The Placer herald., 1857-03-28
Eliza Munro...The Infantcide.
We noticed last week the murder of {


We noticed last week the murder of an
infant, at San Francisco, by its mother.
The details of the transaction are sicken-
ing but were given by the mother at the
examination before the coroner, in the cool
est and most disnterested manner. Here is
her testimony.
Eliza Munro; the unfortunate mother,
was then called She was plainly dressed
had no appearance of feeling the deplorable
condition she was in. She sat by the Cor
oner during her examination, and narrated
the whole story in collected and terse man
ner, without any show of feeling, at times
appearing desirous Of wandering from the
subject to say something about noises she
had heard in the house, and it was with
difficulty she was checked, She replied to
all the queries propounded by the jury read
ly and one would have supposed her dis
interested spectator rather than the enactor
of such horrible and repugnant deed.
From her eyes we should Judge her to be
insane, and trust for humanity's sake, she
is. She gave her testimony thus:
am married to VIM. Munro. He mar
ried me by that name, although his right
name is Blackburn Smith. / live on the
corner of Geary and Keanery SITS. Munro
and have been married for four years.
1t is about ten weeks since we have lived
together as man and wife. | know the
child which was found dead; it was my
own little girl; the farther's name is Jos.
De Crackie, a tinsmth, near the corner of
Jackson and Sansome street; am positive
that he is the father of the girl: | used to
do his washing, and he visited me at my
house whilst my husband was at the mines;
hereturned six weeks after have known
another man; it was my husband who put
the idea in my head, when my husband re-
turned told him | did not want to live
with him, and he drew a six shooter on me
and said if did not he would kill me; I
did not tell him my condition; he only
remained few days and then went to
his own folks, and was gone for five or
six weeks; | was taken sick and sent for
him and he came and took care of me, and
then left again; about two months before the
child was born told him that it was not his
child; since then we have lived unpleasant
ly together; after the child was born he
bothered me so that | ran away for some
days; he said he would take my life; he took
the child to his mothers and kept it until
came back; got police officer and got the
child; l kept the child until its death;
know how it came to its death; | killed it
myself with wood axe, it was dull; took
the axe and struck the child on the neck
twice; the head was taken off: | laid the
child on washboard on the floor to cut
its head off, think it was about ten or
eleven O'clock cannot tell exactly: wrapped
the head up in one cloth and the body in
another, and then put the two into a pillow
case; ! then carried it out and put it (the
bundle) in the water closet and put it
down in the filth; then went back into
the house and studied; thought had done
wrong and felt that my husband was going
to kill me- SO l was going to kill myself
right away that moment; then took the
washboard and split it up, and took the
piaces into the yard and put them in hole
that was dug | saw some shavings near
by-took them up and dropped them again;
did not put in any rosin; my husband Of
ten told me to give the child away; we Of
ten had difficulties about the child; after
had taken the washboard into the yard I
| went in and drove nail into the mop han
die and hooked the child out of the sink,
and put it on the beams above; | thought
had done wrong, and was going to put it
in a box and take it away,