The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-01-12
A Full Confession as to the
Beaufort Tnfanticide.
SAYS THE CHILD WAS HERS
Her Husband Killed it and
Threw it Into the Sound.
TESTIMONY BEFORE ETHEcoRNER
Sam Williams Now in Jail and his
Young Wife viii be as Soon as
She is Able 10 Leave
Her Bed

Beaufort, n. c., Jan. H. -(Special)
As was telegraphed to the News and
Observer yesterday the coroner's jury,
in the case against Sam Williams and
his bride of two days for infanticide,
brought in ii verdict that the infant
was born at the Williams house OF
the body of Annie, Sam's wife, and
that the post mortem, held by Drs.
Clark and Davis, revealed the fact that
it was alive when born and that it
came to it's death either by violence
or neglect at the hands of the afore-
said Sam Williams or his wife, and re-
commended that both be committed
to Jail to await action of the next term
of Carteret county court, whereupon
the coroner ordered Williams to jail
and put guard over the fair young
bride of two days until she should get
well enough to be moved to the prison.
The evidence before the jury at the
inquest was of a most sensational char
acter, Sam Williams testifying in his
own behalf. Since the inquest VIII
liams' wife has confessed that she was
the mother of the child, that ii was
born alive and that her husband kill.
ed it and threw it into the water.
The jury of inquest summoned by
Mr. c. Y. Robinson, coroner appointed
by the clerk Of the court. was COM
posed of Jno. Forlaw, a. T. Gardner,
Richard Rice, S. p. Hancock, Jno. T.
Abernethy and George Wheatly, Jr.
Harvey Clancy being sworn, said, II
was oystering with Nathan Garner.
Garner called me and said there was
Daby in the water drowned. This
was about 10 or il o'clock near the
oyster canning factory. Here Clancy
identified the child
Nathan Garner was sworn and said:
Il was with Harvey CLANCY oystering
and saw the baby and called Clancy
to see it, Clancy called VIII Potter
who was off in the channel and Potter
came ashore and all three of us went
to where the baby was. Mr.. Ernest
Duncan came up and sent Potter after
the Sheriff" Garner identified the
child. He said he did not see any cells
or other fish or crabs about it.
w. L. Duncan testified that he was
loading oyster shells and heard a ne
gro woman named Maria Moore say
there was a dead baby in the water.
He then testified to about the sub
stance of what Garner and CLANCY had
said.
William Potter was put upon the
stand and corroborated the evidence
of Clancy, Garner and Duncan.
Mrs. Hannah Russell, midwife, testl-
fled that she saw the baby in the water
that she had not visited Sam Williams
wife professionally. Sam came to see
her Wednesday morning and told her
his wife was in labor. Il did not &c
to see her. / am midwife by profes-
sion and am of the opinion that the
child was born alive as it had the use
| of it's limbs, that is in my judgment
I think it well developed child"
Bessie williams, the daughter Oh
| Sam Williams, was sworn and teSti-
| fled that she saw a baby in the bee
| with her step-mother Wednesday
morning but did not know whether
that was the same baby or not. Saw
| il once. but did not hear it cry and ha;
not seen it since. The baby that she
| saw moved it's head. She thought i
asleep. THE baby is not in the house
now. My father whipped me this
morning for saying there was u baby
| in the house" He told her he was go
ing to whip her for telling that there
was a baby on the lot. The witness
had a scar on her face which she sai'
| was made by her father this morning
The baby she saw had black hair li<'
this one and had it hands clinchet
| like this one.
Mrs. Mary Jane Willis was sworn
said: 'Was at Sam Williams hous'
Yesterday morning and heard Mrs
Williams was sick. Bessie told ~
/ that there had been a baby there will
black hair.
i MRS. Mamie Martin testified thin
she WAS at Sam Williams house Wed