The Sun.
London, England, 1846-07-30 00:00:00

WILFUL MURDER OF A CHILD

_ _
BY POISONING.
Yesterday morning and inquiry was opened before W.
Carter, Esq., the Coroner, at the F Wandsworth, eathers,
re-
specting the death of Mary Anne Barker, an infant, aged
ten months and a half, who died on the 26th instant from
the effects of poison, administered to it by Mary North, a
servant in the-Wploy of the parents of the deceased.
The subject had previously undergone a magisterial in-
vestigation, the result of 7hich was, that the young woman
was committed for trial.
Mary Barker, of North-street, Wandsworth, the mother
of the deceased, deposed, that on the let of July she was
engaged in making some blacking, ana
her servant, Mary North, for some vitriol. In the evening.,
for that purpose sent
the servant applied to the witness for somd I;...'liseeci, which
was to be given to the baby, which was very in
quantity was given ito her for the purpose, and in fear
:table. A
abl a
minutes afterwards she heard the child screaming violen.T•
The servant, in apparent alarm, informed her that theia;
was something the matter with the baby. At that time the
child's tongue was swollen very much, the lips and mouth
were much inflamed, and the eyes distorted. A medical man
came in, and he discovered that vitriol hal been given to the
bad. For some days the child appeared to be recovering,
but suddenly it became worse, and on the 26th it died.
Suspicion attached to the servant, and she was given into
custody the day after the poison was administered.
For the servant it was contended that the vitriol was
given in mistake, being similar in colour to the aniseed. It
was proved that the girl had been uniformly kind to the de-
ceased child.
The jury deliberated for half an hour, at the &in of which
they declared a verdict of " Wilful murder against Mary
North ;" and a warrant for her committal was made out.
. •

DESTRUCTIVE FIRE AT A. PAPER Wm.—Wan-
CHURCH, WEDNESDAY.—This morning the inhabitants of
this district were roused from their beds by the cry of
" Fire." and it was soon found that the extensive paper
mills occupied,by and belonging to Mr. Charles Fuller, is
the parish of Hurstbourne Priors, two miles from Whit..
church, were in one mass of flame. The buildings being
principally of wood accounts for the speed with which the
flames spread from floor to floor. At this period the en-
gine belonging to the Norwich Union from Whitchnrch
arrived, and which rendered effective aid ; yet we are berry
to have to record that the whole of the extensive mills, with
all the complicated machinery and apparatus for making
writing and blotting paper on an extensive scale, with
nearly the whole of the stock finished, and that in the pro-
gress of manufacture, were totally consumed, together with
four dwelling-houses or cottages adjoining the mill, and
occupied by the workmen. One large sir drying-room or
house on the opposite side of the stream was saved. The
calamity is attributable to the overheating f)r derangement
of the flue connected with the copper in the vai4loloe. The
damage is roughly estimated to amount to. fron: 2,0001. to
3,0001., to which sum Mr. Fuller is insured in the London_
County Fire-office. The fire was first discovered about tzr....Ze
o'clock, and continued raging till nearly half-past five in b.",
morning; This property was recently purchased of the Earl
of Portsmouth by Mr. Fuller's father, and had been put into
active operation but a few months.
ANTI-CORN-LAW LRAM:M.—SALE OF EFFECTS.--The
great end of the League having been achieved, the goods and
chattels in the office of the executive were on Tuesday die-
posed of by public auction, on the premises in Fleet-street.
Much competition was expected, from the circumstaaea of
the various articles submitted to the public for sale having
been in the use of the indefatigable leaders of the League
this, however, was not the case; for many of the valuable
pieces of furniture went under the hammer of the auctioneer
at almost less than half their original value—the auction.
room, nevertheless, was crowded by a large body of sales-
men. Among the articles which called forth the warmest
bidding were, the model of a printing press, presented to the
League Bazaar, held at Covent-garden Theatre; after na
somewhat sharp contest, the model was sold to the highest:
bidder for 465. A set of Spanish mahogany dining-tables,
which had been used as a Council table by the Board, were
sold for 13 guineas. An ancient carved oak chair, and
several office-stools, for 235. The chair is beautifully carved,
and is upwards. bf a century old, and was sent from Scotland
as a present to the League; it bears upon its richly carved
panel the initials" J.R., and the date" 1749." The hand,
some wherry " Leander," made at Newcastle for the Bazaar,
was put up for competition, and after having reached the
price of ten guineas was knocked down, when the bidder was
non eat inventus. The sale commenced at twelve o'clock, and
terminated shortly after four.
THE MURDER AT NEWCASTLE.—The adjourned ittp
quest on the body of Robert Lowthin was held on Monday
night, and adjourned for a week, there being no evidence of
a satisfactory character elicited. The man who was appre-
hended has been discharged, as the superintendent of police
was unable positively to identify him as being the person he
saw with deceased at two o'clock on Saturday morning, and.
the man sufficiently accounting for himself elsewhere. No
race of the deceased's watch has yet been discovered, but

as he was intoxicated at the time, ft is thought he may have
been robbed of it by loose women, and afterwards fallen into
the water accidentally. At present the case is involved in
mystery, but the police are actively pursuing inquiries re-
specting it, and an adjournment for one week was deemed
necessary to afford them time.
THE HOPS, YESTERDA.To..-From the Sussex plants•
tions we learn that generally the bine is short, that the hops
are coming into burr, and it seems the prevalent opinion
that there will be a full crop, tilthough the late winds have
slightly damaged the tips of those branches which bear the
most hops. From Kent the accounts are of a similar cha-
racter, the hops having improved considerably since the last
week, and promising more than an average good crop. The
only complaint is tardiness of coming into bine in some few
quarters.
TREA.THENT OF THE POOR IN EDINBURGH: An aged
couple disabled by disease from supporting themselves, re-
ceiving 3e. a month fcr their support, applied for an in-
crease; their case being recommended by a clergyman In the
district well acquainted with the destitute condition of the
people. On next pay day the petitioners were surprised to
find that, in place of getting any addition to their money, a
-reduction was made of la. On getting the diminished sum,
they expreesed a fear that some mistake had been com-
mitted. But they were given to understand that there was
no mistake, and that if they made any complaint on the sub-
ject their pittance would perhaps be wholly withdrawn. In
this way the poor are deterred from complaining of the in-
adequacy of their allowances, and the inspectors of some
parishes do as they please with the miserable creatures on
the roll; for whom. alas! the new law affords so small re•
dress.--•Bdinburgh Scottish Herald.
A correspondent, who has returned from a tour
through a considerable portion of West Cumberland, informs
us that he is confident the orchards do not contain ASOTS_
(11411141 r of the quantity, of Ittit they did last you— vow
• berii*4 rfc/Wit