The Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1865-12-16 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

THE FORCE OF CONSCIENCE.  At the 'Winchester Assizes Elizabeth Pink has been indicted before Mr. Justice Wines for the murder of her child on the 17th of September, 1862. This wag a peculiar and most extraordinary case, as the following evidence will show :  It appeared that the prisoner had been in the service of a person named (Allies, a baker at Portsea, for about five years. In the month of November last Mrs. Galles was very iIL She was attended by her sister, Mrs. Barton, and the prisoner. On the 22nd of November Mrs. !Mlles died. The prisoner and Mrs. Barton laid out the body, and after that Mrs. Barton said, "God knows who will be the next to leave the world." The prisoner, who was crying bitterly, said, "I shall for the devil was with see last night, and said he should have me, and that was the last night I hal to live, and I shall leave in the morning" Mrs. Barton communicated this to Mr. (allies, who then went to the prisoner. She was in a very dull and moody state. He asked her why she meant to leave him. She said, " I can't help it; I must go " tallies pressed her to give a reason At length she said if he would go into the yard with her she would tell him ; he accordingly went with her into the bakehouse. Ile then asked her what it was. She said, " You recollect about two years ago I went home not well; I had a little baby ; I murdered it." He said, "Why—where ?" She said, "In this house." lie said, "What slid you do with it ?" She said, "I have buried it down in the cellar, on the right hand aisle." They went dawn into the cellar, and she pointed out a place where she said she had burled it. Gillies told her to bring the coal-shovel. She did so. He tolsl her to rake the cinders and show him. She raked it, and said, "You see, master, there is nothing here." lie said she could not remain there; he must acquaint the authorities. She said that was the last night she should be in this world. They then went upstairs, ansl he went for Mrs. Barton, who returned to the house with him, and asked prisoner if what she had 'aid was true, and she said it was. Gillies then went and fetched two policemen, and she repeated what she had before said. They then all went down into the cellar, and the prisoner pointed out the place. The constable made a search, and discovered several bones, which a medical man said were the bones of a child. There was also a rusty knife and part of a dress. The medical man stated that some bones were shown to him; they were bones of a child born at maturity. lie could not say whether the child had been born alive. There were two frontal bones, a parietal bone, a bone of the back of the head, two arm bones, three of the forearm, two thigh bones, and three bones of the lower leg. They might have been buried two or three years. Ile had been consulted by the prisoner three years ago ; be believed her pregnant, but did not tell her so. - • • • •  The Judge said a Queen of Prussia had been confined without anyone being aware of her pregnancy, and Frederick the Great was obliged to go for a midwife. - - - - •  In corroboration of the prisoner's story witnesses were called, who stated that about three years ago it was suspected that the prisoner was in the family way, but sh!: said it was dropsy. The jury acquitted the prisoner of murder, but found her guilty of concealing the birth. The prisoner was then sentenced to eighteen months' imprisonment with hard labour.