
e
murder against Mary Hartley," and the coroner at
once made out his warrant for her committal to
Newgate for trial.
The accused was afterwards examined at the
Clerkenwell Police-court, and thence also committed
for trial on the charge.