The Sun.
London, England, 1827-08-10 00:00:00

MURDER.

Mary Brooks was indicted for killing and slaying
Maria Brooks, the infant daughter of Henry Brooks,
on the 18th of last April, at Newington.
Another count charged her with killing a certain
child named Maria. The prisoner who is rather a
good looking young woman, was deeply affected;
when put to the bar, she shed tears, and wished to
plead guilty, but the Learned Judge most humanely
recommended her to retract that plea, and she
at length pleaded " Not guilty," and sat down
apparently overcome by her feelings.
Mr. MESSMER conducted the prosecution, and
stated the circumstances of this distressing case.—
He said he was anxious to spare the feelings of the
unhappy prisoner in the state of mind in which she
appeared : but it was his duty to lay before the
Jury all the facts of the ease. The husband of the
unhappy prisoner was a clerk in a mercantile house
in the city. He wad married several years, and had
only one child, the subject of the present prosecution.
It appeared that the prisoner loved her child with
the greatest tenderness, nor was there any rea-
son or motive to which the crime she had commit-

ted could be traced. On the 18th April it appeared
that the prisoner's husband engaged lodgings for him-
self his wife and child, at No. 6, Dean's-buildings,
Newington. On the following day, Thursday, the
18th April, Mrs. Golding, the woman of the house,
arose early in the morning, and heard the infant
making a noise. She immediately sent her little
boy to Mr. Brook's bed-room door, to ask if the
fire should be lighted. In about half an hour after
this occurrence, Mrs. Golding was alarmed by the
cries of Mr. Brooks, and immediately proceeded to
the bed-room door, which-she found locked. With
the assistance of her son she burst open the door,
and on entering the room discovered the prisoner
bleeding in the neck, and the infant lying on
the bed with her throat cut. The prisoner im-
mediately removed all doubts, by saying, that
she had killed her only comfort, and would
kill herself. A surgeon was then called in
who would acquaint the Jury that the prisoner
had severed not only the jugular artery, but the wind-
, pipe of the child, which of course occasioned its
death. When the constable arrived lie questioned
the prisoner as to her motive in committing so hor-
rible an act, and she replied " that she was deter-
mined that the infant should not live to know of her
misconduct." There was no direct proof that the
prisoner committed the dreadful act, but the charge
was sufficiently proved by the prisoner's own con-
fessioN, rat-to the constable, and afterwards to Mrs.
Golding. The prisoner's counsel (Mr. Law)
would perhaps be able to prove that the
prisoner was in a state of insanity when she
committed the murder. 'At all events, there was no
proof of malice, there was no proof of jealousy, nor
any thing which could induce the prisoner to perpe-
trate so dreadful an act. If insanity could be proved,
the Jury would bring in their verdict accordingly.
But it was his duty to remind them, that in many
cases, the worst characters might be shielded from
punishment, unless the plea of insanity was received
with great caution, in cases where it was impossible
to ascribe the offence to any adequate motive.
Martha Golding, of Dean't-building, Newington,
stated that the prisoner came to lodge at her house
in April last, thinks it was on 18th April; Mr.
Brooks came with her, and brought an infant girl
about six months old, they slept there on that night;
in the morning witness heard the child's voice, it

' was making a- noise which seemed to be rejoicing ;
witness told her little boy to knock and ask if they
would have the fire lighted, shortly after that she
heard Mr. Brooks crying out, " Oh dear," very
loudly, as if something very bad had happened ; went
to the door, and I found it fast; witness with her
son then forced the door open;_ and when they got
into the room, they saw the infant lying on the bed
with its throat cut. When she raised her eyes from
the infant, she saw Mrs. Brooks, with her throat cut
from ear to ear. Mr. Brooks, was raising ber hand,
and picking up something from the floor.—(The un-
happy prisoner at this moment seemed almost
convulsed.)—Witness. held Mrs. Brooks' head on
her knee. Mr. Brooks asked why she had done it,
and she replied, " because the infant should not
know her misconduct." When the surgeon was in
the room, prisoner asked whether the infant was
dead. He said that she was dead ; and the prisoner
observed, that she should not be upbraided for her
misconduct now ; she said that she would perish
herself if she could, but that she had not done what
she meant. After the doctor was gone, the prisoner
went and kissed the child and said. " How could
she do that, she had killed the only comfort she
had !"

Cross-examined by Mr. LAW—It was past seven
when she sent her boy up to Mr. Brooks's room.—
Half an hour before this witness heard the child as
it were crowing, and in the course of the preceding
day Mrs. Brooks seemed as if she was out of
humour; witness remarked this. She said when
she first came into the house that the officers were
looking at her: Mr. Brooks said " Oh, nonsense,
nonsense, Maria, how should the officers know you."
Christopher F. Golding, son of the last witness.
On the above morning assisted his mother in break-
ing thedoor of prisoner's room, and corroborated
the testimony of last witness.
Mr. E. D. Howitt, surgeon, was called to attend
the child and prisoner on the above day, and found
them in the bed-room. The prisoner sat on the
floor, with her head supported by Mrs. Golding.
The child was dead; it was dressed and lying upon
the bed; witness examined it ; it appeared as if its
throat had been cut; had been cut with a razor;
that cut was the cause of its death ; witness then
attended to Mrs. Brooks, and asked her what MO.

tive she had for making away with the child; she
gave witness the same answer as before; the bloody
razor was lying on the table.
Cross-examined by Mr. LAW.—The child ap-
peared to tie from six to seven months old, Wit.
ness did not Meow the prisoner before. The priso-
ner was bleeding from a superficial wound.
Joseph Snow, the constable of Newington, pro•
deiced the razor, at which the unfortunate prisoner
seemed dreadfully shocked. He also produced is
certificate of the child's baptism. She was christened
Maria.

'John Swift, surgeon, was called to attend she prig
sorter at the birth of the child. Had known her from
thit time till th• present. In the course of his at-
tendance upon her, her manner was eery strange and
unaccountable. -Witness considered, from circum,
stances, that she was labouring under mental de,
rahgemeet, Saw nothing of her after the 3d Wray;

The Jury
evidence, ar
that if they
deranged at
consequence
the care
would hay,
doing any ft,
judging by I
at the time
sudden burs
son's sense!

insanity.
The Jury
!lon, returne
insanity at t
The prise
during his
careless as
left the clod

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till about six Weiks after her confinement. About
five o'clock in the afternoon she came into his shop
with another female; she looked very wild and
strange, and requested that he would bleed the
1 idy who came with her, saving, that s'ae had
been bitten in the hand by a dog. Found
no mark whatever of injury upon the woman's hand,
who was at that time intoxicated ; the prisoner was
not so. Witness said that bleeding was not requisite,
and refused to bleed her. The prisoner said that
she would make him bleed her, and seemed at once
to get in a state of plirenzy and madness. She had
her infant in her arms at the time, and refused to
leave till witness had bled the woman, who did not
wish to be bled. Witness still refused, and was
obliged to send for a constable. She could give no
account of her conduct before the Magistrate : ap-
peared very fond of the child.
By the COURT.—She appeared not to know what
she was about, and in witness's opinion was down-
right mad; considered that she had been deranged
for some time before child-birth.
David Boast, surgeon, had -known the prisoner
eight or ten years, during that time she has been
subject to violent fits of passion ; had seen her se-
veral times bordering on a state of insanity from
slight causes.
Elizabeth Edwards had known the prisoner for
about 11 years. She has been in a very low and
desponding state for some time. On the Saturday
before this occurrence, she came to witness, and
wished to live with her. She said she was very
unhappy ; kissed the child, and said, that it blushed in
looking at its broken-hearted mother. She went away
and witness followed her; she stopped several times,
and when at home she said that there were a great
many officers after her, and that they would stone
her to death, and confine her. That was three
days before the child died. Witness has heard
that they were obliged to confine her in the prison,
in a straight waistcoat. She called after her child, Said
she knew it was not dead, and that they kept it in
the prison to torment her. She appeared particu-
larly fond of the child and would not suffer any one
to touch it.—(Here the prisoner wept and sobbed
most violently.)
The Jury expressed themselves satisfied with the
evidence, and tile Learned Judge informed them
that if they were of opinion that the prisoner was
deranged at the time she committed the murder, the
consequence would be that she would be taken under
the care of the King, as a lunatic, which
would have the effect of preventing her from
doing any further injury. The question was whether
judging by the usual habits of mind, she was insane
at the time of committing the act. It was not a
sudden burst of passion, or the deprivation of a per-
son's senses by intoxication that would constitute
insanity.
The Jury, therefore, under his Lordship's direc-
tion, returned a verdict of Guilty, but in a state of
insanity at the time.
The prisoner was then ordered to be detained
during his Majesty's pleasure: She appeared
careless as to what should be her destination, and
left the dock in a state of great despondency.