The Sun. — 1850-03-11 (London, England)

CROWN COURT.—(Before Mr. Justice Ear.E). Jane Lawrence was indicted for having unlawfully exposed her female infant child, with intent to murder it, at Rarnsbury. Mr. C. Smith was counsel for the prosecution. The prisoner was a pretty young girl of 19. She had been for some months in the service of a Mrs. Edwards, at Ramsbury. On the 2d of November she appeared to be very unwell. Her mistress asked her what was the matter. The girl complained of pain in her side. Her mistress gave her some coffee, and went into another room. She shortly afterwards, about seven o'clock in the evening, again went into the kitchen, but the prisoner was absent. In about twenty minutes she went into the kitchen again, and then saw the prisoner leaning on the table, and she then perceived the girl was in such a state that something extraordinary must have happened, and she told the girl to go to bed, and she sent for a doctor. Upon the surgeon coming, he saw the girl and asked her if she had had a child ? He then examined her, and fund she had recently been confined. She was then in a state of very great excitement, in mind as well as body. He then told her her child was alive and was taken care of, and that, as soon as she was better, she should have it. She then ceased to deny her confinement. A woman sat up with her all night, and the next morning the prisoner told that woman that she had been confined in the garden ; that she was much frightened, and had taken up the child, and had gone to the wall, but she did not throw it over the wall, because she feared it would kill it. She then wrapped it up in the skirt and carried it through the house into the lane. She then tried to throw it over the hedge, but had not strength enough ; it rolled hack. That she then put it through the hedge. It so happened that that evening, about the time when the child was so deposited, a man, named Pike, who was in the lane heard the cry of something in the field. He got through the hedge and saw something lying down. He went to it and found it to be a newlyborn child. It was quite naked. He took it to the house of a Mrs. Curtis, who kept it during that night. The next morning the girl was taken to the house of Mrs. Pike, and, according to her desire, her child was brought to her; she nursed it, awl exhibited great aff-.ction for it, but in about a week it died from natural causes.  Mr. Justice ERLE, in eumming in up, said that, in order to find the prisoner guilty of the serious part of the charge, they must be convinced of the intention of the prisoner to murder the child, and that was at variance with her statement as to the reason of her not throwing the child over the wall. The jury found the prisoner Guilty of a common assault, and she was sentenced to one month's imprisonment.  Eliza Smith was indicted for setting fire to an outhouse, the property of William Gosling, at Chiseldon. Mr. C. Smith was counsel for the prosecution.  The prisoner was seen in a field in which the outhouse was situate in the evening, by a woman who asked her if she had any victuals ; the prisoner said she had not. The woman asked her why she did not go to the union again ; the prisoner said she would be if she would go the union again ; she would do something else. The jury found the prisoner Guilty. Mr. Justice ERLE said she had already been in gaol 10 times. The prisoner.—You may as well say 13 times, my Lord, at once.  The Learned JUDGE then sentenced her to 10 years' transportation, Prisoner—Thank you, my Lord; I hope you will stay here you grey-headed old till I come back, and then 11l bring you a ring-tailed monkey. The prisoner was muttering and swearing all the time she was in the dock, and in the midst of the trial a large heavy-nained shoe fell down from her clothes, hut it was instantly seized by a turnkey. The prisoner said she had intended that for his Lordship. It would appear to be growing into a custom in this county to throw shoes at the judges, as it was done in this city this time twelve months.