Star. — 1824-02-19 (London, England)

FOREST-ROW. We have learnt the following authentic particulars of the cruel and atrocious murder committed at Forestltow, near East Grinstead, in Sussex, on Saturday, and which We noticed in the STAR of Tuesday last; and we are happy -to be able to correct a- trifling mistake in the account which we at first heard of this atrocious and almost unprecedented act of barbarity. The infant child of a family named Sewell, of Forest-row, was on Saturday night missing from its cradle, about a quarter before seven in the evening. Half an hour previous to that time, the child had been seen in its nurse's arms. Immediately on the diScovery being communicated to the family, and to the village, that the mother could not find the child, the whole neighbourhood, with a promptitude that does them great credit, offered to assist in looking after the child ; and the idea naturally suggesting itself that some child-stealer had carried it away, persons were sent out in every direction to make inquiry, and to search every barn, Stable, or hovel, in the surronoding _count: y. The girl, who acted as nursemaid tthf chikd, during all this inquiry seemed to parlicipate lathe grief Of the family, and at the same time protesting that she knew nothing of the child, but that she had put it to bed at the usual time. She evinced also some very remarkable inconsistencies in her conduct, which will of course be more fully investigated by and bye. During the whole of Saturday night the Parishes of Hadfield, Withyam, Cowden, and East Grinstead, became the scene of the most active research, and upwards of a hundred persons did riot go to bed all night. Unhappily for the suspense of the parents, the washing-house was no examined that night, the girl having pointedly declared that it had been locked u previously to the loss of the infant. About seven. o clock, however, on Sunday morning, a neighbour proposed to examine it, and on lifting up the lid of the copper, found the dead body of the child floating in the boiler. Circumstances led to the apprehension of the, girl, from whom a confession of having accidentally lit the child slip into the copper was extorted. A Court of Coroner's Inquest sat on Tuesdays at the Swan Inn, and was crowded to excess. Mr. Nleggins, one of the local Magistrates, together with Doctors Collins, Forster, and Wallace, and several other Medical and private Gentlemen in the vicinity were present, and the most minute examination of every circumstance being made before an intelligent Jury, it did nat. tura -out that any motive could be assigned for the act, which seemed to have been perpetrated by, the girl wantonly, and without any sort of provocation whatever, as if she had possessed some demoniacal and insane propensity to ' murder, of which many instances are on record; and which, when uacontrouled by education and the-fear of Gon, have led now and then to sanguinary acts of the most unaccountable atrocity ! The Jury having heard the c•vidence of the case, delibel aced in close retirement till a late hour of the evening, and returned a verdict of Wiljid Murder against Hester Gorringe. The girl had been a year in the Service a Mr. Sewell, and had always evinced great kindness towards the children; she is only fifteen years of age, and of interesting appearance. During her confinement she has 'exhibited alternate signs of great determination of character, and at the same time great, and indeed violent feelings of sorrow, and was surrounded by her own a icted family, as well :rs that of the deceased infant, who was only nine months old. The girl is committed to Horsham gaol; to be tried at the apavaching Assizes.  In the course of yesterday, the trunk of which the carriage of Lidy ANN BECKETT WAS rchhod, as mentioned in the STAR of yesterday, was brought to Union Hall, by Glennon, the officer, who stated that he had found it early that morning in a piece of waste ground, near Walcott-place, Kennington, with the patent lock wrenched off, and emptied of its contents. A reward of 101. has been offered 101 the apprehension of the thieves.