The Sun.
London, England, 1849-06-08 00:00:00

A female relative of the prisoner said that she
visited her when she was confined with the infant
which she had destroyed in the manner described;
that she never observed that she exhibited any symp-
toms of aberration of mind, but uniformly seemed to
be much attached to her offspring. • The witness,
however, thought it necessary to mention that the
prisoner's mother was in a lunatic asylum.
The prisoner, who listened to the evidence with
attention, was now asked by Mr. COTTINGHAM whe-
ther she had heard all that had been alleged against
her, and whether it was true she had destroyed her
child in the manner represented by the witnesses ?
Prisoner (in a low tone of voice)—Yes, it is true.
Mr. COTTINGHAM—What could have induced you
to drown the infant by putting it into the copper of
water ? Prisoner--I was not aware of what I did at
the time.

Mr. COTTINGHAM—When your husband returned
from Guy's Hospital, you had the dead child in your
arms ? Prisoner--Yes, I know I had. I washed
and dressed it before I put it into the copper. No one
told me to do it. I attend chapel regularly, and I
loved my child dearly.
Mr. COTTINGHAM—Then why did you destroy its
life ? Prisoner—l am sorry for doing it now.
The prisoner during this short interrogation did
not, so far as her manner and appearance would in-
dicate, undergo any mental suffering; and when in-
formed that she must be sent to take her trial for the
offence, she merely nodded assent, and although she
observed her husband in court in a state of great
affliction of mind, it seemed to make little or no im-
pression upon her.
Mr. COTTINGHAM said that he had put the above
questions to the prisoner with a view to ascertain her
condition of mind when she committed such a dread-
ful act as that of depriving her offspring of its life by
immersing it in the copper of water; that according
to the witnesses examined, and her husband's account
to the police sergeant, it did not appear that she had
ever betrayed symptoms of insanity, although it
seemed one of her parents was affllcted with that ma-
lady, The prisoner, also, by her answers before
him, showed that she was in possession of her facul
ties, and admitted that she committed the crime, and
described the manner in which she effected it; she
had also told one of the witnesses that she did not
know why she had destroyed her child. Whether
she was unconscious at the time that she destroyed
her infant was not a question for him to decide; and
as he had previously mentioned, he saw nothing in
her conduct or demeanour before him to lead to the
inference that she was insane. He therefore felt it
his duty to send her for trial for the murder of her
child.

The prisoner, who merely nodded her head, was
then removed from the bar.

DREADFUL COLLIERY EX-
PLOSION.
THIRTY-THREE LIVES LOST.
A dreadful explosion of fire-damp occurred on
Tuesday morning last, at the Hebburn Pit, the pro-
perty of Thomas Easton and Company, on the river
Tyne, Newcastle. The explosion took place about
half-past six o'clock in the morning, when upwards
of 100 workmen were in the mine ; but it was con-
fined to the north-west district, where the sufferers
were employed. The entire workings extend over
about fifty acres, and are ventilated by means of two
shafts, an upcast and a downcast one—the furnace
system of ventilation being employed. As usual in
such cases, nothing is known as to the immediate
cause of explosion, for no one lives that can tell the
tale. The air had to travel about 1,232 feet before
reaching the place where the explosion occurred, and
about 840 yards to its escapement by the upcast shaft,
but the coal seam being undulating, the causeway
was in some places not more than five feet in height,
in others fourteen or fifteen feet, the lower level
being taken for the formation of the rolling-line
On Monday night there was a heavy thunder storm.
On Tuesday morning it is supposed the foul air had
accumulated in the arched roof of the course, and
on the horses being set to work to draw waggons,
which nearly closed the air-course in some places, it
is supposed the foul air that had gathered in the dome
was driven out of its receptacle into the part where
the men were working with candles, and ignition was
the consequence. This, however, is all mere con-
jecture, formed from a knowledge of the workings of
the mine ; for all in the part where the explosion
took place are dead, and the survivors in the other
part of the mine can only speak to the facts which
indicated to them that an explosion took place.
One man, working near the district where the
explosion took place, was got out alive. His
name is 'William Bell. He, however, merely states
that he felt a stunning noise in his ears, and
became insensible ; in which state he was found,
and afterwards recovered. The explosion must have
been of a terrific nature, for all the stoppings and
passages in the districts were destroyed, and the
bodies of the men were blown to atoms. One poor
fellow who was at work, finding an explosion had
occurred, rushed to save his father; after several
hours ineffectual search he found his parent without a
head. Another man, employed as a plate layer, was
found with a rail stuck six feat through his body.
More mutilated corpses were perhaps never occasioned
by such a catastrophe. Of the 33 who are killed, 8
or 9 are married, the remainder are young men and
strong youths. A more melancholy sight was per-
haps never witnessed.
An inquest was opened on Wednesday before Mr.
Faye'', the coroner for the district, and adjourned to
a future day, and in the meantime scientific men
have been engaged to examine the mine. It is
worthy of remark that Mr. Gurney's system of ven-
tilation would have been no safeguard whatever
against this casualty; at least, such is the opinion en-
tertained, for however rapid the transit of air from
the downcast to the upcast, it could not have cleared
the "goaf."

ATTEMPT AT SUICIDE.--At the Southwark Police
Court yesterday, Catherine Larrey was charged be-
fore Mr. Cottingham with attempting to commit suicide.
From the evidt-nce of a boy named Murray, it appeared
that the prisoner was in company of some boys in a
wherry, and when near Blackfriars-bridge she threw
herself into the water, from which she was rescued by
one of the Thames Police. In answer to the magistrate
she said the boys were rowing the wrong way, that the
boat jerked, and she was thrown into the water. This
the inspector denied, and stated that the boys were
rowing the right way. The magistrate remanded her
till a future day, in order that further inquiries might bu
made.

HOP INTELLIGENCE.—CANTERBURY.—..The hops
have made great progress in gr,wth daring the late
warm weather; but being overloaded with fly and lice,
it is next to impossible that they can recover, and the
only chance is of fresh shoots pushing out. It was to
be hoped that the slight thunder storms of Tuesday
would clear a 'ay some of the vermin, but this effect is
hardly perceptible. The rains were so partial as to have
been cf little service in the hop gardens. The duty is
laid at 80,0001., with every chance, according to the visi-
tation's few years ago; of descending to half that amount.
Oluerver.

how it happened, and she then told witness that she
had drowned it in the copper boiler in the back
kitchen. Witness the❑ asked her the reason for
committing such a dreadful act, and as to whether she
and her husband had had any previous quarrel ; but
she replied that they had not, adding, that he was a
good husband to her, and she went on to describe that
she first washed and dressed the child, and then took
it and placed it in the boiler of cold water until it
was dead. Although the prisoner appeared to be in a
melancholy state of mind, yet she did not betray any
excitement or express any horror at the deed she had
committed. The witness added that she had known
the prisoner for the last 15 or 16 years, and was pre-
sent at her marriage, seven years ago, at St. Helen's,
Bishopsgate-street; and although she was always
reserved in her manners, still witness never supposed
she was labouring under derangement of mind. Be-
fore witness left the house she again interrogated the
prisoner as to her motive for destroying her child,
and she then replied that she was fond of it, and she
thought she could not do her duty by it if it lived.
Sergeant Litchfield, M division, stated that. when
he was informed of the circumstance he repaired to
the house, and found the prisoner and her husband
sitting in the room, and thechild lying dead on the sofa.
The husband appeared to be in great trouble of mind,
and he informed him that when he went out the same
morning, before nine o'clock, to attend to his duties
at Guy's Hospital, he left his wife and child quite
well, and that she mentioned to him that she was then
going to wash and dress it ; that he returned home
about two o'clock in the afternoon, and that when she
opened the door for him she had the child in her arms,
and when he observed its countenance and saw that
it was changed, he asked her if the child had had a fit
in his absence. The reply was, that the infant was
dead, adding, that she drowned it at eleven o'clock in
the copper. Her husband then asked her what could
have induced her to murder their child; and her
answer was that she did not know. The
husband further said, that the prisoner seemed to
be exceedingly attached to the child since its birth,
and although she had exhibited a good deal of
melancholy for the last four years occasionally,
yet that he never heard her express any intention
of laying violent hands upon herself or offspring. The
sergeant added that he then questioned the prisoner
as to her motive for committing such an offence, and
she unhesitatingly told him the manner in which she
had destroyed the infant, and pointed out to him the
copper in which she had accomplished the act, and
which at the time contained a quantity of water. She
further said that she was fond of the infant, and that
her fear was that she could not do her duty by it, and
had therefore availed herself of the means of putting
an end to its miseries. The sergeant added that he
then took the prisoner into custody, and that she ac-
companied him without betraying any alarm, and that
since her imprisonment she had not said anything on
the subject of the murder of her child or alluded to
the subject.