The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-08-09 00:00:00

CHARGE OF CHILD MURDER

Elizabeth Russell, 28, was charged with the wilful murder
of a new-born male child, at Liverpool.
The prosecution was conducted by Mr. Paget—the defence
by Mr. Wilkins. The case was reported in this paper, on
the prisoner being committed for trial on the coroner's war-
rant; but, as the evidence was then not so fully adduced as
on trial, and the case assumed a serious character against the
prisoner, we now supply it at length.
Mrs. Mary Cole said she resided in Sandon-street, Liver-
pool, and the prisoner was in her service on the 2d of June
last. About three o'clock that day she left her house, leav-
ing the prisoner, my mother, and a lady who was residing
with us. She returned about nine in the evening. The pri-
soner was there, and complained of being ill. She was sent
to bed. She afterwards resumed her duties. On the Bth
witness told her that she had heard that a child had been
born, which she denied. The house was afterwards searched.
Agnes Harding, a servant to Mrs. Cole's sister, said she.
was at Miss Cole's house on the 9th June last, and told pri-
soner that her mistress wished to know if the reports were
true. She hesitated, but, on being asked if a child was born,
said yes. On being asked if she was seven months gone,
she said she believed she was. 'Witness returned home, and
gave an account of what she said.

Cross-examined by Mr. WILKINs.—The prisoner was
always considered a kind, humane, good gill.
Ann Smith said that on the 9th June she saw the prisoner
in the Bridewell. I was put to stop with her during the
night. The prisoner asked her how long she thought she
(prisoner) would be kept there. Witness said she thought
not long—that she would be sent away presently. Witness
told her the child would be brought-, and she said she hoped
they would not let her see it.

Re-examined.—Prisoner said she had squeezed the child's
head with a towel, for fear of its making a noise. She also
said she had put it in the midden. She said she did not
intend it to remain there.

Mary Bruce, a girl, said she was at Miss Coles on the 6th,
assisting in cleaning, and on that day saw something in the
privy—a bundle. It appeared to me to be a child. I asked
the prisoner what the articles were. She said they were
rags the men had left there. I asked her might I have them
if I went for them. She said, no, I would dirty myself. •
Cross-examined.—l said it was on Monday or Tuesday—
in the beginning of the week. The bundle was chucked up
in a corner, under the privy seat.

James Ainsworth, Police-officer, searched the privy, and
found a bundle covered with ashes. I took it up, and ►t was
handed up in a basket. It was covered with ashes. Dr.
BlackbUrn was present.
Mr. Thomas Blackburn, surgeon, said he went with the
last witness to Miss Coles, on Thursday, the 9th June. I
cursorily examined it then. I saw the prisoner before that.
1 stated to her the reports in circulation, and asked if it was
a fact that she had given birth to a child. I afterwards ex-
amined the prisoner. and was convinced that she had been
delivered. My belief is that the child was born alive, and
that death was caused by a sharp flat instrument, passed into
the head, above the right bone, so -as to mix up the brain
and blood in a mass. I do not think it possible that any
accident could have produced such injuries. There was no
other injury that could have caused death.

Cross-examined.—l have no knowledge of any case of a
paroxysm of pain after child-birth that might produce uncon-
sciousness, but such might possibly be the case. No fall
upon any instrument could have produced such a wound.
The membranes of the brain were torn away, no portion of
which was entire. The lungs had been inflated with atmo-
spheric air. 'Vital action must have taken place. It is pos-
sible that breathing may take place when the head is born,
and the child born before the body is wholly born.
Re-examined.—My opinion is, that it is improbable that
this took place in the present case.

By the Judge.—I think it highly probable that the injury
to the head could have taken place before the entire birth.
Mr. Batty surgeon, who had also seen the body, was of opi-
nion that it had been alive, from the state of the internal or-
gans. From the examination of the body, and in my opinion
the cause of death was the insertion of some sharp instrument.
The brain was broken down iu its substance, and there was
no solid substance in it. The dura mats was detached from
the skull. It would have required.the insertion of an instru-
ment to produce such injuries, such as a pair of scissors or a
skewer—inserted the whole depth of the skull. The lungs
were healty.

Witness was cross•examined, and admitted that causes
might arise after the head was born, to produce suffication,
after the child had breathed, and before it was fully born.
It was a full grown child.
Mr. Blore surgeon, who had examined the body with the
two last witnesses, was of opinion that the child had been
born alive, and that death was caused by the insertion of a
sharp instrument into the brain, which destroyed its texture.
He agreed with the two last witnesses as to cause and effect.

WILKINS addressed the jury in behalf of the prisoner,
in a very feeling, ingenious, and eloquent manner, during
great part of which, the prisoner wept loudly and bitterly,
and appeared to be in great distress of mind.

Hi; LORDSHIP summed up with great care, and a most
humane consideration of the state of the party accused of the
offence. In such a case great allowences ought to be made
for the prisoner, and they must even speculate on the possi-
bility of her being unconscious at the time, from bodily pain,
and the circumstances by which she was surrounded. He
then went through the whole of the evidence minutely, com-
menting upon it as he proceeded, and dwelling on every point
that appeared to be at all favourable to the accused—her
previous good character ;—the possibility of the death having
occurred before the birth of the whole body, &c. If they
had any doubt whatever they would not find her guilty of the
murder ; but were bound, he thought, to find her guilty of
the concealment, of which there appeared to be no question.
His lordship, in the course of his address, paid a very marked
compliment to Mr. Wilkins for the able manner in which he
had, at the request of the prisoner, and without previous
notice, conducted the defence.

The jury retired to consider their verdict, and after being
absent three quarters of an hour returned a verdict of not
guilty of the murder, but guilty of concealment.

CHARGE OF MURDER.

Francis Bradley, charged (as before stated) with the wil-
ful murder of Alice Bradley, at Manchester, on the 20th
April, by giving to her two drachms of arsenic, mixed in
some beer, was then placed at the bar.
Mr. Wilkins conducted the prosecution and stated the
principal circumstances of the case, which are more fully
detailed in the following evidence :
Mr. Roys, physician's clerk at the Manchester Infirmary,
and a Licentiate of the College of Surgeons, said, I attended
the deceased Alice Bradley first in the month of March, in
Golden-street, Manchester, I found her ill, she complained
of great weakness and pain in the region of the stomach.
He stated in the prisoner's presence that she had taken a
powder in some beer on the previous Saturday evening, and
became ill soon after. She complained of a sensation of
!miming in the throat and stomach, and a violent vomiting,
sickness, and,purging. tier pulse was quick but feeble.
Cross-examined by Dr. Brown. She had previously been
attended to at the Infirmary for illness, and was there slightly
salivated. Her husband supported her as she walked in the
garden.

Mr. Holland, house-surgeon of the Infirmary, said the
deceased was brought there on the 22d of March. She had
a weak low pulse, and was very pale, with an anxious ex-
pression of countenance. I gave her a slight laxative. Next
morning she had great pain at the pit of the stomach,
which was increased by pressure; also heat of the
skin, which was flushed, from which I inferred that in-
flammation was going on of the coats of the stomach. This
was followed by numbness and rigidity of the lower extremities
with paralysis ; and also spasmodic centricution of the hands.
She died on morning of the 20th of April. Improved from
what I had heard that she had taken poison. I made a post
mortem examination twelve hours after death. The stomach
was quite pale colour, and there were some red patches. I
found the same appearance throughout the whole intestinal
canal. The heart and lungs were healthy—except congestian
on the lower part of the fissure, which I attributed to arsenic.
The cause of death was, in my opinion, the slow effects of
arsenic. Sugar of lead would not produce these appear-
ances. Three papers were handed to me. One contained
ascelate of lead, or sugar of lead, one pounded alum, and
one magnesia. About thirty grains of arsenic would produce
such effects. There was no appearance of cholic, which
sugar of lead would produce. The paralysis would not be
produced by sugar of lead. The quantity of arsenic that
could be put on the point of a knife would produce death.
The same quantity of sugar of lead would not produce death.
I put the contents of the stomach into a bottle, and I boiled
the intestines in pieces in distilled water. I gave them to
Mr. Davies, chemist, and was present when he analysed
them. Arsenic was discovered in a large quantity. The
body was not buried for ten days, and decomposition had
but slightly begun. I attribute this to the preservative effecct
of arsenic. When the deceased came to the hospital, her
mouth was rather clean and required no lotion. There was
no appearance of syphilis. _

Cio-sa-examined by Dr. Brown.—The red patches in the
stomach and intestines could be produced by large doses of
sugar of lead or other poisons by causing inflammation.
Mr. Blackburne, surgeon of Liverpool.—l have beard
the last witness, and from the account he gives of the ap-
pearances I consider them precisely such as could have been
produced by arsenic, and by no other poison.
Cross-examined.—Sugar of lead would produce death if
taken in large quantities. Sugar of lead, if death ensued,
would not render the body less liable to decomposition than
arsenic would. _

Mr. Davies, lecturer on chemistry at the Royal Institution,
Manchester.—l examined the contents of the stomach, &c.,
brought to me. I analysed the whole, and found arsenic,
which we reduced to the metallic state. We found no sugar
of lead.

Catherine Lee said, the prisoner and his wife occupied an
upper room in my house. I frequently saw the deceased.
I saw her on the night of Saturday, the 19th of March.
At twelve oclock that night she seemed to be quite well.
She had not appeared ill that week. I locked the door that
night. I saw the prisoner next running with a tub in his
hand. He said, " Alice is very bad this morning." I said,
" How is that? I saw her well last night." He said, " She
is ill with a purging all through her." He went up to the de-
ceased, and returned, and called me up stairs. He said,
" I have got a draught from Mr. Sherlock, and will let you
see it. He had it in a small jug. I looked at it. He gave
it to the deceased, and she drunk it. She was in a low,
weak state. He did not say why he wanted me to see the
draught. He took the tub out of doors, and brought it back
again. I did not see its contents. He did not say anything
about powders. I saw her again on Monday evening, and
asked her how she felt ; and she said, " Very ill." I saw
her again on Tuesday. She called me in, and said she
thought herself a done woman. At her request I fetched
Mr. Sherlock. About three weeks before, the prisoner came
down to me, and said, " I am after giving Alice a cooling
powder;" and I said, " She seems to be better without
powders than with them." Ile said he would leap or dance
upon any one who interfered between him and his wife.
She then said that her mouth was very sore, and she had a
flannel round her jaws. She said her mouth was scalded and
sore. I was present when Dr. Sherlock came to see her,
and asked her how she was, The doctor questioned her.
The deceased said, she was very well after her work on Sa-
turday night ; and he (prisoner) sent me out for a pint of
beer ; and he gave me a part of it warmed, and that caused a
purging. She further said that he gave her another white
powder, and last night (Monday) that he gave her another.
These last she said she took in boiled milk. Ott being asked,
by me how she felt them, she said she felt them coarse and
rough in the mouth, and gritty and weighty at the bottom.
She also said that she did not take the whole of the last
powder, it was so bad. Mr. Sherlock said, " Where did You
got them ?" and he said, " I got them from you." Aar'
Sherlock said, " No, you did not;" and he said, " Then
get them from your brother. He (the prisoner) added, that
it was magnesia. The deceased said Mr. Sherlock would

not have gent powders in papers go foul. Sho alao sat 4 that
rrsonar gave her as much as would lie on the point of e
fife. Prisoner said that he had recommeded that a doctor
should come to deceased next day. Dr. Sherlock said, "If
any doctor comes and gives her medicine, and any thing
Should happen to her, she must be opened." The prisoner's
face, on his hearing this, turned blue and yellow, and he
appeared much disturbed. Next day the prisoner took up a
book that witness's son had been reading, and said, " by the
contents of this book, if I had known for what purpose Dr.
Sherlock came last night, I would have stuck him, or any
one who brought him." I had heard that prisoner kept
company with another female. Prisoner and his wife did
not agree sometimes. Deceased said he did not give her
sufficient support, through keeping Teresa Pearson ; that he
was laying by money to go to America. Prisoner told me
that he was determined to go to America in April last.
Cross-examined.—The deceased never told me, that I re-
collect of, that she had been washing her mouth with sugar-
of-lead 5 weeks before. I cannot bring my mind to recollect
that I ever said so. She showed me a powder, which she
called sugar-of-lead, when Mr. Royse attended her. She
said she had it for a wash. Mr. Ruvse attended her in the
latter end of December and beginning of January. No doc-
tor attended her at my place but Mr. Royse.

Re-examined.—lleceased said she had a powder given her
three weeks before by prisoner—and she (witness) remarked
then that she had no need of powders, as she was not ill.
George Ream, the son of last witness, by a former hus-
band, said :-1 saw deceased at eleven o'clock, on- the night
of Saturday, the 19th March. She remarkid in the course
I:_fa conversation, that she never felt better in her life. I
slept in a room adjoining the prisoner and his wife. He was
avritked in the night by hearing deceased purging and vomit-
r" g. He called out, but got no answer. About Christmas
deceased had a very sore mouth, but got quite well of it.
She had it about six weeks. About three weeks before the
deceased left the house for the Infirmary, deceased came
!I°,ll and said that be had been after giving his wife a cool-
ing Powder. My mother remarked that she had no need of
Powders, and he said he would kick any one's guts out who
interfered between him and his wife. The prisoner, on one
occasion said to his wife, " I'll get rid of you you Con-
naught Prisoner also said, that if he had known
'jr. Sherlock was coming he would have been prepared for
him, and that one of them should fall before they left the
rooui, I have heard the deceased and prisoner quarrelling
about Teresa Pearson, who was a single woman. Prisoner
beat deceased once in my presence. He said he would go
with that woman (Pearson) whether deceased liked it or not.
The deceased was frequently ill off for want of food—from
snPper time till twelve next day.

Cross-examined.—lle neveribeat his wife but once to my
knowledge.
By a JURYMAN.—I have heard him say he intended to go
to America. When he said he would soon get rid of her he
had been speaking about America.
James Sherlock, a druggist at Manchester, said, I was seut
for to the prisoner's lodgings on Friday, the 22nd of March,
and foiind the prisoner and his wife there. I found the de-
ceased in a debilitated state. Prisoner did not say how long
she had been ill. I said to deceased " Mistress, you seem
to be very ill, what have you been taking?" She looked to
her husband, and said he would tell him. Prisoner said she
had been taking cooling powders. I said " Why, you have
had but one powder from me, and that was on Sunday, and
't was for the vomiting, and purging. Prisoner said she had
taken in warm ale. Deceased then said she was so very ill
after taking the powder, that she thought she would die. She
said she had a powder on Saturday night late. I asked pri-
soner what colour it was, and he said it was white. I said it
could not be from me, for my cooling powders are all of a
gray or brownish colour, I then said " was it magnesia?"
and he said it was. Prisoner then said he got it from his
(witnesses's) brother. Deceased said " how could that be,
a 8 I got more magnesia for a half-penny than you got for a
If!ennY ?" Deceased also said that the powders could not be
rum witness, as they were made up in such dirty paper, and
in so slovenly a manner. She said she got as much as
"nld lie on the point of a knife. One-thir dof a pennyworth
Of magnesia would fill two-thirds of a tea cup. Deceased
Said the first powder was given to her in ale, and the second
In milk, which it curdled so that she could scarcely drink it,
and there was like sand at the bottom. The third, she said,
17).44 also given in milk, and she could not take it all it was so
ad, and the remainder was thrown in the fire place. I asked
him if he had any more of the cooling powders, and he said
would look. He then took a lotion in a bottle from a
rlelf, which I knew to be a lotion of my own mixing, con-
simple ingredients (which were described) and no
arsenic. I never gave arsenic without great caution, and
raYs put a label upon it. I said, I am afraid you have
her,een giving her something hich you ought not to have given
and if deceased died, 1 would have the body opened, if
this he
done at my own expense. On the prisoner hearing
is he became extremely agitated, and changed colour in a
remarkable manner. His face became of a blueish nasty
colour, and he appeared about to fall in a fit. He leant one
nand on a shelf and the other on the mantle-piece and could
hit ardly support himself, and was ready to fall. I have mixed
the same lotion for years, for sore throats and gums. I never
sell sugar of lead without a label.
, On cross-examination the witness again described the
He did not know what bad become of what was
contained in the bottle, He had known arsenic to be sold
for cream of tartar. 1 did not smell or taste the contents of
the bottle, has known it from its general appearance to have
been prepared by himself.
John Sherlock, brother of last witness, said—l remember
the prisoner coming to the shop on Sunday, the 20th March.
He asked for something for a woman who had a purging and
yomcting. I made up two powders for him, consisting of
IPicaculiana, &c. (The witness stated the kinds and quan-
tities of the compounds.) I sold him no arsenic.
Nothing particular was elicited on cross-examination.
Mrs. Lee, recalled.—There is no reservoir in my house,
and we bad no arsenic or other medicine in the house.
Cross-examined.—The medicine which I saw and which
Was given her in my presence was of a reddish colour, and
had rather a pleasant smell. I could see to the bottom of it.
Mr. Sherlock re-called.--The medicine (complicated mix-
ture, with ipicacuhana, &c.,) given from my shop, would so
smell, and appears reddish in colour.
A member of a benefit club, of Manchester, being called,
said the prisoner came to me and told me his wife was dead.
I accompanied him to the Infirmary, where she ha,. died, to
ascertain the truth of his statement. There was a sum of
£3 15s. due to him as burial money. I asked him if he
would bury her on Sunday, and said he could not tell, as
they were for opening the body in the Infirmary, and he was
against it as she was. I said that if I was in his place I
would, as it might save the lives of others. He said it was
her own request.
Ann Sanders said :—I was nurse at the Infirmary at the
time deceased was there. She told me several times that
she would not get better. She made statements to me after
saying she thought she would die. She said that her bus-
band had, on the Saturday night before she came to the In-
firmary,given her a powder. I asked her what effect it had.
She said that it took away all the use of her limbs. I asked
her if she thiew any of it up, and she said she had, but not
all of it. She said that on the day before that, her husband
asked her if she would go to America; that she replied
" No," and that he said, " No, blast you, I don't want you
to go . I have another to go with me !' She never in my
Presence expressed any unwillingness to have her body
opened after death.
By the JUDGE.—No clergyman attended her while she was
in the Infirmary. She was a Catholic.
Isaac Phillipson, Manchester police-officer, said he was
Present at the inquest, and heard the statement in writing
(produced,) which was read to the prisoner. The statement
nude by the prisoner before the coroner was here read. It
Was to the effect, that deceased had been ill of quinsey in
September last, and afterwards in January, and got a white
Powder to wash her mouth ; that she got better, but after-
wards became ill, and got further medicine ; that she was in
the habit herself of buying and using sugar-of-lead ; that she
Used it up to the Friday before her death ; that he got some
magnesia to take the blackness out of her mouth ; that it
Was divided into three parts, each put in blue paper, and that
vtive gave her one on Saturday night, one on Sunday, together
miothndtha.draught he got at Mr. Sherlock's, and the other on
The
nisn 'evidence against the prisoner here closed, and Dr.
wlsi addressed the jury in his behalf, at considerable
1.,-ngth, taking advantage of every point that could possibly
he construed to the advantage of the unfortunate man.
The learned Judge read over the whole of the evidence,
ofd commented upon it, giving the prisoner the full benefit
whatever portions of it seemed to admit of any doubt. If
theythe entertained any doubt of the case, they would acquit
prisoner ;• if on the whole of the circumstances they con-
sidered him guilty, they must declare so by their verdict.
m,:r„he jury retired, and after being absent a very few
'lutes, came back into court, and on their names being
called over, returned a verdict of guilty.
_The pris'oner, who appeared to be unmoved, on be-
ing askd, in the usual form, what lie had to say why
thtenee of death should not be passed upon him, said, in
e.lect, that he was innocent ;and t he had pleaded not guilty ;
that he had three children ; that he hoped his lordship
would be merciful to him.
His LORDSHP said—Francis Bradley, you have been con-
victed of the murder of your owq wife, by administering i
poison to her, and that too in the dead of the night, when
she had no friend by her to take her part, when it was your
duty to cherish and protect her ; and this crime you corn-
itted clearly with the motive of indulging in your base
llPreference of another woman. There can be no doubt of
cYour guilt. The witnesses have proved the fact perfectly
k_arly. All murder committed in this country must be met
autiY,, the severest punishment which the law can your
h." the deliberate murder by you of the wife of
the "' leaves no other course to the Jndge but to pass
final sentence. You must prepare yourself for
stieeav
fenev.th. It is not for me or any other man to tell a
• creature what mercy may await him hereafter, but it
is there
it, and Y you must look for it, and endeavour to obtain
advice not
from any human tribunal. Whatever religious
moos Ye°llll may require, in the peculiar faith and opi-
Porturdt„ _ entertain, 1 hope you will have a full op-
stiasion ?t' obtaining from souse one of yeur own per-
be ' wno
a cons . ay be permitted to attend you ; and it will
bring •
0 ation to me, and all who hear me, if he can
ese •Yon to a sense of your situation, and give you a hope of
'spin the But I,v g " awful consequences of your crime hereafter.
about "n pronounce no other sentence than that which I
d. out to pass, and that is—that for this felony and mur-
ter, of
which you have been found guilty, you be taken to
so place from whence you came ; that you betaken thence to
place of execution ; and that you there be hanged by
themneeck until you are dead—and may the Lord have mercy
upon your soul ! I must add
, that your body must be buried
within the precincts of th
The prisoner who maid
of dsgged etagin"edl. throughout the trial a sort
composur indifference 7e on hearing his
,d not outwardly appear to lose his
a moment, as if about t,, dreadful doom, merely hesitating
the bar. He is a low Set sneak, before he was taken from a countenance certainly not ma nof dark complexion, and of
disposition. He was plainly indicative of innate ferocity of
attired as a workman ; wore a
leather apron over his waistcoat
ma by trade. at , and appeared to be a shoe-

MISDEMEANoun
John Mulvey, 17, Samuel Jones,
Warrington2it, t and William Jones,
violently IJ, were were indicted for having, at
saulted one Mary O'Brien, with intento ravish and carnally
to know her.
Mr. WiLxiNs detailed the main facts of the case, which
Were afterwards fully borne out by the evidence
the details it would be improper to publish, but.theSefou'lleowo-r
ing outline will suffice to convey a sufficient idea of the de-
"Nuency of the parties, and the sufferings
their victim. undergone by
The prosecutrix, Mary O'Brien, a voting woman, was the
Wife of Michael O'Brien, a licensed hawker. Both of them
were accustomed to travel, and, it appeared, separately,
through different parts of this county and Cheshire ; the
husband in selling his wares, and she in dealing in lace. on
Sunday, the 2=lth of July, the prosecutrix was taking a walk
at Ardley, near Warrington, where a regatta was to take
place on the following day. Booths were erected on the
hanks of the river, for the entertainment of the parties who
'night attend the coming sports, and a considerable number
of persons were on the ground. About twelve o'clock, she
lent into one of the booths and had a glass of ale, which was
all she had drunk during the morning. The prisoner Jones
,!ts there amongst others and asked her to take a glass
or ale with him, but she refused. She remained about half
all hour in the booth, and on hr way back, met the other two
prisoners at some distance from the booths, near the river.
__be, Prisoner Mulvey asked her as she passed him
.if she
7eeeld " sup," and she saw that he had with him two ginger-
bottles. She She refused, saying, " 1 would rather not,
,nd ksiYou." Mulvey then caught her by the right hand,
" Ve
illain's (not
alarmed and stood trembling. Another
(not in custody) then came up, and Mulvey
Put his foot behind her, and threw her down upon
her back. The subsequent conduct of the two last pri-

saner: were most Indadetst, At Length after same fruiting
attempts to accomplish their purpose, Mulvey preventing
her cries by placing his hand on her mouth, and the same
prisoner terrified her by crying " give us that bloody rozor,
and we'll cut her bloody throat ! " at the same time holding
her throat with his thumb and fingers. She was afterwards
thrown on her face by the two prisoners, and her clothes was
torn. Jones stood by. She begged for mercy, and in order
to get clear of them said, she would take off her upper dress,
which she did; but they, finding that she would not yield to
them, tore most of the rest of her clothing, and dragged
her into a ditch by the legs. She, however, got up from
them, and feeling herself strong, ran off to escape from
them, with scarcely any thing on to cover her nakednese.
Mulvey then ran before her, and tripped her up, so that sha
fell on her face, and she became so much terrified that she
ran into the river. She did not intend to go to a depth beyond
her knee, but on running a few steps, she found herself
immersed up to the neck, and was taken up into a boat by
the hair of the head, almost in a state of insensibility,
and as the witnesses said, nearly unconscious, by some parties
who happened to be rowing past, near the spot. She had a
ring on one of her fingers, which was taken from her by the
young man who was not in custody. She was afterwards
taken to the house of the superintendent of police in War-
rington, whose wife found her almost distracted In her mind,
and found marksof bruises upon her person. Jones not having
taken any active part in the assault, his case was not referred
to the jury, and he was discharged. The prosecutrix was
stated by the constable to be a respectable woman. The
prisoners were defended, but nothing in their behalf was eli-
cited. The other two were found guilty of the common
assault, but not with intent to commit rape.—The learned
JUDGE appeared to be somewhat astonished at the verdict,
and said that the case was so much the worse. If their
passions were not excited, to attempt the graver offence, it
was the more disgraceful and unmanly to assault, strip, and
terrify almost to death a defenceless and respectable female,—
and he sentenced each of them to be imprisoned and kept to
hard labour for 18 calendar months.

SENTENCES.
CONCEALMENT OF PREGNANCY

Elizabeth Russell„ who had been charged with the wilful
murder of her child, and who had been found guilty, same
day, of concealment only, was then placed at the bar for
sentence. His lordship remarked that it was necessary that
it should be understood that females who were pregnant
should not leave the child which they expected to be born to
mere chance, without any preparation for its appearance in
the world. The child was as much under the protection
of the law of the land as any other individual, and though
the prisoner had long borne a good character up to the time
of her present offence, he thought, weighing all the circum-
stances, that he could not do less than inflict in this case a
severe punishment, which was that she should be imprisoned
and kept to hard labour for two years.
Charlotte Bevington, who had last week pleaded guilty to
concealment of pregnancy, and whose case (from the horrible
mutilation of the infant in this town,) will be fresh in the
recollection of our readers, was the brought up, and was
sentenced, with a strong admonition, to be imprisoned and
kept to hard labour for 12 calendar months.