The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — 1826-06-08 (London, England)

DREADFUL MURDER IN QUEEN-STREET, SEVEN-DIALS.  Yesterday morning, about a quarter put nine o'clock, the neigh. hourhood of Seven Dials was thrown into the utmost consternation and alarm, in consequeoce cf a most revolting murder that was perpetrated on an infant aged three years'the Seven Dials and Alariborosgh-street were thronged to such excess as to require the interposition of policerofficers at both places. Mr. and 3lrs. Brown, the unfortunate objects of attention, were fellow.servanis in the same family, and have been married for many years, but have no family. They live in Queen-street, and are very comfortably situated in their sphere, keeping a shop for the sale of coals and wood, Mr. Brown has had two illegitimate children by two different women ; the first, and eldest, the subect of the present melancholy story, resided with the father and wife; the other has been very recently affiliated to the husband, and an order made by the Alagistrates of Marlborough-street Office of 3s. per week for its maintenance. A female neighbour has been in the habit of frequently taunting the wife of Brown with having no children, saying that he brought home his bastards for her to keep. This, it Is supposed, has or:at:totted that irritation of feeling that induced her to sever the head from the child of her husband. Yesterday mottling the husband came down to his business, as usual, leaving his wife in bed. A neighbour came past, and jukingly said, " What, begun work already ?"--" Already," said Brown, 66 I've chopped this great box of wood before breakfast ;" and in an instant the char-woman came into the shop to say his wile had killed the little girl. Brown directly ran up stales, and diseovered the horrifying spectacle. The charwoman went Jester. day morning to light the fire as usual about eight o'clock, and as the fire did not burn so readily es sued, was employed till about twen:y minutes to nine, when Mr. Brown came running up stabs, from an alarm by his wile running down stairs, exclaiming, " Where's my child, where', my child ?" Mrs. Howard, tutu  lives in an opposite house, at that moment entered the shop, and seeing the gore on the hands of Mrs. Brown, Raked the husband if -he had been fighting with his wife. He was too much distracted to make her any reply, and she followed, and at the suggestion of a person present laid the child on the ironing.hoard, placed Mrs. Brown on a sofa. anti reasoned with her. She talked very coherently, and seemed to know witness and every one around, and appeared perfectly in her senses. A neighbour who was attracted to the house about ten minutes after nine, deposed to going into the shop, and hearing Mrs. Brown exclaim, " What have I done? what have I done ? Charles (her husband) I've set the house on fire, I've set the house on lire;" and then, with a wild amazement, asked, " {There's my child what has become of uty child ?" Turman, the MAICIIIIOIIne keeper of Si. Odes's, was called by the night constable, and on going into the room where the infant lay discovered the child on the Hoor, with its head nearly severed and a carving knife stained with gore, near it; the wife's hands were stained similarly, and so were her shoes ; in fact, the floor and the appearance of the unfortunate woman presented to his mind the sight of a slaughter-house. Ile desired the person present to remove the child scat place it decently, and brought the wife away In a coach. On the way to the Office, he endeavoured to elicit the cause of die calamity, but all he could obtain from her was, that she could not tell what made her do it. lie brought away the knife, and produced it. The husband was absorbed in tears the whole of the examination ; and as an inquest was to be held at five o'clock, at the Black Dog, in Queen-street, the evidence taken was but summary. %Viten asked what site had to say, the wife replied " she could not tell why she did it ; it was done in a moment of passion ; she was very sorry for it ; very sorry, indeed." The husband is about 30; the wife appears to be LO. An inquest was yesterday afternoon held at the Black Horse, in Queen-street, Seven Dials, on the body. The Jury consulted for a few minute*, and returned a verdict of wilful murder against Ann Brown.