The Statesman.
London, England, 1823-12-03 00:00:00

CORONER'S INQUEST IN NEIVGATE.

Last night an Inquisition was taken in the Governor's
room, Newgate, betore T. Snewros, Esq., Coroner for the
City of London, touching the death of Mary Smith, a
prisoner, who died in the said jail.
Margaret Aldis, assistant matron in the prison, deposed
that the deceased was about forty years of age; she hid
been frequently tried for different offences, but the last time
she came to the prison was about the '24th of August, 1822;
she was then in a bad state of health, and ever since has
been ailing; she was attended by the medical gentlemen
belonging to the prison, and every thing consistent with
the regulation of the place was rendered to her. About a
fortnight since she got worse, and was confined to her bed,
and notwithstanding every attention, she died abaut seven
o'clock yesterday morning.
The assistant to Mr. Box said, that the disease under
which the deceased had laboured was the yellow jaundice.
She was afflicted with it long before she came into the
prison. She had every comfort, perhaps more than if she
had been at large, for the surgeon has liberty to order any
kind of nourishment for the patients, and they are sure to
receive it regularly as he directs.
Mr. ;Vollmer said, the deceased was an old offender.
She hail been under sentence of death about three years
ago, but receiv.id her pardon and was liberated, When
brough in last, she was recognized by the Recorder. Her
offence was stealing an umbrella, and she was sentenced to
7 years transportation; bat in consequence of her bad
health she was not received on board the Hulks, and was
again returned to this pri-on.
Mr. Shelton observed that from the evidence produced,
there was no doubt that the deceased had received proper
treatment, which was the only poist for the Jury to
consider. Yet notwithstamlng the due regularity well
known to exist in all prisons, the law requires that an
Inquest shall be held on any prisoner woo (lies in con-
finement, lest he should not be treated according to the
regulations.
The Jury expressed themselves satisfied, and returned
their verdict—Natural drat h.

LAMBETH STRECT.—A CHILD KILLED BY ITS OWN MOTHER
—This office was a scene of bustle and confusion during the
whole of the day, from the many persons who had flocked
hither, to hear and learn the result of the examination of Mrs.
Catherine Smart, who was charged with the murder, on the
With November, of her own female infant, twenty-two weeks
old.—The Presiding Magistrates were Matthew Wyatt and
John Hardwieke, Esqrs. ; the Rev. Daniel Mathias, Rector
of Whitechapel, and Magistrate for the County of Middlesex,
was also on the Bench. The prisoner, who seemed to be sen-
sibly affected at the dreadful crime she had committed, was led
Into the Justice Room, supported by her husband, a respecta-
ble looking man (residing at No. I. Lumley Place, Mason
Street, Whitechapel), her poor aged mother, and some other
female friends. Being incapable of standing from the extreme
debility consequent on the great agitation of mind necessarily
produced by her present situation, she was placed in a chair.—
The following detail was then given :—Tne unhappy woman,
since her accouehement of the deceased child, has been in a
precarious state of health, hut owing to the persevering at-
tention and skill of Air. Mears, her doctor, she was gradually
recovering, until the death of one of her children, which oc-
curred yesterday fortnignt, and which was interred last Sunday
in Whitechapel church yard. This loss appeared to affect her
deeply, and in the course of the last week she observed to her
nurse how willingly site would cut her throat, if she could by
that means obtain the consolation of being with her departed
child.--The nurse, of course, used arguments•in order to
banish such rash thoughts from her mind ; and the doctor ( who
had previously dreaded that she might ma•.e an attempt on her
own life) gave strict orders that every thing which was likely
to be used for such a dreadful purpose might be kept out of her
reach. Yesterday morning, however, she assumed rather a
remarkable share of convalescence, and apparently sane intel-
lect ; for, on getting out of bed, she resumed with great cheer-
fulness arranging her domestic affairs. She lighted a fire under
the copper, and had finished washing a shirt for her husband,
whea sue took and began to kiss and hug her infant, at the
same time remarking what a fine child it was.—lt was now
about ten o'clock, and having intimated that she was thirsty,
she sent the nurse to a neighbouring public house, for a pint
of porter. After the nurse had gone on the errand, the only
person, besides herself anal the child, was her mother, whom
she also got out of the room bysending her for a basin of water,
to the yard. The nurse was the first who returned, and on her
entering, the front parlour a most appalling spectacle presented
Itself to her view. The floor was a pool of blood ; and Mrs-
Smart, who was sitting in a chair, was covered with gore,
having in her lap the child. which she had been but a few mo-
ments before caressing, with its head severed from its body !
On the return of the curse, she exclaimed—" I did it—l did
it." "It was I that cut poor little Catherine's head of•."—
The infatuated woman still had the head in her lap, and on
search being made, the instrument of death, a knife, besmeared
with dotted blood, was found in the room. The Magistrates
severely censured the conduct of the nurse, in not adhering
more strictly to the command of the medical gentleman before
named, in not leaving the accused alone, or suffering any titiog
destructive to lie in her way. It was the opinion of -their
Worships, as well as the Doctor, that the niuriltr was perpe-
trated in a moment of temporary insanity. Toe prisoner,
during almost the whole of the examination, appeared to be
in a sort of swoon, and to pay little or no attention to what
was going on ; but she betrayed no symptoms of insanity.—
She was remanded to the Infirmary of Clerkenwell Prison
until the Coroner's inquest is held on the body of the child,
and special orders were given that site should be closely at-
tended, lest she should destroy herself. She was taken away in
a hackney coach, accompanied by Foster, her husband, end a
Mrs. Rudolph, who proffered her services to take care of her
in the gaol until site comes up again for re-examination. The
husband and several other friends seemed to be overwhelmed
with grief, and cried bitterly w bite in the Office, lamenting the
circumstance.

CORN EXCHANGE, DEC. 3.--We had a few coas,
vessels that arrived with 1750 quirter of Wheat, 1350
Barley, 1640 of English, with 2700 quarters of Irish Or
and 2700 sacks of Floor; but as the weather has becoi
cold, awl the samples appear better to the hand. Moody
prices are asked, and obtained for fine Old Wheat t
Barley, indeed for every Grain of good quality; but
inferior sorts still hang on hand without any offer bei
made. Should the weather continue favourable the samy
will improve greatly.