The Express. — 1866-12-07 (London, England)

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.  WESTERN CIRCUIT.-WINCHESTER, DEC. 6, (Before Mr. Baron Bramwell.) Caroline Clements Burst, 16, spinster, was indicted for the wilful murder of Augustus John Hurst, her male infant child,at Forties, on the 13th Nov. Mr. Beetham, with Mr. Letgard, appeared for the prosecution, and Mr. Bere defended the prisoner. The prisoner, when arraigned, pleaded not guilty. Mr. Beetham, in opening the case to the jury, said he was satisfied that the cirewnstances were deserving of their moat serious consideration. The prisoner was the daughter of James and Elizabeth Hurst, who kept the Railway Hotel. The child was an illegitimate one of the prisoner, and about five months old. A young woman named Privett was sent for to the house of the prisoner, and her mother asked her if she could widertake the nursing of the prisoner's child. It was ultimately agreed between the mother and the witness Privett that the child should be nursed by Eliza Privett for 4s. a week, and this was paid sometimes by the prisoner's mother, and sometimes by the prisoner herself. Privett required greater remuneration, and obtained another Is. a week after five weeks. At last there were arrears of 255. On the 13th November the prisoner went to Privett's house, and told her to wash the baby's face, as she was going to take it to Portsmouth, and she might go as far as Kingston. She took away the baby in the afternoon. The next day (Wednesday) a witness saw a child's hand in the Portsea milldam. It was taken out of the water, and conveyed to the police-station. Afterwards, on Thursday, the 15th November, Mho Privett saw the prisoner at her mother's house, and asked her why she had taken the baby away, and hoped she should see it again. The prisoner said the child was not far off, and Privett should see it again. She did see it, but it was then dead at the police-station. A post-mortem examination followed, and concluded with a verdict of " Death by drowning." What hand had drowned the body it was for this inquiry to ascertain. Henry Croat deposed, that on the 13th November, returning to Portsea, he saw a crowd at the milldam, and a baby's body in the water. Witness got the body out of the water, and gave it to a policeman. A liquid came from the child's mouth and nose. It looked like milk. Police-detective Poole went to the milldam on Nov. 13. The child was stripped of its clothes, and an inquest held. The chill's body was found a quarter of a mile from the  harbour. Police-constable William Osborn Rogers. of the Portsmouth police, went to Gosport on the 15th November, and took a bundle of clothes with him to Mrs. Privett's, and to prisoner's father and mother. The prisoner was charged with the murder of her child by throwing it into the milldam. She made no reply ; but her sister asking, " Oh, Carry, did you do it ?" she answered, " I did." She also said, "Do you think they will hang me 1" He apprehended the prisoner and took her to the station. Mr. Way, surgeon, examined the body of a male infant. There were no marks of violenco,except slight marks on the ear, right hip, and between the shoulder-blades, probably caused by fish. lie described the result of a post-mortem examination, from which he concluded that the death had been caused by drowning. It was commonly the case that the right ventricle of the heart was full of blood, iind the left empty—not invariably. The symptoms were in this case the reverse. The actual cause of death was asphyxia. The surgeon underwent a long examination and cross-examination. The post-mortem examination was assisted by Dr. Cousins. Mr. Beethani said this being the evidence for the prosecution, he submitted that it was circumstantial, but that it pointed to the prisoner as the guilty person, and he submitted that what was stated by the medical gentlemen was not irreconcilable with the theory that death resulted from drowning. Mr. Bere addressed the jury in a lengthened and eloquent address ou behalf of the prisoner. The learned counsel argued that there was no evidence in this case, from beginning to end, pointing out the prisoner as the niurtierer of the Arta. The Judge having summed up, the jury returned a verdict of Nut Guilty.