The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1843-04-07 00:00:00

ISSIZE INTELLIGENCI

SOUTH LANCASHIRE SPRING ASSIZES

CROWN COURT

(Before Mr. flu•on PARK/,
Ilis Lordship took his seat at n

ew minutes past nine

neitY Eccles, aged 33, was indicted for le
hi
inisternib
at Belton, of William Eccles, her stepson, by at..,ed
with
arsenic in his food. The prisoner also stood charged 1
lai„
the murder throe mea of Alice Ilaslani mid William Haslain ltls,! ns. It appeared by the calendar that
the prisoner_on,
could read, though she was not able to write. Long;iee be fwa,
the Judge Filtered the court, every convenient
''
crowded with auditors, and a number of elegantly-dressed
ladies were present.
The prisoner appeared deeply to feel her awful position.
though she pleaded not guilty to the several indictments with firni voice. She
was decently dressed, and had no appear-
ance
of atrocity which would lead any person to
suppose she
could have been guilty of the crime with which she was
charged.
Mr. Armstrong, Q.C., and Mr. Brandt appeared for the
prosecution; and 1)1.. Brown defended the prisoner.
.1
On the application of Dr. BROWN, all the witneases, ii -
eluding the medical men, were ordered out of court.
Mr. ARMSTRONG stated the principal features of the case,
which afterwards came out in the evidence, which we sub-
join
Jolla Wood, examined by Mr. BRANDT, said,—l am in
the employ of Messrs. Eden and Co., bleachers, near But-,
La.
I knew the deceased, Wm. Eccles. lie was 15 years of
age, and was in the employ of Messrs. Eden and Co. H
generally enjoyed good health. I remember his coming to
work on the 26th September. He worked till 1 past 11.
Ile had to go about a mile to his dinner. He was well when
lie left, and appeared in good spirits. He came to the works
at two o'clock, an hour later than usual, but he had an errand
or two to go. He went to work and appeared very sickly and
kept heaving at tbe chest. I spoke to him about it and he
Put his hand to his stomach and said he was sickly. He did
not vomit any but a greenish fluid. He continued
an hour on the premises and then I told him to go home,
and he left about three. '
Cross-examined.He lied been in the service about three
weeks an earned 3s. a week. Ile had to go to the railway,
on an errand •
tor one of the servants He left half anilway,
hour
earlier than usual. His usual hour Was twelve, and he came
back at one.
At her own request the prisoner; was accommodated with
a chair.
Thomas Davenport._
I am a bleacher in the employ of
Messrs Edeu and Co. This witness corroborated the evi-
dence of the previous witness, and went on to say, I left the
works about 4 o'clock. About a quarter of a nide from the
works I found the deceased. I asked him what made him lie
there, and lie
of the ditchsaid he could get no further. I
got him out
and he complained of being ill and kept heav-
N and throwing up
wy
like water. I helped him on his a
home awl met his mother (the prisoner). She said, " What,
You have brought him home, have you?" I said nothing to
her. when she made that remark• liy the JUDGP..—I was supporting the boy at the time.
By Mr. ARMSTRONG.--. 1 said get him home as soon as
YYou can, and give hint some hot tea. She said " she had
tea ready for him." The deceased was not in the habit
of F.oing home to his tea.
IsY Dr. BRowN.—The prisoner was alone. I told my
was Mother as soon as I got home what the prisoner had said. -1
taken before the coroner on Wednesday, and the de-
ce,ised was poorly on the Monday previous.
Richard Eceles.—l am 13 years of age. Wm. Eccles was
,yebrother. I have a sister named Mary Eccles. Betts-
: les the prisoner) is not my own mother. My father
fur
!„,to work on Sunday, and was not accustomed to return
laste time I saw him was when lie was coming out of the
ho" Si• Ile had had his dinner. I know my brother had had
„li I}. dinner
because lie said so. There was potatoe ash for
tit)n_i_iener in the oven. Sometimes we dined at different
,lieersit I.eat nee dinner„and tio one else eat off that dish
l'• was there. My mother said she had had her dinner
itoPotatoe ash. I was in the house about a quarter of an
ssiuir• I vvent back to my work. I was quite well after my
taeu ler. We generally dine at 12 o'clock. I worked at the
eTte place as my brother William, and gave our wages to
the tYI 'eeles.
I got half-a-crown a week. Betty Eccles got
~,, "ngs wanted for the house, and she cooked them. No
Other anted
was employed. No one lived in the house but
11etts 'ter'
dead, Eccles
mid brother, and Betty Eccles. 1 remember
getting into liquor shortly before William's
ss,„uidl• He said he would tell his father. She said " she
bother
shut of him if he did tell his father." She beat my
~, sometimes. We were not troubled with rats or. mice
out house. A girl of the name of Alice Haslam died in
"u house a fortnight before my brother. My sister Mary
said, a week after Alice died, " Let us go and see Alice's
grave ~ She ,
. • said " No, I have trouble enough on my mind;
81,ae...shall have another dead in our house before long." (Sen-
;ton in court.)
Betty b'-ex
sister is 10 years old. Alice was
Y Eccles' own child. It takes us a quarter of an hour to
get borne.
01(1,1%yEceles, a nice intelligent girl, said she was 10 years
pra,_ went to school every day. She said she said her
47),._a1l knew it was a bad thing to tell
_lies.
..
lies on )r• bao'wN.—She was told it was a had thing to tell
say
so.
toTWednesday last, and if any one asked her she was to
li(!s witness vvas subjected to a good deal of examination
iliBatcertain whether she was capable of giving evidence,
Lordship de .t 1 d i . .
Dearil.
.decided e. s le was tit. and
Qyn,',4)l. 'nation continued.—I am ten years old. I remember,
(ri. other William dying. On that day I had " tat} ' a.li
list, u'rier• My mother dined with me. I did not see Wit-
the , get his dinner, I was gone to school. My mother said
should have a damsons
for dinner. When I got
;1e Piotatoe ash I asked forthe darnson-pudding, and she said
h„.:19 not time to make it, but would make it the day after,
donee not do so. I was not at home when my brother
te(' in, He was very poorly at night. My brother lay
non three/cairs.
seesms-exatnine4l.—My mother and I had gone to some fires
Vsat the rearing of a chimney.
st„.Y Ann Ilopkinson was then called, but as she did not
4r.swver, her recognizances were entreated. A train would
Brirl
,e .at a quarter before twelve, by which she might come ;
his Lordship directed the case to proceed.
878e'neabeth Pell.—I live next door to the prisoner. I
.re-
aer going into her house on the night her stepson died.
re-
that the prisoner and I asked if it was her son Richard
"at had shed. She said no,. it was her. son William. She
said he had
his des
~, died of inflammation. I said I thought it strange
tro4ehee,Mes. so soon. I told her
.to have, the body examined,
was afraid of infection. She said !he had had
he wasen°ogh• Other persons were present in the house.
(s.:
ss .
vers angry at what I said.
'4°2 'earnined.—What the prisoner said she said openly.
1844
tines Ilaslam.—l am a waggoner. I am acquainted
Ilett prY Eccles• 1 remember the death of Wm. Eccles.
said Yo;eeeieles told me of it the morning after he died. She.
soner) litli news for the to tell Henry (husband of the pla-
t° hi ,t• told Me to tell him, that " William came home
,io-, ilsoh„lnner yesterday, and eat
died at
they brought
thoi,oite, ill at night, and he died at eight, and that she
l'h'irsd °`
buring him on Friday." I called at the house on
Until t,a,, and' Henry told me it was no use of him coming
the ho ridaY• She said then that two policemen had searched
iied tease, and two doctors had come and opened the body,
had f",,at I must tell Henry that all was right, and that they
dad nothinm. I asked what the boy had had to his
slie ~,a' and she siiid he had a damson dumpling. She said
bees sotirted her husband to come home that day, for she had
ilnederf the cleh
t --"' r"neY, and they would not give it, which I
1,h',,e;..?d was to he had at the works.
Thereeal7rne,,se
am bookkeeper at rslessrs. Eden and Co.
club at te 140 Persons employed there. We have a bum
elsh. Ile ' works. The deceased was a member of that
°I Septerireemember Betty Eccles coming to me on the 10th
ii
for a
ebileer last, and she claimed the benefit
.of the fun(
tiluwarice girl.) I told her she was not entitled to any
but if her
wes(7,, the father of the child not working at the works,,
tioYe.l, husband had worked there as formerly then she
d 0` have been entitled. I told her that children ern-
titYin 4 the Premises would have the benefit, or fathers
g chilelr
'Plemer eh employed. I advanced 10s. on the 10th of
was tO be Land I lent 15s. more on the 15th. The
.money
t°1(1 tapedher out of the wages of William and Richard.
gloved
t,
children more than seven years old em-
de. ._ here
would have 508. I saw William on the Mon-
stt
sit was
011 his way to the works. He looked anxious
;Nati, Y• I saw the prisoner the next morning at the
1 did , gjrnse• egoSh d she wanted the funeral allowance.
lekt 14rnb,Ive her the
Y, ai she was to come again
he sse„t ing• I refused the money,, from some suspicions.
, Jaines Av,:.y., and did not come the next morning.
eeptenThessi. iiirris, inspector of police at Bolton.—On the 28th
euroner , went to the prisoner's house, as ordered by the
sesreil :„. A took her into custody the next day. I went to
rll,tiat ~,,`"e house. When I took her I cautioned her in the
iejlii,iolayiellestolil) her
.she was clia_rgcd with the murder of
ilisnerhorlY beforeYhpeoirn. I
_asked, her how long he had
Ivork allverY heartil cued . She said, he had eaten his
had , oet four , Y on the Monday, and returned from
l„ peen s o clock very poorly. I asked if any doctor
but leeu to him? She said she had called on Dr. Mal-
-411114 'le was from home. She had administered some
iiitf.teit. aril sialts n' erself, and that he died about six hours
kii,rie hadae`Lheen to Moscroft'safter that I asked her
sh„'ng ver„,v.er,atlY poison in the house for the purpose. o
sh.' heves 11"4"1 She said, to the best of her recollection
, uggist sad, basked her if she knew Mr. Moscroft s, the
laentle 'l,°f Polds-road ? She said she did, and had fre-
86u' had gtlit snuff and trifling articles. I asked her if
het' the foligl!t any poison there? and she said she had n9t.
aleLknew tae day the apprentice of Mr. Moscroft.said,
ell she e_e
.Prisoner, and that she had bought poison ;
the
.I'-'enied. It has the appearance of a new house.
drVe.hard tlees---There was some brown sugar in the house.
Apirt„ Nist, 8 • 4riow, apprentice to Mr. Aloscroft, Bolton,
mlO sail, the prisoner has been in the habit cf coining
4eh''eoUt ts„Pl, for five or six months before she was taken up.
seatti-todtter end of August or beginning of September,
haves!'id " Icsur shot), and master and I were in the shop.
tier i!." ssirwant a Pennyworth of arsenic if you will let me
s„ eis
shy • pennyworth said, I cannot let you have it unless
CIO 412 one elae with you. She said !he did not want
sttLlltetZiell,ll, rt. with it, it y for the mice. My master
eB7 Rgai„`l,tito let her have it. She then went away, and
4, eof
4'1%1
.abollt half-an-hour with a female, and then an
141 eie----Poie, was given to her by Mr. Moscroft, labelled
the'lled witl -:'flu''' This was put in another wrapper,
ass Ptisoseri•similar words but longer. I have no doubt but
~,(Irt,:h'ok„,,,,atinadmil;etribeerZi°lymati The prisoner came once or twice
sup.plied her.
ki,-"ti eo • oscroft, druggist, Bolton,
o,„ tning to
said,
.I remember a
blot gOf ray shop at the latter end ot August or be-
tl 11' ef h• ' ePtember T 1 • .
'at th is
Sap,-, . • us witness corroborated the testi-
(,..r. e knrentice, but be would not undertake to swear
,e ?ss_exel. was the woman who called.
tr:, 411,a1T;ed•--Arsenic is often used for killing rats and
I ti, pit n4it.equently mixed with whitewashing.
ill a„ened t_11,1441 surgeon, BoltonOn the 28th Sept.
ssaBg adjoinit' Emily of William Eccles. The prisoner was
isaloßP!...r.teettyighrZtrnii; iihe external appearance• of the body
Ns aZus le a 1,,,, • opened the stomach. The. mucous
slioiltuneri,,,, "%II state of inflammation. A white powder
ttlii e 84)ft.noer oe'Littl°cestli:f its of the stomach. I. observed
'''%e t„ 401 4,., a dirty brosvnish red fluid. I took
44 d:1111e....`,."., and the bowel adjoining. I delivered all
4,4it4t.ee4sedwatson 1
, a enetnist of great eminence in Bolton.
st„.ed wheat lied froth some irritable poison. The stomach
te- qty t, s wouldtexpeet, from poison. The smallestld
1,a1!.144
1.,.) prodeee de
.1444! vs i
teeth FN a grains, and Mr. Watson to
ansi.'lsT4he taking of arsenic is acconi-
%'o the ~,,u'ultill% in about half an hour I found no
iievu rse nuac The •
• . having
it„ de's Kerb ,
.countenance ot a persone,
t2tel,' r,
.iirallY melted, and has an appearance of
silv,!xioilies,,exarnitieodw.lifkli assisted me in opening the stomach.an
, tute appear_ _ c person in great fear would have
Pei% Po .an e. Nledical men have frequently found
hsti„:l, budderwe'rne tfhe stomach and supposed it to have been.
Th •
c'uud t. be mistaken on a chemical exam'.
of ii, 4 tiltthe bod warth, Physician
Bolton
Ihieli,4:,t. wiYtnweaBBs uals'ent ed • fl eco rro'bOttirthweat se
s.pt irDels:nnyt
and
cd IPlty 1_ the boy tied °, the appearance of the body,
tt
1,... eto4_,
~,,..s died from arsenic.
ht:hlisrUthslto4cfn wait on, chemist, Bolton.—l was a pupil,
°' l'h' eclat:l;4l ung time. I received on the 28th Sep-
„lets ee„ , 3Of a stomach of boy from Mr' De
-n-
a
) it.t4es,,,_ merits of the stomach consisted of a coarsish
,e ` else Po a portion adhering to the stomach. I s.ubs
tliso illitt iBl)°wder to
il;earaoseillffier.enit
etoeisttess,
chemical examination, and found it to
l' ili,tifti.tigoe_u_enrai.ly bold as arsenic. I applied not fewer
teadnd2Bfr all these I found
gine of the powder

MURDER

ie wilful murder