The North-Eastern Weekly Gazette. — 1893-06-03 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

THE STRANGE DEATH OF A CHILD  AT GRMIGETOWN.  CORONER'S ENQUTRY.  VERDICT OF WILFUL MURDER.  The inquest on the body of the infant child of Bridget McKenna (17), of 123, Bessemer-street, Grangetown, which died under mysterious circumstances on May 2nd, was resumed in the Grange Hotel, Grangetown, near Middleebrough, on Thursday, before Ccrouer J. T. Belk.—Margaret McKenna (13), the sister of Bridget McKenna, stated teat her sister came home on the morning of Tuesday, May 2nd, about nine o'clock, from South Bank, in a cab. She appeared ill, and Dr. Steele was sent for, but I before he arrived she had been delivered of a child. Her mother, who had been cutting some meat with a knife, on hearing what had occurred, endeavoured to go.up stairs with the knife in her hand. In answer to the foreman of the jury, witness said her mother was raver up stairs till after the child was dead.—Mrs McKenna said that on hearing that her daughter was confined she fainted, and on coming round she went part of the way up stain with a knife in her hand. As she was going up stairs she said she would have her daughters life for bringing disgrace on the family, but she didn t think her daughter could hear her. She was pulled back by -Mrs Coates, a neighbour, who had been attending to her daughter. She wav never in the room till after the doctor arrived and the child was dead.—Mrs Coates stated that when the child was born it was a full - grown healthy child. She HMV Mrs M`lienns on the stairs with a knife in her hand, and heard her sitS% she would take three lives before ruidnig,he On returning to the house about 11.30 on the same morning she went into the bed-room to see the child. The child was laid in an uncomfortable position on its mother's arm. On taking it out of bed she saw that there , was blood on its nose, mouth, and cheek, and also 1 on the cheat, neck, and left sleeve of its I nightdress. There was also blood on the' shirt where it had been lying. She said to the mother, "The child is eh over blood, what. have you done ?" She said, "I have done ' nothing." Witness then told her the child was dead, and she said, "Is it; it's a good job."—Mrs Duck gave corroborative evidence.— Mrs Butler, another neighbour, said on coming into the house at 11 o'clock she sew Mm McKenna half way upstairs with a knife in her hand, and heard her say she would Mare three lives before mirbeielit. She spoke loud enough for her daughter to hear. She returned to the house :next morning, and ad to the mother of the (lad I "You have made a fine job of it," to which she replied, "It would not have happened if my mother had kept quiet."—Police-Teepertoe Doweland said he apprehended Bridget McKenna on the morning of the 16th ult. lle cautioned her, and charged her with 1 the murder of her child on May 2nd.-Is summing up the Coroner said he was afraid there was no alternative but to say that the child wae murdered by Bridget McKenna. There might be 0012217 hope that, comidering her paid— tion and wider her miserable circumstances, she might escape the word consequences of her act, but their duty was clear, and he thought it only lay with them to commit her for trial, , —after retiring for a short time the jury ' found that Bridget McKenna was guilty of the wilful murder of her child, and ehe would therefore be committed to tam her trial at the next Assizes.—The jury requested that the. Coroner should express very strongly their sympathy with the girl, and rionvey tbm hope that barcouchtios and her youth wield have some woiget with the jury who ultimately tried her.