The Sun.
London, England, 1839-09-20 00:00:00

CRIMINAL COUHT.-(THIS DAY.

OLD COUAT.
William Walls, an ill-looking fellow, aged 29, and de-
scribed on the calendar as a boot maker, was indicted for
killing and slaying Ann Martin, a child of about e years
old, by beating, striking, and bruising her in various parts of
the body, on the sth of August, and several following days.
Mr. PAYNE conducted the case on the part of the pro-
secution, and Mr. Cnaaks!;il appeared tor the prisoner.
From the statements of the Learned Counsel, and the
evidence produced, it appeared thiit the deceased was the
child of a woman named M,,rtin, with whom the prisoner
lived. The first assault was made on the sth or August,
and between that time and the 24.. b, several other assaults
had been committed. The prisoner was charged with
manslaughter upon the Coroner's inquisition, but Cie
Grand Jury had found a true bill for murder against him.
Mr. Ponder, the surgeon who bad attended the deceased
at the rr quest of the prisoner, stated that the latter had
tuid him the child had fallen down stairs. When he
first called in, the child was in a stupifiod sate. On ex-
mining its head. h r found a coi,tusion on the left temple
aed the right cheek bore, which inppcared to be the result
t.f recent Injuries. After this time the child partly re.
covered, and he administered s.,ine medicine to her. The
next morning the child again appeared to he in a stupified
state, and continued getting acre-c until the evening of the
next day, and it died about twcive o'ilock on the Mon-
day night following. After death witness examined the body,
and found between the scalp and the b6ne a great deal of
blood corresponding with the external bruise. There was
also coagulated blood under the scalp on the left side of
the head. There was also very extensive inflammation
correspondinf, with the external injuries. There was also
an effusion of pus or serum upon the brain. Such an
effusion would have produced death.

By Mr. Justice VAUGHAN-I'. was probable that all the
injuries might have been caused at one time, and at
a period very recently before the death of the child. The
injuries might have been occasioned by a fall, or by blows.
Mr. Bligh, a surgeon of Chiswell.s:rcet, examined_
He had seen the head of the child after it had been opened
by Mr. Ponder, and he considered that it died from a blow
on the back part of the head ; by that he meant some ex-
ternal violence. The injury on the back part of the head
might have been occasioned by a fall. The injury must
have been received a few days previous to the death of the
child.

Esther Christmas saw the child about five weeks before
its death, when it was brought to her house by the pri-
soner and its mother. On the Zith of August witness
supposed she beard the child heat with a strap, and heard
prisoner call her a d-- d stinking little bitch. The mother
was not at home at that time; the child appeared to cry
as if it were stifled. Witne,,s also heard, as she aupposed,
the child knocked upon the floor. Asked to see the child
the next morning, but her mother would not let her. On the
24th witness heard the child crying, but she did not hear any
blows struck. Did nut know whether the prisoner was at
home at the time ; this was about eight o'clock. In the
evening witness saw the child ; it was bruised all over,
and the prisoner said it had fallen cff-the chair and struck
itself.

Cross-examined by Mr. CLARKSON—From the day the
child came into the house until the 24th of August witness
did not tee it.

Sarah Rawlings—Lived in the same house with the pri-
soner and the last witness. About three weeks before the
death of the child heard it and the mother cry. On the
24th of August witness accused the pi isoner of beating the
child; be denied it., and said that it had fallen off the chair
against the bed.

Phillis thown—Kept the house in which the prisoner
and th•• witnesses resided. Heard some woman, on the
sth of August, say to the pri,oner, " You shall not murder
my child—you have murdered my child ;" saw the child;
it was very much bruiied.

Mr. Justice VAUGHAN here stopped the ease. It bad
been very properly brought before the Court by the parish
authorities; there could be no doubt that the child had died
of the bruises it had received, hut there was no evidence to
show those bruises had been inflicted by the prisoner.
The Jury, therefore, under the direction of the Learned
Judge, acquitted the prisoner of the capital charge, but
found him guilty of an as,ault, and
Mr. Justice VAUGHAN sentenced him to six irlmths' im-
• prrsonme,. -.t and hard labour, one month to be passed in
solitary confinement.