The Sun.
London, England, 1856-12-10 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

OXFORD CIRCUIT-- SHREWSUURY, DEC. 9.
(Before Mr. Baron Watson.)

martha Worrctll, aged 24, single woman, was charged
with the wilful murder of her infant child, at High Ercall,
on the 12th of September.

Mr. Scotland and Mr. Corbett appeared for the prosecu-
tion ; Mr. Boughey defended the prisoner.
It appeared from the evidence that the prisoner was em •
ployed by Mr. Shakeshaft, a farmer in harvest work. On.
the 12th of September last she had been engaged for seve
ral hours in washing, and afterwards complained to her
mistress of being extremely unwell. Her mistress asked
her if she could do anything to assist her, and eventually
she lent her a shawl, and gave her leave to go home. She
left at four o'clock p.m., in the direction of Rowton,
where her mother lived ; and at half-past four she was
seen sitting by a footpath at a ditch side, at a distance of
about half a mile from her home. She appeared to be
very ill, but said she should be bettor soon, and told the
-witness not to tell her mistress that she was sitting on the
ground. She was next seen at six o'clock the same evening
that
taht ehrerhome. In the course of the evening a woman
named Sarah Rogers came to her from Mrs. Shakeshaft te
inquire how she wes. She told the witness to tell her
mistress that she was a great deal better ; and, observing
hweary 'B. i es ht i I id
iet:nticra 108
confirmation.
thatrsme eamt suchieodn . was o
aAtsh think she
:cheeses
witness
v,
nameda a3nidn a tphpee
Elisabetha la family
i tl yo
Ntsahiiede h
thatol l s,
prisonerw who
some‘vo al
tuna
ivn
tient t nos xf
before
meatiohloyirswteoavye t,nhtnens prisonersahe ihad
ai
tl noticedm otht
prisonerhe ra mother,
had mentioned the fast to her. About six o'clock on the
evening of the 12th of September the witness ea* trio pH-
sonar in her own house, and asked her if she had been un-
(wperlils.eneTrh)e
said,
said she had been confined and put
the child in a ditch, and asked her if she would fetch it.
The witness said she would as soon as she had had her
tea. She asked if the child was dead or alive, and she
"Oh ! I have killed it." The wit-
ness said, "Lord, Martha ! what did yon do that for ?"
Tho prisoner replied, " What could Ido with it 1" The ,
witness did not go for the child, because she ee'',:, she
takenher m mother's et r'h se
pht
to
tuastel
~.. till.
dursen't. On cross-examination the! 'f''' 1 A •
wi ....ess said the •
pre.
soner had had a child before thin
the employ '' - ..,0 father. John Hughes, a labour
21st S•
t wzi i'
tt with
t was retired,
iii 7
es
I:iJitayrZiobldro,uwghhetnitittiep7a:t
....p t . he 'foln nr.dAtthleen enYa'kae dfabr
• oner was seen sit-
with a garter tied round its neck:.leyr,Tofhp
and a short distance from where the pies
Sept. The garter Was
ting, on her way home on the 12th
tied twice round the neck, and The
of:31)d child thati
n a or_
ditthche
, murdering her child and putting it
. r.isoß
belongingneeers
police dfie,er, proved that he eth-iaeragiinendaatdhkietnelpt
I Mr. Adeney, at Rowton. The prisoner said, " Yes, I did

it."
Mr. Baron Watson here condernned in strong terms the
practice which prevails for policemen to make long charges
against prisoners, as in this case, and. so getting admissions
of their guilt. A prisoner might misunderstand some part
of the charge, and thus the practice of which his lordship