The Barrow Herald and Furness Advertiser. — 1876-01-22 (Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England)

ALLEGED MURDER AND ROBBERY BY A SERVANT GIRL.  At the Solihull Police-court, on Saturday, a girl named Sarah Ann Pearson was brought up charged on suspicion with causing the death of the female child of Mr. Baugh, of Greet • and further, with stealing £2, the moneys of the said Mr. Baugh. Police-sergeant Webb stated that an inquest respecting the death of the deceased had been opened, and was adjourned. Prisoner was remanded. The Birmingham Gazette says: The accused has recently been in the employ of a gentleman named Baugh, living at Greet, near Sparkbrook. On the 6th inst. she was left by her mistress in charge of the children, including an infant, a girl, nine months old, On Mrs. Baugh returning late in the afternoon she found Pearson had absconded. The children stated that she had left about three o'clock in the afternoon without saying where she was going. M,s. Baugh immediately became solicitous for the safety of the child, and on going upstairs found the infant lying underneath the bedclothes quite dead, exhibiting every appearance of having been suffocated, On further search a sum of M was missed. Sergeant Webb, the officer stationed in the district, was immediately informed of the occurrence, and he communicated the facts to the police authorities at Aston. Nothing, however, was heard of the girl until Tuesday, when she was apprehended at Netherton. On being r.harged she protested her innocence. She stated that she put the child to sleep on the bed, and o. looking at her shortly afterwards found her black in the face. She was so frightened at the sight that she put her back in the bed and went home. She was taken to Aston, and on Wednesday was remanded to Solihull. An inquest was opened on the body on the Bth instant, but was adjourned for a post-mortem examination to be made.  The girl bears out the statement made on her arrest in a letter she has written to her aunt, which we append : "My dear Aunt, I cannot express my deep sorrow and regret ht what has happened. Ido so wish I had come straight and told you; but when I came and saw you all so happy my courage forsook me I could not cast a gloom on you all. Oh! aunt, if anyone else had gone up and found baby dead I could have stocd it better, but when it was myself, and I kr.ew I was left in charge of those dear children, oh! I felt stupefied, and did not know what I was doing. Oh! Heaven knows that I loved that baby; and as for hurting her in any way, thank God my conscience is clear of that. I can remember Percy asking me to light the gas, and I told him to fetch some matches, and he went down stairs, and I followed him. I went out of the front door, for I was at Small Heath Station at half-past three o'clock, and went by the four o'clock train to Snow-bill, for it's a great untruth to say I came back into the house again. As for the £2, I think it will come all right, for if Mrs. ltaugh has mislaid it I know she will find it, and if anyone has stolen it I don't think the thief will be long before they are found out. If I am to suffer I can bear it, for I know I shall be happier than these who took it."  During her imprisonment at Aston lock-up, the girl has preserved a singularly calm demeanour.