Swansea and Glamorgan Herald, and South Wales Free Press. — 1860-01-04 (Swansea, West Glamorgan, Wales)

CHILD MURDER AT NEATH.—Blizabeth Pavia, 34, a married woman, was indicted for the murdei of her own child, on the 31st of August. The circumstances of this case were of the most melancholy description. Prisoner was a most drunken woman. On the night in question, a policeman saw her very drunk, about midnight, with a baby in her arms. On attempting to go into a publichouse, she fell on the pavement, and he took the child from her, gave it to a hey, and took her home. The boy gave the child to a girl, who took it home. The same child was brought to the station-house, next day, dead. The child was about ten months old. Two little girls, daughters of the prisoner, and other witnesses, proved the condition of the prisoner that night. She was very tipsy and helpless, and at one time the child was lying on the pavement crying. When the wretched woman went home the child was missed, and after some time elapsed it was found in a privy. In the course of the trial, Mr. Cox, governor of Swansea goal. put in a certificate from the prison surgeon, to the effect that the prisoner was paralysed and unable to speak. The wretched woman's account of the night, when Superintendent Lynn charged her with the offence during the Sunday, wshit/Leptuhttait athoe bdedid nviovit thtbirteouiatthe ber childintothate privy, as at three at morning, and slept herself at her sister's. Prisoner appeared then to be half recovered from a night's drinking, and was stupid and laughing, as though unconscious of anything that had happened. Mr. French, the medical man, said the appearances indicated that the child was suffocated by feculent matter. Prisoner asked no questions, and said nothing to the jury. The learned Judge, in summing up, said the jury must be satisfied that the child was thrown down the privy wilfully; or if, as had been suggested by the counsel for the prosecution, the prisoner went to the privy and negligently allowed the child to fall.through one of the seats, that would be manslaughter. The jury, in a few minutes, returned a verdict of Guilty of Manslaughter. His lordship said this was a lamentable instance of the fatal consequences of intemperance indulged in for a number of years—it had tesulted in the death of her child. She must be imprisoned twelve months, without hard labour. Thomas Evans, for discharging a loaded gun at Cadoxton-juxta-Neath, six years' penal servitude, his Lordship observing that the use of the knife and the gun must be put down. IVilliam Davies, the little boy committed for burglary at Merthyr, was sentenced to three month's imprisonment, and then to be taken to the Reformatory near Neath. Mary Ann Clements, for perjury at Cardiff, to be imprisoned and kept at hard labour two years. William Williams and James Harris, for highway robbery at Eglwysilian, to penal servitude for three years' each.  -. . . &tam G reffiths, for bigamy at Merthyr, two months' hard labour. Thomas Dickson, 28, boatman, and William Peddel (out on bail), indicted for robbing a Spanish seaman, named Estaban Bartano, on the 25th instant, were acquitted. The business of the assizes terminated on Saturday.