The Sun. — 1857-10-24 (London, England)

THAMES. CONCHALING A BIRTH. —SHOCKING CASE. —Sophia Wright, a plain-Ipaking woman, aged 22, who appeared in a weakly cordition, was br,ught before Mr. Sere, charged with concealing the birth of a child, under circumstances giving rise to a strong suspicion that she had murdered it.  Police-sergeant Campbell, No. 44 K, said an inquest bad been held on the body of the prisoner's new-born child, and an open verdict was returned, that it was found dead, but how or by what means it came by its death there was no evidence before the jurors to show. Mrs. Jane Murphy, the landlady of a public-house in Slar-street, Lower Shedwell, stated that the prisoner had been in her service about one month up to Sundays the 4th Oct., and she had received a rood character with her from her last employer in Mile-end-road On the 4th inst. the prisoner was tsken ill in the morning at breakfast, and said she had bleu insensible all nigh-. The prisoner's illness appeared to increase until 12 at noon and she could not do her work. She seat her to bed, and gave her a glass of ginger brandy. Some time afterwards a chill of witness's assisted the prisoner in her room, and came down stairs an i made a remark which induced witness to asseist,the prisoner, who said she was better, and would soon be well. Witness at mice suspected the prisoner had just bec •mis a mother, and told her there was something wrong. The prisoner stoutly denied there was anything wrong ; anti witness, after making a search, and being unable to find a chill, again told the prisoner she had given birth to a child, and she again denied it. Witness then sent for • doctor, who examined it, and the prisoner then admitted having a child, and that it was under the bed. Witness searched for it, but was unable to find it, but a neighbour di-covered where the child way, Mrs. Harkness, f No. 7, to-street, went into the prisoner's room atter tha last witness had left it, and said to the prisoner, "Sophy, where is the baby." The prisoner said it was between the two beds, and raised one of them, took up the dead body of an infant, which had been fhttened between the two beds, and laid it alongside of her. _ _  Mr. James Handy, surgeon, of Wapping-wall, said he examined the body of a ful.-grown female ehild, on the prisoner's bed, on the 4th ii.stant. He believed it had been born alive, and would have lived if the prisoner had paid the necessary a+tention to it at the moment of its birth. The ambilical curd had been violently torn away, aid the chill had bled to death. In answer to Mr. Sells, the witness said he did not make a post inorten xatnieation of the body or float the lungs ; but it was his opinion the child was b.,rn alive. There was a great deal of fluidity and a large effusion of blood. He believed that the child bled to death, and that it was not suffocated by btingiplaced between two beds.  Police-Sergeant Campbell, 44 It, said he took the pri. soner into custody in Wapping poor-house this morning, and asked h r whether child was torn alive, to which ahe replied-.." No, I never heard it cry." He asked her why she concealel the child between the two beds, and she said she did not know what to do with it. He asked her how lorg the baby had bean between the bade before Mrs. Murpay came into her room, and she said she did not know. Ile asked her who the father of the child was, and she answered that he was a barman at a public home is Mile-end, and had lately gone to Australia.  The prisoner male no defence, and Mr. Selo, after requesting the chief c erk to take the depositions, formally committed the prisoner for trial at the Central Criminal Court.