The Blackpool Herald. — 1879-08-01 (Blackpool, Lancashire, England)

ALLEGED ATTEMPTED CHILD MURDER AT KIRKHAM. At the Kirkham Police Court on Monday, Ann Morgan (20), a dometio servant with the Rev. T. R. Davies, Congregational minister, of Kirkham, who resides in Earsdeu-street, was brought up on a charge of attempting to mercies her infant male child, by cutting its throat, on the 18th inst.— Mr. Ambler prosecuted, and Mr. Blackhurst represented the prisoner. Rebecca Davies said she was the wife of the Rev. T. R. Davies, of Kirkham. Ann Morgan was a servant is her employ. On the 17th inst. she had reason to believe that the prisoner was unwell. On the following morning she went to her room, and asked prisoner if she was no better, and suggested that she would make some tea, and went downstreet for that purpose. She returned with the tea in about a quarter of an hour, when she saw the prisoner sat on a box. Witness heard a voice, and she exclaimed "Oh, Ann, what is this voice ? " and she took hold of her arm and said "Oh, missus, it's a child."* Prisoner further said that she was very faint, and asked for some water. Witness then went downstairs, and told her husband to go for a , doctor, and he did. When she (witness) went ' hack into the bedroom the prisoner was on her knees besides a box. Witness asked her where the child was, and she said, opening the box, "Here it is missus," and then pulled the child out of the box. Witnets then went for a wrapper, with which she wrapped the child, and lifted it on the foot of the bed. The prisoner also got into bed. She remained in the room until the doctor came, and then she went away. Before she did so she noticed blood coming out of the child's mouth. She called the attention of the doctor to the fact that the child was bleeding, and he said something which was to the effect that it was nothing serious.—ln answer to Mr. Blackhurst, witness said she knew that the prisoner was going to be married. There was no secret about that. She had saved things, such as bed clothing, for the last six or seven months. Since last April prisoner had been unwell. She had lived with her six years, and during that time her conduct had been very good. She was confined alone, and had no assistance whatever. Dr. J. D. Walker, of Kirkham, said that on Friday, the 18th inst., he was called by Mrs. Davies to her house. He found defendant had been recently delivered of a child. He found blood flowing from its mouth into the gullet. He opened the child's mouth, and found a wound at the back portion about a quarter of an inch long and a quarter of an inch deep. It was an incised wound. She was in a great state of excitement, and in answer' to another question he thought she had said she had done it with her finger nail, but he was certain that she said something about her finger, stating that she had done it in attempting to prevent the child from crying.—By Mr. Blackhurst He could not say that the woman might have caused the injury Mi delivering herself. There might have been something in her clothes at the time, but he would not swear that it was caused in that way. The prisoner called upon him the night previous and consulted him about the state of her health. From a superficial examination he found that she was a woman six months advanced in pregnancy. It was usual when a woman was in the pangs of labour for her to make a lot of statements, and not much notice was generally taken of them. They were hardly acccountable for their acts. The child was all right, was still living, and ar.cl it was not likely to take any harm from any of the injuries done to it. The Bench retired and after a few miiutes consideration returned into Court. The chairman said it was a proper case to be brought before the Court, but there was not sufficient evidence to send the case to a jury and they therefore would dismiss it. Prisoner was then discharged.  MI r.,/a !...•I