The Sun.
London, England, 1824-08-07 00:00:00

ILL TREATMENT OF CIIILDR,EN.

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Yesterday morning a concourse of persons as.
sembled in Monmouth-street, St. Giles's, and the neighbour.
hood in•afew minutes presented a scene of confusion scarcely
over witnessed, in consequence of a report in general circular
Lion that a woman living in Monmouth-street, and occupying
a second floor therein, who had for some time past carried on 4
school for children, and took others in at num., had actually
starved them, and that one of the infants was then lying dead.
This alarm soon spread itself among the inhabitants, and the
house was quickly surrounded by hundreds of people who ap-
peared very clamorous. Many seemed determined to enter Ow
premises' and ascertain the fate of the little sufferers, while others
were for dragging the wretch out and tearing her to pieces. The
confusion that prevailed was so serious, and murder being anti.
dilated, the parish officers of St. Giles were sent for, when the
assistant overseer, Mr. Brigg, attended by Bowers and Green, the
beadles, speedily arrived on the spot, and after understanding
the nature of the affray, they proceeded to the apartments oc-
cupied by the woman : on entering winch they observed seve,
rat little children literally naked, in a state of starvation, lace-
rated from head to foot through violent ill usage, and completely
covered with loathsome disease. The officers, viewing the at.
. . .

tuation of the place, and truly distressing affliction of the chil-
dren, immediately procured a coach, and they, with their brutal
mistress, were conveyed to Marlborough-street, amidst the exe-
crations of the populace, who would-have torn the wretch to
pieces but for the interference of the officers.
At one o'clock the case was called on before Mr. Coma :el',
the sitting Magistrate, and the prisoner gave her name Vathe..
rine Irwin, but admitted that she also went by the name of
Wicks. Four little infants, from two to five years old, thorn
entered the Justice-room, and a more appalling sight was
never witnessed—they were literally in nakedness, starvation
was in their countenances, and they were completely covered
with disease. _ _

The investigation commenced by the mother of two of the
infant sufferers, James, four years, and Mary Ann Rodwell,
two years and a quarter old. Witness did not list with her
husband ; she received 12s. a week from him. The two
children in May last were put into the prisoner's care, they were
then healthy. About five weeks since she came to town und
took her children away. She also learnt that her husband co.
habited with the prisoner ; her infants were literally et:ivied
and dying, one of the toes of her daughter had been cut off.
On its being intimated to the Magistrate that an infant, only
six weeks old, had died from want since they had left the house,
Mr. CONANT dispatched an officer to the house, who brought
away the infant : it was not dead, but in a dying state, and the.
Magistrate instantly ordered it to the work-house.
The prisoner's daughter was examined as to her knOwledge
of the cruelties inflicted upon the children, and who the parents
were of two unknown, viz.:—Henry Hunt, and Frederick
Hutchinson, apparently about four years old. She, however,
denied all knowledge of brutality, nor would she know the
parents, but the money was regularly sent by the children's
friends for their maintenance. The daughter seemed as hard.
ened as her mother in cruelty.
Rodwell, the husband of the first witness, denied Cohabiting
with the prisoner, but admitted he frequently visited her.
Charles Otter, a little boy, one of the boarders, said, that
Mr. Rodwell repeatedly came to his mistress, and staid all night
in the same room with her; he left in the morning. His
governess beat Henry Hunt on Thursday night with a cane
until she broke it. ' The prisoner's daughter also beat him is
the afternoon. She always beat them with her double fist.
Several witnesses bore testimony to the good health of a e
children when first nit into the prisoner's care.
Mr. CostaNr, adpdressing !anise! fto the prisoner, 'mid. it was
fortunate that none of the infants had died in consequence of
such ill usage, or else she must have answered for it elsewhere.
llowever, a case of assault had been distinctly proved against
both the mother and daughter, and he was bound to commit
them. lie, however, would admit them to good bail, giving
forty-eight hours' notice.
The case occupied the attention of the Magistrate until nearly
five o'clock.