The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette. — 1858-05-18 (Dorchester, Dorset, England)

INFANTICIDE AT BROAD WINSOR. The appalling crime of murder has just been perpetrated in the immediate neighbourhood of two previous murders—the Birdsmoregate case, and the recent Stoke Abbott case. The village of Broadwinsor—only a few miles distant from each—is this time the scene of the deed. Mary Ann Hitchcock, wife of a labourer living in Spicket Lane, Broad winsor, was taken into custody on Wednesday last, charged with having caused the death of her newly-born child. On the following day, an inquest was held before S. S. Corry, Esq., and a jury of eighteen persons, when the following evidence was adduced: Sarah Spurdle deposed—l live near Mary Ann Hitchcock who appeared to be enciente—did not think she was near her confinement as her husband came home on the night of last Christmas day—he had not been home for some months before that. Last week, on Wednesday, went into her house, she then complained of being poorly—visited her the following morning and evening, she was then in bed ill. On Friday morning I again visited her, and asked if anything had happened to her, she said " yes—no person had been with her." I asked where it was; she replied "bask there." I was about to sit down on the children's bed, when she said "don't you." I sat on the bed, but did not notice anything in particular. Whilst there, Hitchcock said "site would be d----d if any person should see the neat—nor more they should'nt." Did not enter her house again until this week, as I thought she had had a child and wished to conceal it.  Ann Philips deposed : I live next door to Mary Ann Hitchcock—suspected her condition—visited her on Wednesday, (the sth of May) and Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, when she complained of being poorly—offered to assist her, but she said she " wanted nothing." Yesterday, (Wednesday 12th), Mary Ann Hitchcock told ins she was confined on Thursday evening last, and that the child never breathed after it was born. I surmised why she had not had some person with her. She said she had made a promise "if she had a dead child again, no person should see it." After a long time she told me the child was buried behind the privy. I went with Mr. Hansford, the police constable, and found the body of the male child which the jury have just seen, where she said it was. . . . .  Robert Hansford, constable, deposed—l went to the house of Mary Ann Hitchcock and taxed her with having been recently confined—she denied it—but said she had miscarried on Thursday last—she refused to say what she had done with it—searched the premises but could find nothing—Ann Philips told me the child was hid in the garden—went to the spot named, and found the body of a male child wrapped in a cloth, buried about 8 or 10 inches under the earth—delivered the body to Mr. Broster, surgeon. Mr. R. W. Broster, of Beaminster, surgeon, deposed —On Wednesday last, I was requested by Mr. Mo Hale to examine Mary Ann Hitchcock, of Broadwinsor ; I went at once and found her in bed ; from the symptoms then apparent I am of opinion that she had recently been delivered of a child. I have this day seen the body of a fullgrown inale child, and made a post mortent examination, there were no marks of external violence on it.—Am of opinion that it was born alive, but that it had not breathed many times—and that death was caused by loss of blood issuing from the umbilical cord, which had been cut within an inch of the bowels by some blunt instrument, and not tied. The cord was not torn. It could not have been cut accidentally. Mr. T. Gilbert, of Beaminster, surgeon, deposed—l hove this day assisted Mr. Broster in making a post mortent exaniination of the body of a male infant, and confirm the evidence he has given. lam of opinion the child was born alive, and capable of living, *and that death was caused by loss of blood resulting from the fnnis being cut so near the bowels and not tied ; this could not have been done accidentally. The child has not been born longer than • week. This concluded the evidence.—The Coroner having corniced up, the jury returned a verdict of Wilful Murder against Mary Ann Hitchcock, who stands corn. nutted for trial at the next Dorchester Anises.  At the close of the investigation, the Coroner and jury passed a vote of thanks to the police for their exertions. The Rev. S. E. Malan, vicar, was foreman.