The Sun.
London, England, 1863-06-11 00:00:00

MARYLEBONE.

EXTRAORDINARY AND SHOCKING MURDER OF A
CHILD, AND ATTEMPTED SUICIDE OF THE MURDERESS
—Mary Anne Payne, aged 21, residing at No. 6, Allsopp •
place, Marylebone, was charged before Mr, Mansfield with
the murder of her child, Charles Albert Payne, aged two
years and three months, She was also further charged, on
her own confession, with attempting to commit suicide,
first by taking poison, and afterwards by throwing herself
out of a second-floor window.

Prisoner was allowed to be seated during the inquiry.
Maria Spence said-1 am a married woman, and live in
the same house as prisoner. About 8 last night I heard a
crash, and on going out I saw the prisoner lying in the yard.
I screamed for her husband, who went for a doctor. I knew
she had a child between two and three years old living with
her. Between 5 and 6 o'clock the child was in my yard,
playing with my children, when the mother came and took
it up to tea, and I saw no more of it. .

Mary Anne Payne, sister-in-law to prisoner, said—About
a quarter after eight I went with my brother into the bed-
room for blanket, and oar going to the bed thought the

child was asleep. I took it into my arms, when its head
fell back and blood came from its throat. I don't remem-
ber anything more. (Witness burst out crying, and pri-
soner sat composedly looking at her.)
Mr. Sedgwick, surgeon, of 12, Park-place, deposed—l
was called.to 6, Allsopp-place. I saw prisoner on a sofa in
the front parlour in a complete state of collapse, resulting
from her fall from the window. I examined her to sae what
injury she had received, and found marks on her elbows and
legs. She remained insensible for seven or eight minutes
after my arrival, and I had her chest and body rubbed over,
and I told her sister to go and get some blankets to cover
her with, as she was in her night-dress, and directly after
I heard a piercing scream. I attended on prisoner till the
return of consciousness, when she spoke very incoherently,
and could give no further account of her injuries except
that she had slipt off the door step. As soon as she was
sufficiently recovered to be left I went upstairs to the second
floor back room, and found the b delothes thrown down
to the foot of the bed, and the body of the child
lying on the near side of the bed with its
throat completely cut across and down the
spine, and in the middle of the bed a quantity
of clotted blood. The child had evidently been moved
from its position. I directed a constable to be sent
for, and on his arrival we searched the room, and found a
large table-knife with blood on it, and which had apparently
been wiped with something. Afterwards a piece of paper
was found with blood on it. We then went to the open
window and found blood marks, and a small flower-pot was
knocked over. There was also some blood in the back yard.
After this I again attended the woman, and after succeed-
ing in restoring warmth I went home, and returned with a
reviving draught. She was afterwards sufficiently recovered
to inform me of the circumstances of the case. I was in-
formed that she had taken a large quantity of laudanum.
The absence of symptoms of poisoning in her was
accounted for because she had been excessively sick in her
bed room, where she had vomited the contents of her
stomach, consisting of a hearty dinner, into a wash hand
basin, and which evidently contained laudanum. She said
to me, to use her own words, " I have been for some time
low-spirited, and was very low-spirited during nearly the
whole time I was in the family-way with my first child. I
can't account for my being in low spirits. I went out after
dinner with my child, and went into Mr, Williams, che-
mist, Upper Baker-street, and bought 2d. worth of lau-
danum for the toothache; I then called in at Mr. Greenish,
chemist, New-street, Dorset. square, and bought another 2d.
worth, After that I went to Ms. Hows, chemist, in the same
street, and he only let me have a ld. worth. I then bought
some grocery, and went home and undressed and went to
bed." She had no recollection of throwing ht rself out of the
window. I asked her if she was in the family way, and
she said she was three or four months gone. She had also
attempted to cut her own throat with the knife, as there
was a slight mark up.on it.
Albert Hammett, 270 D, gave evidence which went to
corroborate the medical gentleman. He produced the
knife, and a piece of paper with blood upon it. Great force
must have been used with the knife, as it was very blunt.
Prisoner, who sat unconcerned all the time in the dock,
declined to put any questions to witness, and was remanded
until the depositions might be taken.