The Sun.
London, England, 1861-06-28 00:00:00

BILL.

After a conversation, the further proceedings on this bill
were postponed until Monday next, with the view of refer-
ring the question of site to a select committee.
PUBLIC-HOUSES (SCOTLAND) BILL.
This bill was read a second time.
GOVERNMENT OF THE NAVY BILL.

This bill was read a second time.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT AMENDMENT,

AND SUPPLEMENTAL BILLS.
These bills passed through committee.
LABOURERS' COTTAGES BILL.

The remaining clauses of this bill were passed through
committee.

PIERS AND HARBOURS BILL,
This bill was read a third time and passed.
CHURCH ENDOWMENT ACT AMENDMENT
BILL.
On the order for the committee,
Sir G. C. LEWIS moved the postponement of the bill
until Tuesday next.
Agreed to.
The other business on the paper having been disposed of,
the house adjourned at five minutes past two o'clock.

THE CASE OF POISONING AT SaME.RS

TOIVN.

EXAMINATION OF THE PRISONER.

Yesterday, at the Clerkenwell Police-court, Jane
Palethorpe, a decently•attired female between 35
and 40 years of age, described on the charge-sheet
as a needlewoman, residing at 15, Northampton-
street, King's-cross, was brought up in the custody
of Inspector Stokes, of the S division of police,
charged with tie wilful murder of Thomas Pale-
thorpe, aged four years, by administering to him a
quantity of laudanum. The prisoner was also
further charged with administering a certain poison
—to wit, laudanum—to John Richard Palethorpe,
aged eight years, and Hamul Palethorpe, aged two
years, with intent to kill ; and further, with at-
tempting to commit suicide by taking poison, on
the 25th instant, at 15, Northampton•street, St.
Pancras.

The case excited a great deal of interest, and it
having beeu stated that the unfortunate woman
would be brought up in the course of the day,
caused a large mob to assemble in the front of the
court. The prisoner was brought to the court in
the course of the afternoon, and although great
praise is due to Mr. Inspector Stokes for the unos-
tentatious way in which he brought the prisoner to
the court, still, in the course of the way down, she
was recognised and was loudly hissed. The belief
that this is not the first case of the kind in which
the prisoner has been engaged, appears to gain
ground, and it was publicly stated that while the
prisoner was residing in the St. Pancras-road, one
of her children died under very peculiar circum-
stances, and that an open verdict was returned by
the coroner's jury. The prisoner, although poor,
has, it would seem, appeared to the lodger in the
house to be very fond of her children, and has to
the best of her ability kept them clean and comfort-
able. Owing to the weakness of the prisoner she
was allowed to be seated while the evidence was
being taken. During the examination she fre-
quently shed tears, and she appeared to feel her
position acutely.
Mr. Fryer, solicitor, of Gray's Inn-square, at-
tended to watch the case on behalf of the prisoner.
Mrs. Elizabeth Folkner, 15, Northampton-street,
the wife of Henry Folkner, said—The prisoner
lodged in the same house as I do—she lodging in
the back room of the first floor. The prisoner
lived there with three children. On Wednesday,
about a quarter after four, everything being quiet,
she (witness) felt alarmed, and knocked at the door
for the purpose of paying the prisoner a penny she
owed her. She knocked three times, and did not
hear any answer. She then told her landlady, and
knocked again and did not then receive any answer.
When her husband came home she told him the
facts, but he said there was no occasion for alarm.
While her husband was at tea she again knocked,
and the eldest boy said "Mother, here is Mrs.
Folkner." She then asked if anything was the
matter, and the boy, in a faint voice, said his mother
was ill, and sofewas his brother. She asked him to
open the door, and he did so. When she went in
she found them all looking very ill. She spoke to
the mother, who was in bed, twice, but did not re-
ceive any answer. She saw the boy who is dead
very pale, and gasping for breath. She was
then aware that something was wrong.
On the Monday night the prisoner spoke
to her, and seeing that her eyes looked very in-
different, she asked her what was the matter.
She said she had been crying, and that she
was in great trouble, and that she would take the
life of herself and her children some time or other,
for her troubles were more than she could bear. She
told the prisoner that we all had troubles, and that
she must bear up against them.; it was no use her
giving way.
Mr. D'Eyncourt—ls that the first time you have
heard her say that she was tired of her life ?
Witness—l have heard her say, on more than
one occasion, that she was tired of her life, and
would destroy her children and herself.
Cross-examined—l have lived in the house 18
months, but I have not seen the prisoner's husband.
When the prisoner said that she would take the
lives of her children she was quite sober, and did
not appear to be suffering from any narcotic.
Mr. D'Eyncourt—Did she appear to be suffering
from any stimulant.
Witness—No. She appeared to be much the
same as usual. I have not seen her the worse for
drink. •

Mr. D'Eyncourt—How did the prisoner get her
living?
Witness—By slop-work. She appeared to be
very poor.
Cross-examination continued—She had seen a
letter from the prisoner's husband, who" is abroad.
The prisoner had been crying, her eyes being very
red and swollen. She had frequently seen her
weeping, and had heard her say her life was a
burden to her.
Mr. Henry Sutheris, surgeon, of the St. Pancras-
road, deposed—l was called by the landlord of 15,
Northampton-street, about half-past six in the
evening, to go to the house, he saying that one
of his lodgers had poisoned herself. I found the
prisoner lying in the bed insensible. A child,
which is now dead, was almost lifeless. Two
other children were sitting up, one being able to
talk, and the other in a very drowsy state. There
was a bottle on the mantel-piece labelled " poison,"
and in another part of the room was found another
bottle, with the labelscratched off, which contained
laedtwum, but only a few drops. [The bottles were

produced, and are ounce phials.] I then attempted
to restore animation, and sent off for further assist-
ance. I managed to rouse the prisoner, and after
some time she opened her eyes. I then asked what
she had taken, and what she had given to the chil-
dren, and she said laudanum, I then attempted to
rouse the children. The pupils of the eyes of the
child which is dead were contracted, the pulse was
almost senseless, and though every restorative was
applied, the child died in about 20 minutes after-
wards. I applied: restoratives to the infant, and it
vomited and ultimately recovered. I spoke to the
elder child, which, although a little drowsy, was
not very bad.
Mr. D'Eyncourt inquired if it had been ascertained
where the poison had been purchased ?
Inspector Stokes replied in the affirmative, but
remarked that the person who sold the poisonous
drug was not in attendance.
Mr. Sutherin, in his cross-examination, said that
he had attended the child that was dead some weeks
since, and it was then a very healthy child. He
found that one of the children had vomited.

Mr. D'Eyncourt—When you asked the prisoner
what she had given to the child, was she in a con-
scious state ?

Witness— Perfectly, and well knew what she was
saying.
Mr. D'Eyncourt—What did she say ?
Witness—She merely said, " Laudanum."
Mr. D'Eyncourt—Do you know what the cause
of death is?

Witness—l should say asphyxia, but I cannot say
positively. I have opened the body, but not the
stomach. I cannot say that it smelt of laudanum.
The stomach I have preserved, for the purpose of
having the contents analysed.
Mr. Fryer—Did you caution the prisoner before
she made the statement about the laudanum ?

Mr. Sutherin—No ; I only asked her what she
had taken and given her children, so that I should
know what restoratives to apply. I had no inten-
tion of inducing her to say anything against her-
self.

Mr. Fryer remarked that such statements ought
not to have been used in evidence, as the prisoner
was not cautioned, and labouring as she was from ,
illness and excitement, it was unfair to make her '
words evidence against her. He hoped, for the sake
of the unfortunate woman, that it would not be made
evidence, as it would go forth to the public and
might mislead them, and thereby injure her.
Mr. D'Eyncourt remarked that all that had been
stated was fair evidence. It often happened that in
a preliminary inquiry many things were stated
which were not returned on the depositions.
Mr. Skinner, the assistant-surgeon of the St.
Pancras Infirmary, said he assisted the last 'wit-
ness. He applied the stomach pump, and took
from the prisoner a quantity of matter, and in it he
found unmistakable symptoms of morphia. The
, prisoner had remained in the infirmary under his
care, and in charge of a constable until she was
brought to this court.
Mr. Stokes, in answer to the magistrate, said that
at present no inquest had been held. Information
had been forwarded to the coroner, and the inquest
will, it is stated, be held in the course of a few days.
Police-constable Keeble, 121 S, said he had
searched the prisoner's apartment;•and, on the table,
found in an envelope the following letter :
.
" June 24, 1861.

"Dear Friend,—l hope you will take my goods
and pay for the bread. Ido not know how much it
is. I hope you will keep the two children. I can't
bear my trouble no longer.
"Please write to Palethorpe's father, but send it
in private. _ _

" J. PALETHORPE.

" P.S.—Take my work in."
On a separate piece of paper was the following
address ;—" John Palethorpe. No. 39, Salop street,
Caverley-hill, Bank, Leeds, Yorkshire."
Inspector Stokes here asked for a remand. The
prisoner had only really been taken into custody that
day, and he required further time to collect the
evidence.

Mr. Fryer said he should offer no objection to a
remand. It had been stated in the public prints of
that morning that the unfortunate female had sup-
ported herself and children by slopwork, for which*
at the utmost, she derived a miserable pittance of
about ss. a week from a slop seller in Somers Town.
He, on the part of the gentleman, who instructed
him, might remark that the work she had was given
her out of charity, she being unable to do the work
properly or regularly from ill-health.
Mr. D'Eyncourt remanded the prisoner for a
week.

Mr. Fryer applied that, as the poor woman was
so ill, the commitment might be so made out that,
instead of being put in the cell, she might, till she
had sufficiently recovered, be placed in the infirmary.
While she had been in the workhouse she had been
very kindly treated.
Mr. D'Eyncourt at once acceded to the application.
The prisoner was then removed by Tqrner, the
gaoler.