The Northern Daily Times. — 1856-12-05 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

MURDER. OF A CIIILD'AT RUNCORN BY ITS FATHER AND MOTHER.—XTRAOUDINARY CHARGE.—Thomas Brennan and Elizabeth Brennan were charged with having murdered their infant child, Mary Brennan, at Runcorn, on the 26th of September last, by administration of oil of vitriol. The case excited much interest, and the court was much crowded. Mr. Brandt and 14Tr. Horatio Lloyd conducted the prosecution, and Mr. Macintyre and Mr. Morgan Lloyd defended the prisoners. Mr. Brandt, in stating the case on behalf of the prosecution, said that the charge against the prisoners was one of the most fearful nature. The death of the child, which the prisoners were accused of murdering, was of the most painful description. The prisoners were charged with having poisOned the child, and that the deceased did die from the effects of poison there was very little doubt. It appeared that, on the 26th of September last, the female prisoner gave birth to a child.' The child was never baptised, and on. the 2nd of October, it was bUried in a sort. of 'box, which was constructed by the male Prisoner. Now, it was this child that the prisoners were accused of murdeying.' As be had already stated, on the 2nd of October, the day on which the child died, the male prisoner' and a man, named Patrick Frain, were seen in the back kitchen of the house, making a coffin_ out of a tea ches', and it would be proved that, on, the, same evening, the two prisoners and Frain were seen:takiig away the child to bury. it, Some few days afterwards, .Mr. Blake, an officer- of poliCe, heard -that there had been some foul play, -and the consequence , was that the body QI the child was exhuthed, and a post mortem examination was made, when it was found that hall the way from the throat to _the. stomach, the entire of the surface was burnt away, and the bowels were altogether consumed: The sufferings of the child. Must have been most horrid. It would be proved to the jury that shortly before the ,child, died, it was seen kicking and in great agony on the mother's knee. The jury would also be told by the medical men that the child had had oil of vitro!, or sulphtiric' acid administered to it, and mast have suffered the most dreadful agony. The interior of the body was dissolved'and liquified by the oil of vitrol which had been• thus administered. A girl of the name of Rees would tell the jury, that on the night of the 30th of September she was nursing the child, and that up to the time that she ceased to nurse it, it was, perfectly well. Between nine and ten o'clock the same night, this girl saw the child on its mother's knee, struggling and blowing from the. mouth, white foam proceeding from its mouth, and apparently making a convulsive effort to leap from its mother's knee. After the death of) the child, and subsequently to the exhumation of the body, Mr. Blake, the policeman, went to the house of the prisoner; and asked'for the dress which the child had on when it died, but ho was -Unable to get hold of it, and up to the present time the authorities had not been able to get possession of it. The reason of this was to him (the learned counsel) obviously clear, that the prisoners were anxious to get rid of the dress, because, had it been examined. the effe'ets of the corrosive nature of the oil of vitriol would have been apparent, and have been strong' evidened oftlie prisoners having administered it. Another chess was risen to the policeman, and it was endeavoured to palm that off as the dress which the child had on when it died, but, it would be proved that the dress which it had on-when it was on; it mother's knee; was altogether of a different colour to that which was handed to the policeman. 44" some further details, the evidende of witnesses Was proceeded" with. Elza.both Reece, stated that she nursed 'the' child tip. to seven o'clock on the night, when _she• afterwards—a*. it struggling on its mother's knee. At the time the witness gave the child to its mother, the child was quite well. When witness saw the child on the mother's knee, white stuff was coming from its mouth. The baby had then on a light frock, with a brown spot on it. [rhe frock produced was a purely white frock.] Before witness knew that the child was dead, she saw the prisoners and Patrick Frain in a back room making a box, and at night the