The Sun.
London, England, 1827-09-19 00:00:00

MARY WITTENBACK.

Although this wretched 'culprit stated in her
" Confession" that she expected no other fate
than that which has befallen her, it appears that she
all along entertained the strongest expectations
of an acquittal. On the morning of her trial, a
few hours before she was arraigned, she expressed
the fullest confidence that she should be with her
daughters in the evening. Between the time of
her commitment to Newgate and that of her trial,
she frequently adverted to the case of Sheen, and
seemed to think that in her case there would be
a discrepancy in the evidence with respect to the
Christian name of her late husband, and that the
prosecution against her would fail. • She had '
had seven children by her husband, three only
of whom are now living. The eldest (Mary),
is married ; the second (Frances), who is 19,
years of age, is living as a servant in a respect-
able family in Tunbridge-place, New-road ; and
the third (Charlotte), who was sixteen years
old on the day her father was poisoned,
gets her livelihood by fancy needle-work.
'After the birth of these and four other
children, the husband and wife separated, hav-
ing previously lived very unhappily together.
Wittenback, it is said, during the first eight or
ten years of his marriage used to ill-treat his
wife, and generally misconducted himself. They
uh ser t r fromsaerpda-
hard-working
separations
koni
gowt hwietortaenisabenva,ecrkaa
and
hda d times,
and
sup-
ported
h co-
lal adb ied\ud'
uer diswnt
rgi
iat )ti
a other women. The wife was then
herself and her children solely by her own
exertions, she working as a laundress. From
the time of the last separation until the horrible
deed was perpetrated, they had lived together
about five years. During that time Wittenback
had conducted himself well towards his wife, and
was very attentive to his work, and regular in his
habits. He was employed as a labourer by Mr.
Parker, a builder, in Maiden-lane, Battle-bridge,
for whom he had worked many years, He lat-
terly bore a good character, and was considered
a very quiet, inoffensive man ; the wife, it is be-
lieved, had been acquainted with some women
of bad character in the neighbourhood of
Vlington, where she formerly resided. She
was seldom at home to get her husband's
meals ready, and used to pawn her clothes
and those of her friends (which she borrowed),
and spend her money in drink. She was
constantly complaining of her husband to
Mrs. Davies, the woman who lodged in the
house with her, and used to say that she
hated the very sight of him." She frequently
spoke of the circumstances connected with their
separation, and of his various acts of cruelty
towards her in former times ; and she appeared
to entertain the strongest conviction that he was
still carrying on an intercourse with other
women. At the latter end of June, or begin-
ning of July last, he had disappointed her of a
walk. This appeared to affect her a good deal.
She said to Mrs. Davies, " I had prepared my-
self to go out with Wittenback, who had pro-
mised me a walk, and he now refuses to go ; but
no matter, lie shall deceive me no more ; this
shall be the last disappointment." She would
frequently say to Mrs. Davies that she should
like to see him a corpse, and inquired how much
money' it would cost to bury him, saying she
should receive 15/. from his club. The poor
man, while labouring under the effects of the
poison, appeared fully conscious that his wife
was the person who had infused it into the pud-
ding. In answer to a question whether he sus-
pected any one, he said, " It is my cruel wife." To
his eldest daughter, who was with him in his last
moments, he said, " Oh, Mary, Mary, this is mur-
der !" He added, he freely forgave her cruel
mother—he hoped they would all forgive her,
and that God also would forgive her. The
miserable woman appeared quite callous to his
sufferings, and it was not until after her trial that
she exhibited the least symptoms of remorse.

BERWICK, SEPT. -B.—On Saturday after-
noon, John Chisholm, apprentice to a butcher in this town,
was sent to the Magdalen-fields to bring in a sheep for
slaughter. He caught it near the Redoubt, where .the
beach is very precipitous. The animal feeling a dislike at
being deprived of its liberty, began struggling, and being
on the verge of the precipice, not less than 40 or 50 feet
high, both tumbled over. Fortunately .for the lad, the
sheep was undermost, and was killed on the spot. The
lad was completely stunned by the fall, and received some
severe contusions. He •—as carried home in a state of in-
sensibility by some soldiers who happened to be near the
spot. For the first two or three days little hope was enter-
tained that his life could be preserved, but he is now in a
fair way of recovery.—Edinburgh Paper.

HENRY-STREET OFFICE, DUBLIN.---A
poor countryman complained at this office yesterday
(Friday) against a very healthy-looking, though ragged
fellow, for refusing to pay him for the maintenance of his
infant child. He stated that he had taken the child at half
the usual charge, and that lie had never laid an eye en the
father for upwards of 13 months until a few minutes before,
when lie handed him into the Police-office without using
the slightest ceremony.
Magistrate—Why don't you pay this poor man, his
money 1 Prisoner—Because I have no money to pay him.
Where do you live ?—I don't live anywhere.
Where do you sleep ?—I never get any sleep at all.
How do you eat ?—I scarcely ever eat any thing.
You look very rosy ?—lt is only the heat of sickness that
is flying up in my face.
Where do you work ?—I never work.
How do you live ? I hope that you won't tell me that
you don't live at all ?—So and so, up and down, here and
there, pretty bobbish.
As you neither eat or sleep, I suppose you drink a little ?
You have it at last—l drink all I get.
You certainly give a pretty account of yourself. I regret
extremely that it is not in my power to do any thing in this
case but recommend the complainant to apply at the Court
of Conscience.--Irish Paper.

On the Bth of August last, the Right Hon.
George Earl of Aberdeen was unanimously elected
Chancellor, of King's College and University of
Aberdeen, in the room of his Grace the Duke of
Gordon, deceased; and on the 28th of the same
monih, the Right Hon. John Viscount Arbuth-
not was unanimously chosen Lord Rector.--
Aber(leen Paper.