The Sun.
London, England, 1845-10-03 00:00:00

SOUTHWARK.

Yesterday Mary Brooks, a stylishly-attired woman, was
charged with using threats of violence towards a Mr. John
Harding. Another charge of a more serious nature, that of
deserting her infant, and leaving it in an exposed place,
was also preferred against the accused in the course of the
proceedings.
From the complainant's statement it appeared that some
time since he took the prisoner under -his protection, and
that, after living with him about three months, she was de-
livered of a child which she admitted she had had by another
man. The prisoner afterwards placed the child, by her ac-
count, with a nurse at Cheam, in Surrey ; but this fact the
complainant does not know of his own knowledge; and, in
order to dissolve the connexion that existed between them,
he entered into matrimony with another lady. The moment,
however, the prisoner found she was discarded, she went to
the complainant's house, broke his windows, and threatened
him with her vengeance; and as he considered his life was
in danger he was compelled to adopt the present proceedings.
The magistrate was about to decide the case when one of
the parochial officers of Croydon stood forward and said, he
charged the prisoner with having deserted her infant, leav-
ing it chargeable to the parish.
The facts were these,—about nine months ago a very
interesting baby was found in the passage of a house at
Croydon, and while in that exposed situation it had a narrow
escape of being trampled to death. The child, however, was
rescued and taken to the workhouse, and although every
effort had been used to discover the unnatural parent they
were fruitless until within the last few days, when they received
such information from Mr. Harding on the subject as to leave
no doubt the prisoner was the mother of the child.
Mr. Harding was examined, and he stated that he re-
collected when the prisoner took away the infant she had
by another man, and she, informed him on her return that
she left it at nurse at Cheam, in Surrey. He added, that
..✓
he had since ascertained the Child bad been deserted, and
left at Croydon, that he had seen it on a recent occasion,
and had no doubt of its identity, and he admitted that he
was induced to give information to the parochial authorities,
owing to the prisoner's misconduct to him on his marrying.
The parish officers produced the clothes found on the in-
fant when it was discovered, and a woman was in court who
proved that the prisoner was the person who had made some
of them.

The prisoner admitted she had a child, but that it was
out at nurse, and that Mr. Harding had made the statement
against her out of spite for her having expressed her dissent
to his marriage with another woman.

Mr. CorriNGHA➢i said, after the facts alleged against the
prisoner with respect to her being the person who deserted
the' infant, instead of his dealing with her for the other
charge, he should order her to be delivered up into the cus-
tody of the parochial officers of Croydon, and taken before
the magistrates of that place.
The prisoner was then conveyed to Croydon, and ➢lr.
Harding, who seemed unwilling to proceed further in the
business, was directed to attend to give his evidence there.