Penistone, Stocksbridge, Hoyland & Chapeltown Express, etc. — 1899-11-10 (Penistone, South Yorkshire, England)

SHOCKING DISCOVERY IN BROOMGROVE ROAD. SHEFFIELD. OUGHTIBRIDGE WOMAN COMMITTED FOR MURDER.  The adjourned inquiry was held on Monday, at the Sheffield Royal Hospital. as to the cause of the death of the male child of Elizabeth Turner, married woman, whose home is at Oughtibridge, but who has recently been cook in service in Btoomgrove Road, Sheffield. The body of the child was found in en ashpit at the rear of Mr. W. J. Cockayue's house in Broomagrove Road, and as a result of enquiries the woman Turner was arrested. The case was watched on behalf of the police be Inspector Thompson, of Broomhill. Mr. Robert irairburn appeared for the accused woman. ' Ada Wilcox, housemaid in Mr. Cockayne's service, said she found the body of the child in the ushpit on Sunday. the 22nd of OctoSer. The same day the woman Turner went home to Oughtibridge in a cab. She was very ill. Mr. Reckless, surgeon. who was called to see the accused woman, said she admitted that she bad been confined. She wished to go home, and 1-lie was alloked to do so. The body of the child hull various marks upon it—an incised cut ricmss the throat, a cut from the mouth to the jaw on the right side, and the skull had the appearance of having been smashed in. He could not say whether the child was dead or alive when born. because he was not present at the poot-murtem examination. . . .  ..... Elisabeth Turner was next called, and she was cautioned by the Coroner. She said she Wits the wife of Robert Turner, provision Ile:do's assistant. Sheffield. She had not lived with her husband , for 17 years. and during that time she had been in various situatiosn as cook. She had only been at Mr. Owkayne's fur two or three days when this , occurrence took place. On Saturday, the 21st October, she gave birth to the deceased chill in ' the closet. It was prematurely horn. The child fell on to the floor. which was of stone. All the injuries on the child were accidentally caused. She believed the baby was born dead, and when she re-liined a little of her strength she threw the bo.ily into the ashpit and covered it over with some matting. She then returned into the house ana went to bed. Dr. Priestley. house surgeon at the Royal Hoti• pita'. said the child had not received proper atten• lion at birth. The lungs were inflated, and most prohablv the little one lived for some minutes. He believed the wounds were inflicted before death. He did not thint a fall on the floor would cause the wound to the skull.  The Coroner said it was really no part of the julT's duty to say whether thin woman was guilty of murder or manslaughter. but he thought it 11114, their duty to send her for trial for nnother tribunal to decide whether he was guilty of one or other of these charges. At the same time, they must say. what they would put her on her trial for. and he could not see that they could do anything but pay that she must be tried for the capital offence. The jury. after deliberating for ROMP time. returned a verdict of "Wilful murder.' azaink Ebrabeth Turner. The mother was then committed for trial at the Ansizes.