The Sun.
London, England, 1848-08-12 00:00:00

WESTERN CIRCUIT.— Wells, August 9.

CROWN COURT.—(Before Mr. Justice COLERIDGE.)
A very pretty girl was placed at the bar charged with
the concealment of the birth of her new-born child. She
had only been confined last Sunday week, and looked
more like a ghost than a living being. She first pleaded
Not Guilty, but on the recommendation of Mr. Marsh-
man, who had been retained for her, she withdrew that
plea, and pleaded Guilty.
The Learned JUDGE then examined the medical man,
who stated that there were no marks of violence on the
body of the child; that the girl had told him that she
had been confined three weeks before she expected, and
that she had not provided baby-linen because she could
have had her sisters, who had been recently confined.
She had been for years waitress and chambermaid at an
hotel in Wells, exposed, of course, to all the temptations
of such a position.
The Learned JUDGE sentenced the prisoner to three
months' imprisonment, with hard labour.
Charles Taylor, Thomas Adams, and W. Lansdowne
were indicted for a burglary in the house of John Keys,
at Bath, and stealing a cash-box and some money.
Mr. Allen was counsel for the prosecution, and Mr.
Saunders defended the prisoners.
From the evidence it appeared that Keys was a grocer.
in Forthgate-street, Bath. At 6 o'clock in the morning
of the 29th April the back door of the prosecutor's
house was found to have been opened by a panel being
cut out. The cashbox, eontaining a 101. note and other
money, had been taken away, as well as three half-pounds
of butter. Harrison, a policeman, saw the three pri-
soners on Snow-hill, Bath, at 12 o'clock, on the night of
the 28th April. He told them it was late for them to
be out, and he recommended them to go home. Taylor
said, "Let's be off." About 6 o'clock the next morning
Harrison saw Taylor and Lansdowne coming fro
omt
be-
the
direction in which they had been going nigh
fore. lie then saw Taylor had something in his pocket,
and he searched him and found three half-pounds of
butter in his pocket. lie called another police-officer,
tern and
saenadrcthheinygtothoekma
those
some lucifer matches were found upon Taylor, and an
iron bar and two sovereigns and a half were found upon
o er s into
a
Lansdowne. That iron bar corresponded with the marks
which were found upon the door of the prosecutor's
house. Another policeman searched the cap of Taylor,
the two
police-stationprisand in it he found a 10/. note concealed. Adams pointed
out the spot in the canal where they had thrown the
cash-box, and upon searching that spot they found the
cash-box.
Each of the prisoners made a statement to the police-
officer admitting his guilt.
The prisoners were found Guilty, but sentence was
deferred.
There has not been a single case in the Civil Court to
justify a report.
In the course of this trial Hall, t Bath officer, stated
that the parties were given into hi custody, and that he
then stated to each separately the: he was charged with
this burglary, and that the other ,ersons, naming them,
were also in custody, and he preeeded by giving them
what he termed a caution, whili was, that they had
better not answer any questions he might put to them
that would injure them. This was always his custom,
although the parties had been before told with what
offence they were charged. His estimony then was, that
each of the prisoners made a onfession to him, which
he well recollected.

The Learned JUDGE made tb following remark:—
" Let me say, Mr. Hall, I think Sat that system of going
through the farce of giving a ,risoner a caution, and
then of getting a statement fromhim, is a most improper
one. No one ought to take anexamination except a
magistrate, and you know with what caution even a
magistrate does it. If one officer nay do it every police-
man may, and the most serious coisequences may be the
result. It is far better that a gully party should escape
than that a prisoner should be impoperly convicted."
Charlotte Skinner was indicted 'or having adminis-
tered poison to Elizabeth Keen, a infant, with intent
to murder her.
Mr. Cole was counsel for the proseution; the prisoner
was undefended.
It appeared that the prisoner, wb was only twelve
years of age, lived as nurse girl with Ir. Keen, and had
the charge of a little child. Mrs. Ken had purchased
some copperas for the purpose of uprising it to a ring-
worm. She put it into a cream jug,which she placed
on a shelf, and told the prisoner to talc care not to use
it, as it was poison and was as bad as ‘rsenic. Shortly
after this the child became ill and sickand upon tasting
what was thrown on its clothes it wa iiscovered to be
copperas. The prisoner was questio d upon it, and at.
length admitted that she had given I infant some of
the copperas in some tea.
to say she bad administered the poison. i Ths, however,
round Tli prisoner e
her
neckd
anedc
huntared thheart
ul!tpl ri.riKcpce
rh
taod
compela r
her
was
hdeecjluarryed
fboyunAdlr.thKe
eepnritsoonbeeranG uelyre offalsaehcooomlmon
assault, not having any intent to kill.
The Learned JUDGE sentenced the?nsoner to be im-
prisoned for nine months.