The Sun.
London, England, 1859-10-05 00:00:00

Witdess—No ; I know nothing about it. I left the dead
child at the hotel.
Cross-examined by Mr. Best—The lady had a very bad
confinement. There was a great deal of trouble taken to
get life in the child. I declare to God there was as much
care taken of the child as if it had been my own. The
mother was very fond of the child. I thought she would
go out of her mind when it died.
A Juror—Did the mother have milk before the child died ?
Witness—Yes ; but the child refused to take it.
Elizabeth Bacon said—l live at 3, West-cottages, South-
end. lam not married. I got my living by hard work.
No lady of the name of Yorath, between 12th and 29th of
September, was living with me. I know nothing about
such a lady. All I know is that Mr. Bonwell called on me,
and asked me if any letters came for Miss Yorath to take
them in. I did receive some, and posted them in directed
envelopes. Mr. Bonwell directed the envelopes.
A Juror—How were the envelopes directed?
Witness—l don't recollect the address, further than that
the letters were sent to Mr. Bonwell, Stepney.
Emma Mitchell said I reside at the Sussex Hotel, Duke-
street, Southwark. I have charge of the upper part of the
hotel. A gentleman of the name of Bonwell engaged a
sleeping room there last Tuesday for a lady, nurse, and a
baby. The gentleman told me it was his sister. The lady,
nurse, and child came the same night. They remained till
the following Saturday. They arrived about eight o'clock
in the evening. I saw the child every day. It never seemed
very lively ; it was quiet. It took the bottle freely, and
quite enough nourishment for an infant of its age. I saw
it fed with a spoon. I never saw the mother suckle the
child. After the lady left she returned in a few days. The
day after the child became poorly, on the Wednesday it
became ill, and the doctor was sent for. It died on Satur-
day morning, the 3d September, at about 11 in the morn-
ing. A doctor attended deceased. I never saw the child
take any medicine. I was not present when the child
died. I saw it shortly after. The body was removed on
Saturday evening by an undertaker, who brought a shell
with him. I never heard that more than one doc-
tor attended. I never knew the name of the lady. Mr.
Bonwell paid me. On the Wednesday after she left she
called and asked me if her brother had called.
Juror—Who did she mean by her brother ?
Witness—Mr. Bonwell.
Juror—Did Mr. Benwell ever sleep there ?
Witness—Yes, one night.
Juror—How do you know it was Mr. Bonwell ?
Witness—Only by reading it in the papers.
Coroner—That will not do. Have you seen the gentle•
man here this morning ?
Witness—Yes, I have seen him down stairs.
Witness continued—I asked the doctor what was the
matter with the child after it died, but I got no satisfactory
answer. The child was very young, and appeared healthy.
When the doctor was sent for on the Wednesday, I saw
the child the following day. It was very much convulsed.
Warm milk was given to baby.
Coroner—Did it take it?
Witness—Yes.
Coroner—Did you see the child on the Friday ?
Witness—Yes, it was still convulsed. On the evening
it appeared easier, but it died at 4 o'clock the next morning.
I don't know whether the doctor attended on the Friday.
I don't think the child was more drowsy the first week than
other children, but the second week it appeared to sleep a
great deal. When I saw it on Friday evening I did riot
anticipate its death.
Coroner—Then, as I understand you, the lady came to
the hotel on Tuesday and left the following Saturday. She
returned the next Monday and remained till the Saturday,
and then again left. During the whole of that time do you
mean to say that you did not learn the lady's name?
Witness—Yes. As the child died on Saturday morning
I asked Mr. Bonwell in the evening if he was going to re-
move the body. He said he had spoken to an undertaker
about it. I don't know the undertaker's name. After the
lady left the hotel for good, I found some stockings. There
was a name on the stockings, but I can't remember whether
it was Yorath. I will swear I cannot recollect. The
mother seemed to feel the loss of her child. As far as I
could see the infant appeared to receive every attention.
Cross-examined by Mr. Best—l have not been speaking
as a nurse. When Mr. Bonwell slept at the house, he oc-
cupied a different part of the house to the lady. When the
undertaker was in the room I was not. I did not see the
tbhoedrye
.p u
Iti ni s ot
the
ot heeu
sltiodms
tcor egweetd down. t
he bodies
oMr.f
persons Bonwell
dyingva
rs
in
not
Frederick James Gant examined. He said—l am surgeon
hsoleteelps
trnemthoevehdouasse
tshoeonnigasuptohsesichhileid
dMiedr..Bonwell did
to the Royal Free Hospital. I have made a post mortem
examination of the body of a male child. It was in a shell.
I found the body of a nine months' child, much corrupted
lying on its wereh
da
ognol
eond dealdis-
decomposed,
head
e the
tended. There were no external marks of
violence. The
body appeared emaciated, the limbs particularly so. I
rightthe side.
t otongue
g u
e The
protruding, face
opened the body and removed the lungs and heart. They
were fresh. I placed a portion of one lung in water and it
floated, showing that the child had breathed. The lungs
were quite healthy. The whole intestinal canal was a deep
claret colour. I did not deem it right to open the intestines
alone, and I suggested Dr. Letheby should be consulted. I
placed the whole of the intestines of the body in a jar. On
opening the head the brain flowed out. I sealed the jars
and delivered them myself to Dr. Letheby.
Cross-examined by Mr. Best—To the best of my belief
the child is a nine months' child. There is not much differ-
euce between an eight or nine months' child. Eight months'