The Sun.
London, England, 1860-10-03 00:00:00

ITHE alilLD MURDER AT BOW.

Ann (otherwise Ernma) Padfield, 23 years of age,
was re-examined at the Worship-street, police
court yesterday, on a charge of having Wilfully
murdered her child, Augusta Padfield. -
At the previous examination James and Ma,ria
Mead, the former a labourer, at Lea-bridge, Bow,
stated that the prisoner had lodged at their house
for some time past, and had a child with her, a boy,

about three months old ; that about 12 o'clock on
Monday, August 27, the prisoner left the house,
taking the child with her, which was then in a

sound; healthy state, and did not return home till
about the same time that night, after witnesses had

gone to bed, when she was admitted by first wit-
ness, who saw that she was without the little boy,
and to whom she accounted for the child's absence

by stating that her sister had taken it with her
into Somersetshire. On the following day prisoner
left, asserting that she had got a situation, and was
going to it. Nothing more occurred about her
or the child till 11 o'clock on Wednesday, when
Mrs. Mead happened to look into the cesspool of
her house, and to her astonishment perceived the
body of a child lying on its back, with the legs
uppermost. She despatched a messenger for her
husband, who procured a constable ; and upon the
body being extricated, it hwas found to be nearly
black, the left arm missing having apparently been
chopped off near the shoulder. The infant was
conveyed to the station, while the cesspool was
emptied, but the limb mentioned could not be
discovered.
Mr. Shorter, clerk to Mr. Ellis, the vestry clerk
of Hackney, appeared for the prosecution ; Mr.
Vann, for the defence; and Mr. G. Lewis, of Ely-

place for Mr. Bryant.
The following additional evidence was now taken
Mary Padfield said—l am a married woman
My husband is a coal miner at Paulton, Somerset
near Bath. Prisoner is my sister-in-law, but I
have seen her only once. I did not know she was
in the family-way, or ever had a child. I never
agreed to take charge of any child for her. Have
not had any correspondence with her for years, and
in fact did not know whether she was living.
Frederick Bryant, residing at 6, Holloway-
place, Islington' said—l am eighteen years of age,
and I live with my parents. lam clerk in a mer-
chant's office. I know the prisoner; she was ser-
vant at my father's house. I never undertook to
take charge of a child for her, nor so far as I know
did my father or mother.
Mr. Shorter—Did you ever promise her mar-
riage !
Witness—Certainly not.
Mr. Lewis—You are not obliged to answer that
question.
Mr. Shorter—Are you married ?
Witness—No.
Mr. Vann—Are you the father of the prisoner's
child ?
Mr. Lewis—You cannot ask such a question.
After some remarks from the magistrate the
question was withdrawn ; and
Mr. Shorter observed—l hold in my hand, sir,
a certificate of register of birth of Augustus Frede-
rick Bryant, on 27th June, 1860 ; it is furnished
by Mr. Jeffreys, one of the registrars of the Hack-
ney district ; but of course I cannot ask witness
anything about it.
George Allen examined—l am a carpenter, and
live at Retreat-cottages, Highhill-ferry, Clapton,
situated about a quarter of a mile from Hammond's
cottages. James Mead is my brother-in-law, and
I have seen the prisoner going there. I know that
she had a child, but don't know when she took it
away. I met her about half-past nine o'clock on
the evening of the 26th of August last (a Monday)
—(witness was corrected, that day falling on a
Sunday)—it was at the corner of Dalston.larte, she
was going towards Clapton, and had a bundle with
her; it was a good size, but I don't know what
sort of a bundle or what it was wrapped in. She
was carrying it in her arms as if it was a child. I
did not speak to her. I know it was a Monday be-
cause I had been with a friend to draw some money
from the bank.
Elizabeth Miller, the wife of a plasterer, living
at Beaumont-street, Shepherd's-bush, made the fol-
lowing deposition—l know the prisoner from
having seen her on occasions when I went back-
wards and forwards to Mr. Drake's (the prisoner's
recent master) at Notting-hill. Last Saturday week
she appeared very low spirited, and cried con-
tinually. She told me that she knew a young
woman who had had a child between two and three
months old, that she (the young woman) had a
situation to go to, that she had kept the child as
long as she could, and then took it to a field
and gave it poison, that she took it home at night
and put it down a closet. Witness continued—l
asked the prisoner what sort of closet the young
woman had put it in that the body did not stop it
up, and she replied, "In the garden," She also
said that the young woman's name was " Emma
Padfield." I did not then know that that was the
prisoner's name. She added, " There is something
in my box that reminds me of that child." lam
sure it was on Saturday week prisoner told me
this.

Mr. Shorter—There is another inaccuracy in
date here, sir. The prisoner was then actually in
custody.
Witness—lt was the Saturday before she was
apprehended.
Mr. Shorter—This is all the evidence I propose
now to offer sir. The mere finding of the child's
clothes by the inspector, and now produced by him,
can be deposed to on the occasion of completing
the case.
Mr. Vann and Mr. Lewis oh ,erved that there
really as yet was an absence of proof that the body
found was the prisoner's child.
Mr. Knox directed a further remand, and the
accused, who appeared very careworn, and who had
sat during the three hours' hearing without making
a single remark except on one occasion to her soli-
citor in private, was removed from the bar.