The Sun. — 1845-03-31 (London, England)

SINGULAR CASE.-VERDICT OF  WILFUL AIURDER.  On Friday afternoon Mr. Wakley, M.P., held an inquest (adjourned from the 4th instant), at the Northumberland Arms, Isleworth, on the body of a female child, which was born under the following circumstances : Thomas Whapshot deposed that he was the landlord of the Crown bser-shop, Isleworth. On the 28th of February the body of the deceased child was taken, about a quarter-past ten o'clock, out of the privy of witness's house by a man named Gundry. SAW no marks of violence upon it. A person, named Anne Pendry, is servant to witness. She is about thirty yesrs of age. Just before the finding of the body she went to the watercloset, where she stayed about eight or ten minutes, and when she came out witness saw her wiping her hands as she came up the garden. She appeared to be in a weak state, and when witness spoke to her she answered in a weak voice. Witness's suspicions being excited, he went and looked down the privy, and saw something black; he moved it with a broom-stick, when he saw the head of a child. He then sent immediately for Pendry's mother. Had reason before to believe that Pendry was pregnant, but she always denied it. On that morning she had got up as usual and done all her work, and wit!less saw no difference in her until she had been down the garden. Dr. Mackinlay said, after the body of the child had been taken from the privy, he went to see it, and on examininz, it found no marks of violence upon it, except that the umbilical cord was torn off. Had since examined the body internally. The internal organs were healthy and natural, presenting no disease in any part. The lungs were also healthy, and had been inflated, but not fully. Witness was not prepared to say from what cause the child died. Could not form any decided opinion on the subject. Anne Pendry, who was present at the inquiry, having been brought From the workhouse for that purpose, was then questioned, after being cautioned by the Coroner, as to her version of the circumstances, when she made the same statement as that made by her to Dr. Mac• kinla,y. It also appeared that she had not made any preparation for the birth, and that it was her fourth illegitimate child.  The CORONER said, after the evidence of Dr. Mackinlay that he could not state the cause of the child's death, it would be useless to carry the inquiry further, a 3 no jury would convict of murder or manslaughter after such medical evidence. It was even to him a question if a charge of having conc, aled the birth could be sustained. The jury, who apparel to entertain a different opinion, asked to retire to consider their verdict. After an absence of nearly an hour and a half, the jury returned to theinquestroom, and  The Foreman said, we find a verdict of " Wilful murder against Anne Pendry," and we beg to record our opinion that had the law given to the mothers of such unfortunate children a greater facility to make the putative father pay towards the support of their offspring, such cases as this, and many others of a similar charac ter, would not occur.  The CORONER immediately directed Anne Pendry to be taken into custody, which was done by police-sergeant Plume, T 12.  At Cuxhaven a brisk south-west wind having returned on tha 21st, the channel was pretty free from ice, s ► that the William Jolliffe was able to put to sea this forenoon.