The Sun.
London, England, 1846-11-28 00:00:00

CLERKENWELL.

Mary Hart was placed at the bar before Mr. Green-
wood, charged by the parish authorities of St. Pancras
with having deserted her male illegitimate child, 16
months old.
Mr. Williams, an overseer, attended on the part of
the parish, and said that the case had partly been before
the public, and was one of a very peculiar nature ; and,
had it not been for the publicity given to it by the press,
the prisoner might have escaped justice. About six or
seven weeks since, a woman named Mary Ann Bell,
called at the workhouse with the child in question, say-
ing it had been left with her by a woman whom she did
not know, to nurse, and wished them to take the child ;
but in consequence of her story being discredited they
refused to receive the child. On last Tuesday week she
called again at the workhouse, and flung the child down
violently, when she was charged with the assault, and
committed for trial by Mr. Combe ; but the grand jury
ignored the bill. The case was reported in the news-
papers, when a woman who read the report came for-
ward and identified the child, which was at the work-
house, which led to the apprehension of the prisoner
at the house of a nobleman (Earl St. Germans) in
whose family she had formerly lived at wet nurse. He
called
Mrs. Mary Ann Bell, of 18, Gresson-street,Rathbone-
place, St. Pancras—She said that on the sth of October
the prisoner called on her, and inquired if she would
take a nurse child. Witness took the child, it being
arranged that the prisoner should pay ss. per week.
Witness asked her for a month's money in advance, but
she could not give it, and she paid 4s. 6d. She said the
child had no clothes, that its former nurse had sold or
pawned them. She left the place and promised to call
again, but she never saw her afterwards until she was in
custody. The prisoner was a stranger to her when she
left the child with her.
Mrs. Maria Haines, of Cross-court, Carnaby-street,
Carnaby-market, Golden-square, deposed that the child
was brought to her to nurse about 12 months ago. She
was paid Bs. per week. She received her payments
from Mrs. Jessop, cook in the service of Earl St. Ger-
mans. On the sth cf October last the prisoner called
and took the child away with her.
Mr. Williams—Did she propose doing anything with
the child? Witness—Yes; that I should take it to St.
James's Workhouse. She said she could not pay for the
baby, and she did not know what to do With it. She
said if she were to take it to the workhouse, they would
not know that she (witness) knew where the mother
was; and she was to say the child had been left with
her, and she did not know the mother or whero she
was. Witness informed her husband, who would not al-
low her to do it. She called after this, and said she was
going into the workhouse with the child. Witness asked
her if she had an order? She replied, " No, I will tell
you the truth, I am going to take her to Fulham to a
washerwoman to nurse." Witness suspected something
wrong, and followed her when she took the child, on the
evening of the sth of October, but she lost sight of her.
The prisoner called the following day, and said she had
left the child at Fulham. She never saw her from that
time until that morning in custody. Witness read the
examination of Mrs. Bell, in the newspapers, when she
attended at St. Pancras workhouse, and identified the
child.
Mr. Williams, overseer of St. Pancras, deposed that
the last witness called on him, and from information he
received he called at the residence of Earl St. Germans,
in Eaton-place, with a view to trace the prisoner. He
inquired of the party who answered his knock for the
residence of Mrs. Hart; he was informed that she was
then in the kitchen. On being introduced to her, he
asked if her name was Hart ? She said it was. He
then put further questions, and she said she had one
child. He took her in a cabriolet to the station• house,
and charged her with deserting her child. She denied
knowing Mrs. Bell. He informed her who and what he
was, when she admitted having left her child at Mrs.
Bell's. Its name was Cecil William Hart, and was six-
teen months old. She told him who the father of the
child was, and that he was a married man. She said she
was never married. She was lodging at No. 5, Kinner-
ton mews, Knightsbridge, at a rent of ss. 6d. a week.
Mr. GREENWOOD asked the prisoner what she had to
say to the charge? Prisoner (crying)—I am the mother
of the child. My intention was never to desert it. I
meant to pay Mrs. Bell. lam not married.
Mr. Williams—l am prepared to prove that the man
whom she says is the father of the child is a party to the
desertion.

Mr. GREENWOOD suggested to say nothing about that,
as he was not before him. Mr. Williams had shown
great zeal and vigilance in sifting the case and tracing
the prisoner, for which the parish of St. Pancras was in-
debted to him. If parishes were to receive children
from parties who applied, and said they were left with
them by persons whom they did not know, the work-
houses would be inundated. He asked what the parish
called upon him to do in the case ? Mr. Williams—l am
directed to press for punishment.
Mr. GREENwoop—Then I convict her as a rogue and
vagabond, and I commit her to the House of Correction
with hard labour for two months.
A case of summons was heard this morning before
Mr. Greenwood, in which a point of some interest to the
collectors of parochial taxes was successfully raised for

the defence.
David Samuels appeared to answer a summons, issued
at the instance of Mr. Mills, the collector of paving and
lighting rates for St. Pancras parish, to show cause for
refusing payment of last half-year's paving rates.
After Mr. Mills established the amount of the claim,
which became due on the 29th of September last,
The defendant produced in Court his schedule as an
insolvent debtor, dated on the day after, and said this
was his answer to the claim. Ho had no available assets,
as he was already deeply indebted to the Queen, on
account of certain duties returnable at the time of his
insolvency.
Mr. Mills complained that on the premises, on ac-
count-of which the rates became due, there were a quan-
tity of articles, such as large boilers and other utensils
necessary for carrying on the insolvent's trade, which
had been removed without his knowledge, and they now
appeared in the insolvent's schedule, and he therefore
trusted that he would have a prior lien.
Mr. GREENWOOD said, with respect to this point, he
could afford the plaintiff no assistance. In cases of this
kind the matter was:generally so skilfully managed that but
little apparent property was left for any creditors, whether
the Queen, the parish authorities, or the traders. No
official assignee had been appointed, and he (Mr. Green-
wood) had no power.