The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-05-30 00:00:00

.MURDER BY A STEPMOTHER.

AT the Thames Police-court, London, before Mr. Ing-
ham, Mary Anne Alice Seagar, a most repulsive-looking
woman, 32 years of age, residing at 2, York-street, Philpot-
street, Commercial-road, was charged with causing the
death of William Seagar, her step-son, on the previous
evening. The prisoner, whose second husband, the father
of the deceased child, is a stone-cutter, was formerly a
dresser at the Victoria Theatre, and sometimes went on
in the groups. The details of the evidence were so re-
volting that they drew tears from the magistrate as he
examined the principal witness, the sister of the deceased,
a little girl 13 years of age, who seemed perfectly cog-
nizant of the nature of an oath, and gave her evidence
with a fearfully distinct minuteness. The prisoner, who
paced the dock with a theatrical air, and assumed various
positions, which she intended should be imposing, evi-
dently tried to appear indifferent, but was shaken and
unnerved at some portions of the evidence. After some
evidence as to blows having been heard, Anne Cooper
Seagar, daughter of the prisoner, was sworn. Her ap-
pearance excited the deepest commiseration. She was
miserably clad, notwithstanding her father's earnings,
which are considerable; and the bones starting through
her skin presented a perfect picture of famine. She had
several marks of violence on her face, and one severe cut
under the right eye. She said—l am 13 years of age. I
was in the room when it happened. My two brothers
were there, Tommy and Willy. [Tommy is the prisoner's
child by her first husband, and is sleek and comfortable;
the deceased boy was quite as much a skeleton as his
sister.] Tommy was seven years and Willy six. Willy
complained to his father that Tommy beat him, and father
chastised Tommy. When mother came in, Tommy told
her Willy had got him into a row. Mother put Willy to
bed, but he got up and sat on the box. Mother knocked
him off with a blow of her fist. He got up again, and
mother strapped him with a strap over his waist. and
arms. He got up again and undressed himself, when she
hit him with her hand on the temple. Mother put him
into a tub of water after hitting him twice—once on the
arm and once on the head. He could hardly move before
he was put into, the water. She took him out for he was
not able to move, and my brother Tommy wiped him and
put him to bed- He got up again, and mother told him
to rub a teatray. He rubbed it a little, but could not
do it, so mother took him by the feet and shook him.
She took him up again, I think by his head, and threw
him across the room. He fell on the boards and could
not move. She caught him again, I cannot say how,. and
threw him by the box, and kicked him. Mr. Ingham—
Where did she kick him? Witness—l cannot tell where.
She then threw him onl his back in a chair, and his head
was hanging down. She said to me, "Now you —,.
you may do what you like with him." I said, " Get up,
Billy, off that chair, and let me wash you," but he coin
not. Then mother hit me. She knocked me down and.
kicked me. Then father knocked; I did not go down, as
I was washing the slop- Mr. Ingham—What slop ?
Witness—The water and blood. Father knocked again,
and mother said, "Go down,. and'_ let the in." I let
him in. He went up stairs, and stopped about a minute.
I stayed in the yard, that father should not see my face;
because, if he saw it, I'd catch it from, mother. My eye
was pouring blood. All my thingss at home, and all my
brother's things, are smothered in blood. As I was
coming out of the yard, and father was coming down
stairs, he said, " What is the matter with your eye ?" I
said, nothing, sir. When I came up, mother said, " Why
were.you not here when your father- was here ?" I said
I went into the yard to hide my face. She said, "You
lie, you crafty --. You were outside the door
listening." I said, "No I was not, mother." My
brother Billy was in bed then. Mother told him to get
up and wipe his face ;it was smothered with blood. He
could not get up, and as he sat in the bed she kicked him,
and made a lump on his forehead as round as a walnut.
She kicked him half a dozen times, onceson the forehead.
She then took him by the hair, and threw him quite
across the room. My eldest brother said, "Don't hit the
poor fellow any more, or you'll kill him, and be hung for
it?' My mother took the pepper-box, and threw it at
Tom for saying so. Mother then took Billy up ; he was
dead. His mouth and eyes were wide open,. and his face
was pouring blood everywhere. Mother sent Tommy for
four pennyworth of brandy, and poured some into Willy's
mouth, but he could not swallow it. Mother- said, " Oh,
I shall be hung," and then said, "Mind, be fell down and
cut his head against the tin box." Mother then wrapped
hint up in a sheet, and took him to the hospital. The
prisoner was committed for trial for wilful murder.