The Sun.
London, England, 1849-08-21 00:00:00

EXTRAORDINARY OCCURRENCE
AT HORBURY.
The quiet village of Horbury, near Wakefield, has
been thrown into a state of great excitement by a
painful occurrence that has come to light within the
past week. An independent gentleman of the name
of Craven lived in the village in respectable style.
He was a bachelor, and a young lady lived with him
as housekeeper, who was known as Miss Craven, and
was reputed to be his natural daughter. In the
middle of last week a report prevailed that this young
person had given birth to a child, which had been
made away with, and that the body had been
found buried in the plantation belonging to the
house. The report was, of course, not long in
coming to the ears of the constables, who instituted
proper inquiries—traced the report to a man
who bad seen the body of the child—and then in-
formed the coroner, who thereupon directed that an
inquest should be held forthwith. Accordingly, on
Saturday last, the body of the child having been pro-
duced, an inquest was held over it at the Fleece Inn,
when the following extraordinary facts were elicited
in evidence :
Thomas Nettleton said—l live at Horbury, and
am a butcher. I was told by Ellen Sykes (Mr.
Craven's servant) that she saw Mr. Craven burying
something in the plantation, and in consequence I went
to the place. I took some earth up with my hands,
and found a bundle wrapped in brown paper. I took
it up and opened it, and found a new-born child. I
made another hole and buried it again. I showed it
to Ellen Sykes before I buried it—it was a boy. This
was on Tuesday morning. I was called upon by Mr.
Roger Hirst, Mr. Joseph Berry, and Mr. John Gee,
on Friday morning. They are constables for Hor-
bury ; they asked me to meet them at the Fleece Inn,
in Horbury, and to bring the bundle I had found. I
went and dug up the bundle and brought it to the
Fleece. I laid it on the table in the room in the pre-
sence of the constables and other persons. I left it
with them. Ellen Sykes told me not to say anything,
so I did not mention the finding of the child to the
constable nor to any one. Ellen Sykes told me she
saw Mr. Craven digging something. She told me
she suspected something was up. I never denied I
knew anything about the child, or had it in Fay pos-
t session. I groom and work occasionally for Mr.
Craven.
on her oath said—l am a single
Ellen Sykes, up ,
woman. I was servant to
Mr. Edward Craven, but
was discharged last Thursday by Miss Craven. Mr.
Craven is a bachelor. Miss Craven is about 24 years
old, and lives in his house as his daughter. I had
been there three years the Ist of last June. I never
told Nettleton I saw Mr. Craven digging or burying
in the plantation, but I did tell him I saw Mr. Craven
graving in the garden—by graving I mean working
in the garden. He is in the habit of doing so. He
(Nettleton) said he suspected something was up, and
said he supposed I suspected. I laughed and put it
off, and a little girl came in and we said no more at
that time. This conversation took place on
Tuesday evening. I never told Nettleton not
to mention the finding of
.the child to any one.
It was last Monday morning, betwixt nine and
ten, when I saw Mr. Craven working in the garden.
Nettleton told me I was not to name it to any one
that he found the child. At the time Miss Craven
was confined to her bed I had reason to suppose she
was delivered of a child. My reason for supposing so
was the difference in her appearance before she was
confined to her bed and after she came down stairs;
she came down stairs about four o'clock last Monday
afternoon. I saw the bed linen was changed and
taken away. There were finer sheets on the bed
than were put on before. I did not attend her on
Saturday and Sunday. Mr. Craven himself attended
to her on those two days, but I went into her bed-
room occasionally. No medical man was sent for to
Miss Craven. Mr. Craven, on Saturday, shut the
inner door leading from the kitchen to the room after
him, as he often does ; it was betwixt twelve and
one o'clock. I also heard him shut the stairs door. I
heard Miss Craven crying out as if in much pain all
Saturday morning, and was very poorly. On Wed-
nesday night I think it was, I went into Miss Cra-
ven's bedroom ; she was undressing ; I saw her ap-
plying something to her breasts, but did not notice
what it was • I shut the door and went away without
going into her ; it was bed time, and I had my shoes
off. I had not spoken to Nettleton on Wednesday
morning before he brought the child. I have looked
at the piece of cloth the child is now wrapped in ; it
is a piece of linen cloth ; the child was wrapped in
calico that Nettleton produced to me on Wednesday
morning.
Medical testimony concluded the evidence, and the
coroner then went over the evidence very minutely,
and directed the jury as to the law of the case. The
jury returned a verdict of " Still-born."
J. Stringer, Esq., solicitor, Horbury, was present
on behalf of the authorities, and three other solicitors
were also present to watch the inquiry.
On Monday, Mr. Stringer applied to the magis-
trate for warrants of apprehension against the parties
concerned in the above offence ; but the magistrates
required some evidence to be produced before taking
this step, and issued summonses to the witnesses al-
ready named to appear before them. This no doubt
has been done, and the warrants have doubtless been
granted, although we have no information to that
effect. Mr. and Miss Craven have left Horbury,
no one knowing whither they are gone.--Bradford
Observer.