The native American., 1838-09-22
EXTRAORDINARY TRIAL-OFFERING A BOY
TO AN APoTHECARY FOR DISSECTION.


Mr.. Bennett, the Queens counsel, said heI
would state the case, most extraordinary one,
to the Jury without comment She was charged
with having brought the child to medical man
and proposing to him to put the child to death,
that he might have subject for dissection.
His I.ordship, on ascertaining that the prisoner
had no counsel or agent, appointed Mr.. Scannell
to act for her.
She appeared an Unlocking wretch, about fifty
years old.
Mr.. Lefebure, the medical man was called, but,
not appearing, the court ordered his recognsance
to be estreated
The Crown then called
Robert Armstrong, policeman-He said he knew
DR.. Lefebure; he sent for witness on the lst Of
April, and showed him both the prisoner and boy,
Crollv (who was produced on the table y does
not think the woman saw him; the doctor put
witness into pantry between the shop and
kitchen, where he could not be seen, and the
woman and boy were brought into the kitchen.
Witness heard her ask the doctor to buy the boy
She was perfectly sober. The doctor asked if
the boy was any relation of hers, and she said not
He then asked how long she had him. She re-
piled about two years. He asked how she came
by him, and she said she took him through
charity. The little boy was quite drunk at the
time. The doctor then said is not g5 too much?
No," said she, sit is over little, but will Just do
what want" The child was screaming all this
time, and calling, prisoner anty, and she said
"Doctor, give him something that will put him
aside at once" The doctor asked her when she
could have another child; she paused at the ques-
ton, and he asked her, Gould she have one in
month or six weeks - IL don't know said
she, "but might" The doctor then proceeded
to 90 up stairs, and the boy was crying, and she
said, "Hold your tongue, dear, the doctor will
give you something sweet" Witness opened
the door and went into the kitchen to where the
woman and the little boy were and said, ssY on old
wicked wretch, do you want to commit murder
on that innocent child?'' She said she came in
to redden her pipe. Witness then took her to
Brdewell and carried the little boy in his arms
H. was so drunk not to be able to stand
John Matthew Lefebure. an apothecary in
Dunmanway The prisoner came to his house
on the 3lst March; he never knew her before; it
was in the evening, between six and seven His
broher-in-law was in the shop, and she asked to
see the doctor. Witness stepped forward, and
asked what she wanted? She said she could not
speak before those persons in the shop. Witness
then took her into room back of the shop, and
she told him she had child to sell. Witness
child 'Oh!'' said she, "the likes of YOU always
want them,'' she said he was fine likely bov !;
witness asked her if the boy was her own, and
she said not, that she took him to keep him for
charity; witness said then that she had no right to
sell the child-she replied, "No one had better
he was a bad boy, and joined against her in
bad words" she was perfectly sober, and she then
went away out of his house across the market
place, and witness sent after her. and she return
ed and took him into gateway of Mr. Everett's,
near witnesses house; but there was man there
and she said she could not speak to witness
while the man was there. When the man went
away, she again offered to sell witness the child,
and he asked why she wanted to sell him? She
made the same answer as before-that he was
bad boy and going against her in bad words.
Witness asked her how much she wanted for the
boy! She said g5. Witness replied that was too
much-that grown subjects were got for 92.
'Oh!' said she, " those who sell the like told me
that was very cheap" Witness then offered g3.
g3 los, and g4, at different times, but she refused,
and he finally agreed with her for g5, and to come
next morning; she said she would; that after the
boy was put aside she should want long dav to
leave the town and the country. She said, too,
that she would send the boy to walk up and down
before his door thatnight, and that he would have
on corduroy breeches, with two blue patches on
the front, and leather cap. Witness saw the bow
thus dressed walk up and down before his door in
the evening. Witness asked her to bring him at
nine o'clock, for the town would be queter and
the people not going to mass; she then said she
would bring him about ten, and that she should
knock the senses out of him, for he was cunning
chap, and would not 60 near doctors shop.
Witness asked how she would do that, and she
replied, ''by giving him porter and glass" She
then said when she came she would sit exactly
opposite the witnesses house, and said she would
come over to the house when he beconed to her.
The next morning when he was sitting at break
fast, about ten o'clock, he saw her walking up and
down with the boy. Witness put up his hand,
and she went away (he supposes to give the boy
the porter and whiskey,) for when she returned
the child was quite drunk. On the preceding
night witness desired Armstrong, the constable,
to be in attendance in the morning, and he was
accordingly, and witness put him into pantry
between the shop and kitchen. When witness
beckoned the prisoner came across the street into
the house, saying to the boy "Come in, wants
to light my pipe" Witness again asked why
she wanted to sell him, and she made the same
answer as before. Witness said he thought the
boy was eleven ooh" says she, "he is the