The Sun.
London, England, 1856-02-27 00:00:00

THE LATE MURDER IN ISLINGTON.

Yesterday morning having been appointed for the re-
examination of Celestrina Sornner, aged 2G, a vocalist,
lately residing at Linton-street, Islington, and who
stands remanded on the charge of having murdered a
girl, aged about 10, name unknown, the avenues of the
Clerkcnwell Police-court were crowded to excess by per•
sons anxious to obtain a glance at the mar lerese. Large,
however, as the crowd was, it was nothing to be com-
pared to that of Monday, to which day the prisoner was
previously remanded ; on which occasion not only the
court and passages leading thereto were filled with spec-
tators, but at one time there must have been nearly a
thousand persons outside, and it was with the greatest
difficulty that the pavement and road in front of the
office could be kept clear. Tee two girls who were as-
saulted en their way home after leaving the inquest
room last week were, fur protection, brought to the
court early in the morning, and at the close of the exa-
mination were taken away, under the care of the police,
in a cab. There was, however, no disposition shown to
molest them or any of the other witnesses in any way ;
aoxl, notwithstanding the large numbers that were pre-
sent, the greatest good order prevailed.
About two o'clock the prisoner was placed in the
deck before Mr. Collie, the sitting magistrate, and shb
appeared a great deal better than on the last examina-
tion.

Inspector Payne, of the 111 divisicn, attended to watch
the case.

Mr. Mould, the chief clerk, having read over the evi-
dence taken on the previous occasion, .
Mrs. Julia Harrington was the first witness exa-
mined. She said—l reside at No. 47 Great INter-
street, IL ckney-road. I have seen the body of :the
child which was found murdered in the cellar at No. 18,
Linton-street, Islington. The child went by the name
of Celestriva Christmas. She was borne in my house.
I was present at the birth of the child, and the prisoner
is the mother. The child was born in the month of No-
vember, 1845. I kept her until Thursday week, when
the prisoner came in the evening and took her away,
saying that she war going to take it to her sister's, in
Murray street. She also said that she had got the girl
a place to nurse a little baby.
Police-constable Hone, 134 N, said that on Monday
week last, after the prisoner was removed from lbe dock
into the gaoler's room, at the back of the court, she
began speaking about "Hamlet" an i " Richard III."
After speaking very particularly of the part of "
Eam-
let," she asked if he had seen Phelps take the part of
the tyrant in "Richard III." After that she said it was
her poor dead brother's child, and that was why she felt
it so much. After ho died she said she bad promised to
keep it, and that she pail ss. a week for its support.
That money she further stated sl,e paid out of her own
earnings, she being a teacher of music. She then said,
"I did not like to put the child out to service, for she
was not old enough to work. It is no use telling you a
lie. I did not know what to do for the best." She was
talkinc the whole of the time that she was in the room ;
in fact, until she was removed in the van.
The prisoner, whose defence was reserved by Mr.
Humphreys. jun., wl.o attended for her, was then com-
mitted to Newgete for trial,- upon the charge of having
wilfully murdered Ce/estrina Christmas, aged 10 p.ars.
The witnesses having been hound over, the case,. as
far as this c.,urt was concerned, terminated.