The Evening critic., 1881-06-14
INFANTICIDE.
A colorcd Girl ON Trial for Murd. :,


house, by means of which exposure and de-
scrton the infant died.
Assistant District Attorney Perry appear
cd for the government, and MIR. Charles Eel
ham and Gen. Mitchell for the accused. MIR.
Perry at the outset announced that the !
would only ask for verdict of
The case was briefly opened
by Assistant District Attorney Perry, who
stated that he expected to prove that the
prisoner was cnciente about week before
the date above mentioned; that on that date
she was delivered of child while alone, and
that she had the energy and courage to carry
and expose il in an out house, where she
either killed it or it died from the inhuman
exposure. He claimed that there was no
doubt that the child was born alive.
Jane Whitlow testified that she lived on
X street northwest. Knew Fanny John
son, and that she is not married. She is
stcp-daughtcr of witness. Knew William
johnson. He used to 90 with her. Fanny
was in the family way when she left
the house of witness in September. She
went to live with Mr.. Barker. Saw her
almost every day. Heard about the child
being found the day it was found. Saw her
on Sunday, the day before the child was
found. She was then in the same interest
ing situation. Saw her again shortly after
the child was found and she was not then
in the same condition, and was sick in bed.
The cross-cxamination did not shake the
testimony to any extent.
Louisa Halstcad testified that she knew
Fanny johnson was sick at Mr. Bankers
house in September last the house is on X,
near Seventeenth street; she was sick abed;
she said her trouble was over; asked her
what had become of the child, and she said
the undertaken had taken it; cannot say
whether she appeared to he in her right
mind or not; she said that DIR. Buchler, of
Tenth street, had attended her accouche-
mcnt.
On cross examination the witness acknowl-
edged that from the appearance of the ac-
cused she could not tell whether she was
six months gone or not before her sickness.
!. Mrs. Van Morgan testified that Fanny had
sent for her on Monday, September 20; Fanny
said she had child and that she had Il
doctor; she said the child had been born
alive but had lived only few minutes, and
that her husband, Williams, had brought
| her the doctor.
The cross-cxamination elected nothing
new.
| DIR. Buchlcr testified that he did not know
Fanny johnson and had never attended her
at childbirth in September last.
Mrs. n. j. Booker testified that the pris-
oner rented a room in her house, 1749 X
street. in September last went out Monday,
the 20th about 8 a. m, into the woodshed
and found baby lying there dead and
naked went and knocked at Mr.. Johnson IS
door and told her witness was about to send
for the police the prisoner replied that it
would raise great excitement and that it
would be foolish to do so.
On crOss-examinatiOn the witness stated
that the point in the woodshed where she
found the child was about two steps from
an alley, into which Il gate opened very
near by.
Kate Finncssy testified that the accused
had been living in the same house with wit.
ness in September last, some weeks before
the child was found; she then appeared Ia
be in the family way; saw her almost every
day: was with Mrs. Booker when she found
the babe.
On crOsS-cXaminatiOn she testified that
she heard no unusual noises on the night
the child was alleged to have been born
her room was close TO that of accused; the
gate in the woodhousc opening on the al.
ley could not be easily opened from the out
side
n. J. Booker testified that the accused
rented II room from him in September last
and paid months rent in advance. Sh,
: then appeared to be in the family way.
The cross-cXamination of the witness wa
directed to the condition of the gate in tn
, rear of the wOodhOuse and he testified tina
it could not he well opened from the outside
as he had tried it and could not get in
Witness said he was entirely friendly to tn
accused.
> Officer Lamp testified that he was sen
for on September 23 by Mrs. Booker; after
: wards arrested the accused and carried he
,, to Jail in police ambulance, as she was sick
, On cross examination he testified that tin
1irtx I'D hu IN In fol- nt,ff From, 1n
the gate in order to put in the child iron
the outside alley saw no evidence of sucl
digging out of dirt when he took up TIN
| child
: Officer Cunningham testified that whcl
:, he went to arrest the prisoner he found he
in bed and told her to get up. She said sh
was sick and had miscarriage. He foun,
II bloody mass in the store and blood OIL
Undertaking in the corner The mas
looked liked an after-birth. The prisone
told Doctor Berry that she was four month
p gone when she had the miscarriage.
: DIR. j. +. Hartigan testified that he mad
an autopsy of the child in question at tn
| Fourth precinct station on September 2
last, and gave his technical reasons and test
for the belief that the child had been b0ri
, alive; the child had been dead probably 70
four days when he made the autopsy.
The cross-examination was as to the IN
fallibility of the tcsts-lung floating, &C.
! which are used by the medical fraternity {
tell whether child has been born alive o
not, but the only result was the acknowl
edgement that doctors sometimes disagree
, and that they are as susceptible of findin
= out that they sometimes make mistakes i
, opinions as other men. The witness retei
ated tint from all the tests he had apple
he had no doubt that the child had bee
, born alive.
Here the government rested.
FOR THE DEFENSE.
, DR.. John G. Stevenson testified that i
his opinion the hydrostatic test as to tn
(, living of Il child after birth was not con
elusive, and especially whore the au
) topsy was made four days after death an,
, putrefacton had set in; did not believ
there was any test that could be relied OF
four days after the death of child.
. The cross-eXamination elected no chang
of opinion.
= Mr. Pelham here stated that he had beer
unable to get his other witnesses here OF
9 account off misunderstanding rs to tn
- date of trial, and he therefore asked a post
:, poncment until tomorrow, and thereupo
u the court adjourned.
c Marriage Licenses.
G Marriage licenses have been granted {
n VIM T. Wysham and Annie b. Moore, {
l. Baltic, Md; Kasper Klear and Kate Vest,
&c George IL, White and Susan Burrill, Fredel
II cksburg Va; Chas. Dabney and Marth
It Ellen Dabney (lIaskins,) John Smith an