The Sun.
London, England, 1870-06-21 00:00:00

THE BABY FARMING CASE.

At the Lambeth Police-court, Margaret Watson, 35,
having also the aliases of Willis, Hurley, Walters, Ellis,
Oliver, Blackburn, Fort, J. W., and M. T., and described
as a nurse, was again placed in the dock on Monday
before Mr. Elliott, charged with neglecting to provide
proper food and nourishment for the illegitimate male
child of Jeannette Tassy Cowan, whereby its life was in
danger. She was further charged, with Mary Ellis, 29,
her sister, with having in their possession four other
infants, names unknown, and not providing proper food
and nourishment for them, whereby their lives were
endangered.
The facts in connection with the tracing out this extra-
ordinary case by Sergeant Pelf, of the W, and Police-
constable Tyers, P division, have already appeared. It
may as well, however, be mentioned that since the remand,
these officers, under the direction of Captain Baines and
Superintendent Gernon, have still further obtained such
evidence as will, it is fully believed, place the prisoners,
or one at all events, upon her trial for a much more serious
offence—the murder of several infants whose bodies have
within the past few months been picked up not a very
great distance from the house where Watson has resided.
The house, it should be known, is situate nearly at the
bottom of a somewhat secluded spot, called Frederick-ter-
race, Gordon Grove, leading out of Loughborough-road,
Brixton. Within a few yards of the house is a partly
completedthoroughfare called Foreign-road, andby passing
down this, or under the viaduct of the London, Chatham,
and Dover Railway, access is obtained to what remains of
Myatt's fields, by the side of which runs a path to the
Camberwell New-road railway station. It was about here
that several dead infants have at different times been found.
The house has been thoroughly searched, and several letters
found which relate to the farming of infants. Amongst
the bottles found were several labelled "Paregoric Elixer,
Poison," and some packets of poison. The back and front
gardens have been dug to some depth, but nothing has
been traced there, although some private information was
forwarded that a few feet below the surface something
woull be disclosed. The officers have in their possession
the names of parties involved in this affair, but at pre-
sent it would be unwise to disclose them, Observation
has been kept upon the post-office at Brixton, and the
following letters, showing the system adopted, came into
the officer's possession :

" Madam,—l shall be at theLoughborough-road Station
on the London, Chatham, and Dover line on Saturday,
June 11th, 1870, at four o'clock in the afternoon. Please
wait in the first-class waiting-room, and wear a white
kerchief round your neck in a conspicuous manner. I
shall wear a blue-striped shirt and frock coat, and I shall
arrive from Ludgate-hill.—Yours obediently,
" H. W. H., Post Office, Upper Holloway."

"34, Hunter-street, Brunswick-square,
June 13th, 1870.
" Madam,—A friend of mine wishes to know whether
you have already adopted a child. If not and you
will write me, I will sec you on the subject.—l am, yours
faithfully,
" JOHN WRIGHT."

" June 10.

" Madam' —I am sorry to have kept you so long with-
out a reply. I did not receive your note until- last evening.
I should feel very pleased for you to take my child. I
would give £5 with her. She is in the country at present
—Egham, in Surrey. You could have her when you
pleased.—Yours most respectfully,
" M. WINTER.
" Please address Mrs. Winter, 3, Ebury-street, Pimlico,
S. W. "

"Thursday Afternoon.
"Sir,—ln reply to yours I shall be happy to meet you
at the Waterloo Railway Station on Friday afternoon at
six o'clock in the first-class ladies' waiting-room. Should
this not suit you will you favour me with a line.—Yours
truly, " A. J.
"P.S.—Please to have my letter in your hand."

" May 16.
" Madam,—ln reply to your letter I beg to say we
should be very pleased to adopt your baby ; we love
children very much, and would do all in our power to
secure the happiness of the little one. I should like very
much to see you, so if you will write, saying where and
when I can do so, I shall feel obliged. Hoping soon to
hear from you, I remain, your's sincerely.
" M. HURLEY."

This letter was addressed to M. L. G., Post Office,
Wordley-hill, Stoke Newington-road, and found there by
the officers.

The letter by which the prisoners were traced was writ
ten by Sergeant Relf, and in reply the following was
received :

" Wednesday, June 8.
" Sir,—ln reply to your letter I beg to say that it would
give me great pleasure to adopt as my own your little
boy, if he is not too old. You omitted to state the
child's age, and I wish for one as young as
possible, that it may know none but ourselves as its
parents. The child would be well brought up, and carefully
educated ; he would have a good trade, and be to us in all
respects as our own. We have been married several years, but
have no family. We are in a comfortable position, have a
good business, and a home in every way calculated to
make a child happy. We are both very fond of children,
and should you entrust your little one to my care you may
rely on his receiving the loving care of a mother. Any place
you like to appoint for an interview will suit me. I can
meet you at any time you please, and should be very glad
to have the matter settled as soon as possible. Hoping to
have an early reply, I am, sir, respectfully yours,
" It. OLIVER."

Mr. Poland, instructed by the solicitor to the Treasury,
appeared to prosecute; and Mr. Mayo was for the pri-
soners.

Mr. Poland told his worship that the Treasury con-
sidered this to be a case which required the fullest investi-
gation, and he regretted that he only received the full
instructions on Saturday. He should go as far
as he could to-day and then ask for a remand.
He hoped eventually the prisoners would be sent for trial
on a charge of neglecting children they had undertaken to
look after, and, it might be, the evidence would go
to shew they had been guilty of a more serious charge.
Ellen O'Connor, aged 14. stated that she had resided at
the prisoner's house, 4, Frederick Terrace, Gordon-road,
Brixton, and acted as servant. There were eight children
there when she went, and afterwards eleven. When they
were ill they were taken out by the prisoners, who said
they were going home. On one oecasion they took out
two children at night, and did not bring them back,
though when they returned they had a shawl and hood
belonging to them. She used to be sent for laudanum,
and was told to say it was for toothache. She got some
lime by Walter's request, and gave most of the children
lime water in their food. She was told it was for sickness.
The child Cowan (whose mother first caused the charge of
neglect to be preferred against the prisoners) was suckled.
The children were generally fed with the bottle. Dr.
Harris very often came to the house to see Mrs. Ellis and
little Cowan, and one or two of the other babies.
Crosss-examined :—The clothes brought back after the
children had been taken away belonged to the house.
They were brought to the house in a night gown and
blanket. The prisoners were fond of children, and paid
a great deal of attention to them and treated them alike.
Little Cowan had a cough when she fetched
the laudenum, and she was told it had been used to rub
its chest with. It was not warm weather when she got
the lime. If was very cold, and she thought it was about
a month ago. The milk sometimes turned
sour, but she did not know that the lime
was used to prevent it. She understood
that it was put in to prevent sickness. They had
corn flour, arrowroot, isinglass, baked flour, milk, and
Ridge's food ; and they were fed four times a day, and
had plenty. The sour milk was thrown away,
and that in the bottle at the top of the cupboard, which
the police found, was not, she believed, intended to be
given to the infants.
Mr. Elliott said the police had spoken to finding the
sour milk in the bottles which were being used by the
children.

Witness said she did not know that this was so. Each
child was bathed every morning.
After some further evidence had been given Mr. Elliott
adjourned the case until next Tuesday, when it is stated
more startling disclosures will be made.

A. GENEROUS GIFT.—Mr. Hugh Mason has just
presented an extensive public park and gymnasium to the
town of Ashton-under-Lyne. The gift has been accepted
by the corporation, and the formal opening is appointed
for next Saturday.

A man named George Dean entered a field near
Epping to fetch the cows up for milking, when he was
attacked by a bull, which knocked the poor fellow down,
then trampled upon his body, and afterwards tossed him
about round the field. The unfortunate man was removed
home, when he soon expired. The bull was immediately
killed.

The statement that Archbishop Lycurgus had
officiated at the funeral of a notorious brigand chief,
named Tomaro, has been brought under his Grace'snotice
by the Rev. George Williams, who publishes the reply
which he has received. The Archbishop writes ,—" Be-
lieve me, never was such a brigand chief as this writer
mentions buried at Syros, nor have I ever been present at
such a funeral."

The Palais de Justice at Clermont has been the
scene of a terrible tragedy. The President was about to
hear in private a man and his wife who were pleading
for a separation, when a piercing shriek was heard from
the Salle des Pas Purdus. It was found that the husband
had stabbed the woman with a clasp-knife, and then
stabbed himself to the heart. The woman expired shortly
afterwards.

PRINCE ALFRED.—Accounts from the Galatea are
full of the disgust felt by all on board, from the Royal
Commander downwards, at the sudden and still mysterious
mandate which has changed their destination from Eng-
land to Australia. His Royal Highness is said to cherish
happy memories of India, especially of the sporting trips,
and to be quite resolved to return there as a sportsman
pur et simple at no distant date.
THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH'S ELEPHANT.—The
young elephant that was presented by Sir Jung Bahadoor
to the Duke of Edinburgh has not been allowed to lead an
idle life on board the Galatea. His services were utilised
at Galle for the purpose of hauling in some three hundred
tons of coal which would otherwise have employed up-
wards of thirty men. He rather objected to the occupa-
tion at first, but a little coaxing and quiet treatment soon
reconciled him to his fate, and he cheerfully went through
his task to the great delight of the Jack Tars.