The Sun.
London, England, 1870-07-20 00:00:00

THE BRIXTON BABY FARMING CASE.

Margaret Waters and Sarah Ellis, the two women
remanded in the Brixton baby farming case, werelarought
up at the Lambeth Police Court yesterday for further
examination.

Mr. Poland regretted to state that since the last occa-
sion another of the children had died, making five deaths
with Miss Cowen's child. Since the last occasion a post-
mortem examination had been made on Nos. 7 and 9, and
no doubt the causes of death in all cases were the same.

Mr. Bullen, surgeon at the Lambeth Workhouse, attri-
buted the deaths of the children to insufficient dietary
and to the continued administration of opium. The two
children remaining had been very ill from the same causes,
but were now getting in a satisfactory condition.
By Mr. Mayo, for the prisoner : Had heard that the
mortality at a Miss Broughton's school had recently been
considerable. She did not know that the establishment
was in connection with the Lambeth Workhouse, but had
heard that the guardians permitted the removal of chil-
dren to that place if the parents wished it.
Mary Joy, of 14, Albert-terrace, Guildford-street, wife
of James Joy, said she used to wash for the prisoners
while they were at No. 4, Frederick-terrace. She knew
them by the name of Mrs. Blackburn and Mrs. Ellis.
Had often seen babies at their house, and had
asked Mrs. Blackburn how many she had got.
Mrs. Blackburn would count eight or ten. She said
when they were ill she took them home. Whit-
Tuesday, the 7th June, Mrs. Ellis and Mrs. Blackburn
took away one each about 8 in the evening. They were
young babies, and appeared to be a girl and a boy. The
girl was crying, and appeared very ill. The prisoners
appeared to be in a hurry, and said they were going
by the train. Didn't know what became of the children.
—This witness identified several articles of clothing found
on the bodies of the children as having been washed by
her several times for the prisoners. The prisoners used
to speak of the children as beasts and devils.
Eliza White said she went to work for the prisoners
when they first went to Frederick-terrace. The three
days she was there she washed things for the children.
The things shewn to her by the police as taken from the
bodies of the children found were those she washed, On
the 10th June there were eleven with Mrs. Ellis's child.
Mrs. Waters said she had had four deaths in
four years. She wanted witness's mother to take
Miss Cowen's child to give it the breast,
as she wanted to get the rest of her money. Little COwen
was very ill indeed. Mrs. Ellis went out saying that she
was going to the station to meet some one.
Ann Harknett, female searcher at the Brixton police-
station, proved searching Waters on the 17th of June and
finding on her 79 pawnbrokers' duplicates, which she
handed to the police.
. .

4A. piece of reallannel, and a child's nightgown were-iproo
duced which were identified by Alfred Sergeant, pawn-
broker's assistant in the Brixton road, as haVing been
pawned by Ellen O'Connor. O'Conner said she often
pawned baby things for Mrs. Waters, who told her to
give the name of Ellis.
Sarah Sellers, identified the red flannel and nightgown
as hers. They were on her child when it was given to
the prisoners. The other things produced were also on
the child when Mrs. Stuart (Waters) took it away. Wit-
ness had searched for her child, but could not find it. It
was not among the children at Lambeth Workhouse.
Waters told the constable that she had sent witness's
child away, but she did not say where.
Cross-examined : I did not sign a paper not to have the
child back again. Mrs. Stuart signed it herself. I did
not expect the clothes, but expected tD see my baby.
William Tyers produced various babies' things found at
the prisoners' house, 4, Frederick-terrace. These were
identified by Sellers as hers. He also produced an
apron and some black stuff found at the
prisoners house, which corresponded with that
taken from the body of the male child found on the 12th
of June.

Mr. Poland said this was all the evidence he had to
offer them. He had one witness more, and asked for a
remand. At the next sitting he should ask that the
prisoners should be sent to the Central Criminal Court
on these-most serious charges.
Remanded accordingly.