Star.
London, England, 1828-11-27 00:00:00

CHILD MURDER AT SHEFFIELD.

Sunday the neighbourhood of Westbar, in this town,
was in a state of great ex-itement, in consequence of a
report that a female illegitimate child' had been mut-
dered by its reputed father.
Monday, at tour o'clock, an Inquest was held on the
body, before A. A. HARDY, Esq. Coroner, and a very
respettahle Jury.
The Jury went to view the body; on their return,
the following witnesses were examined:
Elizabeth Haigh stated, she is a single woman, and
the mother of the child the Jury had just seen. Mar-
tin Slack was the father; Ise is a brace and bit
maker in Norfolk-lane. The child was five weeks
old on Sunday ; the child was filiated upon Slack
about seven or eight weeks before it was born ; the
day after it was fathered he was sent to Wakefield,
on account of. not being able to give security for
its maintenance. The child had nut been baptized.
Slack remained at Wakefield five weeks. His fa.
'her became sects, ity for him, when he was libeisibd.
On his return from Wakefield he called upon her ; she
also saw him the night after the child was born; he h
often come to see her since, and said be was willing to
marry her, but his parents would not give-consent ; he
came to their house (she lives with her father) on Sun-
day morning, about seven; she was suckling the child;
her brother was in the room, but asleep ; she was not
ful:y dressed; went up stairs to dress; laid the child down
when she went up stairs; as soon as she gos up stairs
the child g ore a scream ;ter mother told her to go down
and see what was the matter ; she went down and found
the child in Slack's arms; saw a smoke or blaze issuing
from the mouth of the child. Asked him what he
had done to it ? Ile said, it Nothing." Placed the
mouth•of the child to her owe cheek, and the mask
on bet face was made in consequence (witness
showed a wound on her face, apparently a butts).—
When she asked him what he had given the child,; he
bade her give it some water. She took the child from
Slack, a. din attempting t give it the breast, some-
thing like brimstone came out of its mouth. She alarmed
her father and mother, who were up stairs. .Slack told'
her 4' Hale screamed he would go." As her father was
coming down stairs, Slackran out and went away. The
child .ied in about three quarters of an hour after. She
dis:orered s meshing had been given to it. It was quite
well het re. Sent for Mr. Win. Jackson, surgeon.
By one of the Jury—She had had parish ache(' for
the child. Slack seemed fond of t e child. She had
visited his father's with the add. He had been to see
her on Saturday. She never had. any seasons to be-
lieve be had any disposition to injure the child. There
was ao bo tle found:after Slack had gone away. It was
about eight o'clockon Saturday night when he. cameto
see her. He did not ask her to drink at that time.
At the conclusion of this witness's examination, the
Coroner directed the prisoner to be in-roduced into the
room, that be might have an opportunity to ask any
questions of the witness, if be thought proper to do to.
After she deposition of the mother had been reach
over in the hearing of the prisoner, the Coroner in-
quired if he bad any questions to propose to tier? when
he merely said he had not given the child any thing,
and he had no questions to ask.
Several other witnesses were examined who beard
dthe screams of the little sufferer.
•

Mr. Hardy, surgeln—Saw the child ; it was in a
dying stale when he arrived, and expired soon after-,
wards. Mr. Hardy desesibed the appearance of the.
child; had no doubt but the symptoms had been pm
duced by corrosive poison ; has since examined the body
of the child internally, and is decidedly of opinion that
'the child's death was-caused by poison. A conaidelable
qu•ntity had been given it.
The COltOlign having tead the evidence, and made
some very judicious remark?, the Jury, without retiring,
returned a verdict of " Wilful Murder" against Martin
Slack, the reputed father of the child.
The prisoner was only 17 years old on the day of the
murder. He is both tall and stout for his years, and
not ill-looking. puling the investigation he did not
seem at alt moved, his conduct throughout exhibiting
the greatest &moms a J self-possession.

Sunday evening, about seven dclock, the dwelling-
hours of Mr. IL Pear°. Nu. 1, Granby terrace, Dept•
lord, was entered by the street door by imam of a
pick-lock key. The servant (a female), who was in the
ruiner at the time, supposing it was her master who
bad rimmed, went into the passage, and w•s instantly
seised by one of the men, who wore a crape over his
face, and forced into the back parlour, and confined
there until e.ery door, drawer, box, and closet nn the
first-Boor, and three• ►ed rooms, were broken with a
crow-bar, , and property, consisting of plate aid clothes
to a considerable amount, stolen.