The Sun.
London, England, 1860-11-19 00:00:00

ALARMING INCREASE OF CHILD MURDER.

On Saturday, at the weekly meeting of the
Marylebone Representative Council, held at the
Court-house, Mr. Churchwarden Charles Carr in
the chair, the subject of the large increase of the
crime of child-Murder, more especially in Maryle-
bone, was brought under consideration by some re-
marks contained in the monthly report of Dr. R.
D. Thomson, the medical officer of heallh. In
reporting various deaths from drowning in the
Regent's Canal and Ornamental Waters, Regent's-
park, Dr. Thomson stated that one was the body of
a newly-born infant, " wilfully murdered," and
then proceeded to make the following remarks :
" I have not learned that any furthersteps have been
taken respecting these cases. Surely, if there were
a public prosecutor it would be his duty to endeavour
to discover the perpetrators of murders, or in the
absence of such a functionary, is there no one to
investigate judicially such cases of child-murder as
form the opprobrium of our parish month by month?
Ten instances of murder and manslaughter of infants
are recorded in my annual report for 1859, and I
have not heard of a conviction having taken place
in the case of any of the murderers. Surely if these
crimes are not detected, something should be done
to investigate and modify their causes."
The rector, the Rev. E. J. P. EYRE, said that Dr.
Thomson's report afforded matter for. very serious
reflection. The parish of Marylebone had obtained
unenviable notoriety for the number of murders of
children which took place within its boundary, and
surely it was their duty to see if some steps could
not be taken to check the evil. He would move,
" That a memorial be presented to the Secretary of
State for the Home Department requesting him to
take some steps for ascertaining whether a course
could not be adopted fer checking the crime of
infanticide."

Mr. HODGES said he would second this motion, but
he could not admit that these cases were confined to
Marylebone, as he saw from the papers that the
crime of child-murder was on the increase equally in
all other parts of the metropolis. No doubt great
facilities were afforded by the Regent's Canal and
the ornamental waters for the purpose of conceal-
ing crimes which were concocted and effected in
other places.
Mr. HALLAM could not be a party to this motion,
because he apprehended that it might interfere with
the jurisdiction of the Coroner's Court. There
could be no doubt but that it would be most desir-
able to check, as far as possible, the crime of child
murder, but he could not believe that this resolu-
tion would be productive of much good.
Mr.. GREENWELL, the vestry clerk, said the diffi-
culty in respect to these cases on the part of the
Coroner's Court was, that that Court, after having
once recorded its verdict of " Wilful murder," had
no power itself to follow up the inquiry by any
further action.

The Rev. RECTOR said if the Coroner's Court had
not the power, there ought to be some step taken by
the Legislature upon the subject, as the present
system had a tendency to raise and foster the crime
of infanticide. He (the Rev. Rector) did not mean
to say that all the cases of infanticide brought be-
fore the coroner in Marylebone were perpetrated in
that parish, but he could not shut his eyes to the
fact, that with regard to the produce of illegitimate
children, the evil was very great, and he regretted
to say that that Garish held an awful pre-eminence
over every other in the crime of infanticide.
The resolution was put and carried unanimously.

STATE OF OXFORD-STREET.-STONE TRAMWAYS
REJECTED.

Mr. GREENWELL read the following report from
the Paving Committee, on the subject of the state
of Oxford-street, and the propriety of laying down
stone tramways between Bond-street and Duke-
street :

" St. Marylebone, Nov. 13, 1860. At a meeting
of the Paving Committee,
Present—Mr. Brooks in the chair, Mr. Abrahams,
Mr. Baddeley, Mr. Bottisg, Mr. I. Bird, Mr. E.
Hodges, Mr. Hickman, Mr. Jackson, Mr. Marshall,
Mr. Lines, Mr. Thorpe, Mr. Wingfield.
" The committee proceeded, in accordance with
the resolution of the vestry of Saturday last, the
10th Nov., to view the carriage-way paving of Ox
ford-street, from Bond-street to Duke-street, and
to consider what necessary repairs were required
for the same, and also to consider and report on the
propriety of laying down stone tramways in that
portion of Oxford-street,
" Resolved—That it"-The recommended to the
vestry that the portion 'of tha roadway of Oxford-
street, from Bond-street to South Molton-street, be
wholly taken up and relaid with new stone where
requisite, and that the work be done forthwith.
" Resolved—That the consideration of the sub-
ject of laying down stone tramways be deferred for
three months.

" Signed—William Brooks, chairman ; Joseph
Wingfield, Israel Abrahams, E. Hodges."
Mr. BROOKS, as chairman of the committee,
moved the adoption of the report, but said the last
paragraph was not in accordance with his views
in rejecting the proposal to lay down stone tram-
ways in Oxford-street as an experiment. He re-
gretted this because he felt sure that if tramways
were adopted in the principal thoroughfares of that
parish it would be for the benefit of the funds of
the parish, and to add to the comfort of the inha-
bitants by a lessening of the dust and noise. (Hear
hear, and ironical cheers.) Tnis was not like Mi.
Train's principle, as the parish would not in this
instance have to give up the government of the
roads.

Mr. WINGFIELD supported the adoption of the
report. Although there were twelve members of
the Paving Committee present, there were but two
who held up their hands in favour of this stone
tramway. (Hear, and Oh, oh.)
Mr. D'IFFANER would be glad to know the ex-
pense of laying down these proposed tramways ?
Mr. MICHELL said he objected to the report, be-
cause the latter part of it ignored one of the very
objects the committee were requested by resolu-
tion of that board to inquire into and report upon,
namely, as to the propriety of laying down a
stone tramway between Bond-street and Duke-
street as an experiment. He would therefere move
as an amendment " That so much of the report as
related to deferring the consideration of laying
down the stone tramways for a period of three
months be not adopted."
Mr. SODEN seconded the amendment. If the
committee had carried out their instructions, and
were of opinion, upon investigation, that it would
have been improper to have laid down these stone
tramways, then they ought to have recorded their
opinion honestly, stating that they could not re-
commend the plan to the vestry.

Mr. ABRAHAMS said the reason the committee
had recommended the postponement of this matter
for three months was, that the vestry had given a
pledge to Mr. Train not to re-introduce the subject
of tramways for three months.—(No, no, and Hear,
hear.) It would have been a breach of faith to Mr.
Train had they adopted Mr. Michell's proposal.—
(No, no.) What was the fact ?—namely, that they
would have to spend £3OO for a mere experiment,
whilst they could have got Mr. Train's experiment
on a large scale laid down for nothing.—(Oh, oh,
and Hear.) He would ask Mr. Scace, the surveyor,
what was the estimated expense of this stone
tramway ?
Mr. SCACE said it would cost £3OO for a single
line of 1,000 feet.
Mr. Thacrioris said he knew what the resalt
would be when he found this matter was referred
to the " Train" Committee—(Oh, oh, and Hear.)—
to those who had been feasted and toasted for sup-
porting Mr. Train's scheme.—(Oh, oh, and confu-
sion.)
Mr. HODGES said he was astonished to hear Mr.
Hutchons charge the Paving Committee of Maryle-
bone with being feasted and toasted, especially
when it was a committee that gentleman had
himself moved, and which contained such names
as Hutchons—(laughter)—Bird, and Head. A
certain rev, gentleman had on a previous occasion
read a letter from a rev. brother at Birkenhead,
denouncing Mr. Train's street railway there, and
s
therefore he (Mr. Hodges) rejoiced that Mr. Train's
name had been mentioned, as it gave him an
opportunity of refuting the rev. gentleman, by
reading from the Liverpool Albion the following
copy of a requisition from inhabitnnts to the
Birkenhead Commissioners :—" We,
under-
signed inhabitants of Clang the
hton and the ,
s
neigh-
bourhood, notice with extreme rert
board have postponed granting Permission
that your
ission to Mr.
Train for extending the street railway by Claugh-
ton-road to Palm grove. The convenience of such
an extension would greatly contribute to the com-
fort of the residents in that direction •, and we
respectfully p.ray„you will at once give the neces-
sary permission. Both memorials were nume-
rously and respectably
.signed. Now this was the
opinion and the real.opinion of the people of Birk-
enhead, corroborated by a letter which he (Mr.
Hodges) had also received from a correspondent- at
Liverpool. He congratulated Mr. Train and the
public upon the change which had already come

over the minds of certain vestrymen upon this sub-
ject. (Hear, hear, and a laugh.) A revolution
had already taken place, they had half come over to
the tramway, and before the three months were up
would no doubt be zealous supporters. (Oh, oh,
and hear.) •
Mr. TAVENER supported the amendment, be-
cause he was in favour of Mr. Train's tramway,
and thought that the stone tramway would be a
precursor to it, and assist it.
Mr. RIFFANGER, jun.. supported the amend-
ment upon somewhat similar grounds.
Mr. HERRING contended that if it would cost
£3OO for 1,000 feet, this experiment between
Dake-street and Bond street would cost about
£l,OOO, which, representing as he did a poor ward,
he would say would be monstrous to take out of
the pockets of the ratepayers for an experiment,
when Mr. Train had offered to lay them down a
tramway of six, eight, or ten miles in length,
without the expenditure on the part of the rate-
payers of a single sixpence.
Mr. BROOKS having replied and expressed his
determination to vote for the amendment, the
question was put, and, on a division, the report was
adopted, and the amendment negatived by a ma-
jority of 17 to 12.
The board then adjourned.