Bridlington and Quay Gazette. — 1884-02-16 (Bridlington, Humberside, England)

THE EXTRAORDINARY AFFAIR NEAR SCARBOROUGH.  At the North Riiiug (Soarborough) Police-court, on Welnesday, Ann and Elizabeth Stephenson, mother an I daughter, of Cayt an, were again before the magistrates in connection with the extraordinary ant mysterious disappearance of the body of the illegitimate chili of the youoger prisoner. It will be remembered that the child died a few weeks after birth, and a medical certificate was refused, by however, an unqualified assistant of a medical  practitioner. The coroner (acting on information from the police), ordered a post-mortem examination ant inquest. The prisoners were informed of this fact, and at that time manifested much indignathn. Subsequently, and before the inquest, the body myeterionaly disappeared, and bones, which it was suggested were those of a human being, being found in the fire.grate at the prisoners` home, they were arrested on a charge of wilful murder. In the absence of sufficient evidence, however, this charge was subsequently withdrawn, and six fresh charges were on Wednesday formulated against the prisonere, viz., in effect, of having prevented the interment of the body ; of having desposed of it, knowing that a coroner's inquest was to be held; that they did anlawfully cremate or destroy the body; that the two prisoners conspired together to defeat the ends of justice; that the mother attempted to hang herself, immediately after the bones were discovered; and that the younger prisoner did neglect to give Christian burial to her infant ehild.—Mr. T. Hart appeared for the prosecution, and Mr. W. Watts for the defence.—Pleas of not guilty •having been put in, Mr. Hart opened the case at considerable length pc-toting out that the common law required that everybody should be decently buried.—Elizabeth Atkinson, wife of John Atkinson, Ceylon, said that the child was born in their home. On Wednesday before its death the younger prisoner fetched the child away, and, on bringing it back, brought Nome prepared food, of which it partook. Early the next morning it began to have fits, and it was fed with food from the prisoners' up to the following Samar. day, on which day it died. The body was placed on the table in the bedroom of the Atkinsons, and wee there at 10.30 on Sunday evening, when in consequence of a pressing invitation from the elder prisoner, the Atkinsons' went to her house, which is just opposite. Daring the time they were in the mother was absent for about a quarter of au hour, and the daughter was absent also for a short interval. On the Atkinsons' return home the body was missing.—Dr. Scattergood, of Leede, who made scientific examination of the remains found, said that the whole (20 or 22 pieces) weighed only 59 grains, or one-eightli of an ounce troy. One portion of the bone he found to exactly resemble the lower part of one of the bones of the left forearm of • newly born child, and it did not resemble any of the bones of the various small animals with which he had had an opportunity of forming a comparison. There were several other portions of back bone which exactly resembled portions of burnt bone of a child's skull. His opinion was that these were human bones.—Other medical evidence having been given, the inquiry was adjourned.  The Hull and Barnsley Railway Company have postponed for the present their intention of Wendrug their line to Haddersfield and HaMix, owing in the main, iii! et,t, to the tuisttisfactory condition o the money ma ket. A shocking accident occurred on Wednesday afternoon at Crewe-station to Wm. Dutton, foreman of the London and North-Western shooters. He was standing at the Fide of the line close to the junction when he was caught by a North Stafford passenger train and hurled across the rails, the whole train passing over Bic lower portion of his body. Death was almost instantaneous. The deceased was s young man, and had only recently been promoted. Mr. Forster, M.P., speaking at • distribution of prizes to the Tower Hamlets Volunteers, at White. chapel, on Saturday evening, enlarged upon the social advantages of the volunteer movement in affording physical exercise, outdoor recreation, and healthy occupation. The volunteer movement had been a reality, and not a sham, and had gone on increasing year by year numbers and efficiency. Without volunteers he believed either the army most have been largely increased or we should have had conscription.