The Glasgow Chronicle. — 1850-08-21 (Glasgow, Strathclyde, Scotland)

SHOCKING CASE.  A very shocking case was tried on Monday, at Glocester, before Mr. Justice Williams. An indictment had been found against a woman, a certain Elizabeth Bubb, for the murder or manslaughter of a child named Maria Hook. We call particular attention to the report from the happy contrast between the conduct and result of this trial and that of the Birds, at Exeter, when Mr. Justice Talfourd was the presiding Judge. We cannot see any ground tor distinction between the two cases, except it be that Mrs. Bird had been guilty of more repeated acts of criminal violence, and Elizabeth Bubb of more continuous and criminal neglect. In a word, Mrs. Bird bruised and beat her apprentiee to death; Elizabeth Bubb had recourse to the equally certain, but slower process of starvation Looking at the circumstances of the two cases, it is impossible to avoid the conclusion that either culprit was morally guilty of murder. Either one made away with her victim by a series of cruel acts. Either one saw the child she was a-killing sink before her eyes day after day, and week after week, without a feeling of repentance or a pang of remorse. We are not endeavouring to show that Mrs. Bird was a fouler monster than Elizabeth Bubb, in order to point the argument against the conduct of the former case —let them simply be accepted as guilty of equal crimes, arraigned upon evidence of equal force, and tried by equal laws, and we may well wonder that one of the two wretches was sentenced to be transported for life, while the other escaped scot-free. The story of Maria Hook, the poor child who was starved to death, is quickly told. There was a woodman named Richard Hook, who lived at Claurcham, a village about four miles distant from Gloucester. His wife died about three years ago, leaving him three children, of whom I the little creature whose death was the subject of investigation on Monday last was the youngest. Mrs. Hook had a sister, Elizabeth Bubb, who was herself the mother of two children, and who at Mrs. Hook's death came to keep house for the widower. Mrs. Hook, we said, died about three years ago, and at that time her youngest child was scarcely 12 months old. We cannot say what description of connexion existed between Hook and Elizabeth Bubb, but thus much appears certain, that she soon became uncontrolled mistress lof his family. His cottage seems to have been well supplied with all the necessaries of life, and with many luxuries for persons of so humble a station in life. There was nothing like want or starvation. Had other evidence of the fact been wanting, the appearance of Mrs. Bubb's own boys showed clearly enough to the eyes of the neighbours that the larder at home was not ill-stocked. It soon however, became noticed in the neighbourhood that the appearance of Hook's own children presented a very striking contrast with that of Mrs. Bubb's two boys. During their mother's lifetime Hooka children were very healthy, but from the time Mrs. Bubb undertook the charge of them they were systematically neglected. The one of the three who suffered the most from this neglect was naturally the -as given by one that the child  ( ries  ...ja showed I boars that th 4  Evidew.*  of the the child six  appearance, or or other  with scarcely There is so 1 witnesses on N testiextract  report  _a • • appears to us to be one of the most astonishing I of the case is the long period during which the murder of this poor little helpless child was in pros. The whole neighbourhood was aware of the fact, yet not a single person interfered to prevent it. The of the parish knew of it, and represented the o relieving-officer, and the relieving-officer reit to the board of guardians. There was, howno direct application for relief, and the child was not -4, se the board ' not interfere. Half-a-dozen the trial *  any reeapi What  would n, t forward  wandering  to show that dering about The morsel doubt '  youngest and most helpless. witness, Ann Bishop, the wife was constantly wandering abou ' and begging a mouthful of food , neighbours. She stated that els months before its death lying at the roadside, ' any clothes on, and looking like a skeleton. much similaiity between the evidence of t' the trial that the testimony of one may mony of all. We, therefore, give the from our report of the trial, from which of the case can be better understood than tulation of the entire r, ' s • •