The Sun. — 1850-08-23 (London, England)

PLATT.) CHARGE OF MURDER.  Mary Rook, aged 39, and described as a married woman, was put to the bar, charged with the wilful murder of Elizabeth The prisoner was a masculine-lcoking woman, and when placed at the bar appeared somewhat indifferent to the position in which she stood. When called upon to plead she said " Not guilty" in a firm voice. Mr. Parry defended the prisoner. Mr. CLARKSON stated the case for the prosecution, the circumstances of which will be found in the following evidence called to support it. Catherine Wallis called—ls no relation to the deceased child, Elizabeth Wallis. Lives at the Grove, Ealing. The prisoner and her husband also live there. Keows the prisoner. Knew the deceased Elizabeth Wallis; she was a daughter of the prisoner by the first husband. The deceased was about 17 years of age. The prisoner Lad six children by the second husband. The prisoner has get her living by taking in washing. The dece .s d died on Thursday night, the Bth August instant. \Vas present at her death. Have been her ill treated by the pris ,nor, within six months of her death. At her death observed marks of bruises on her person. The deceased was ill about five weeks before her death. She was ;attended by the medical man of the parish. Have seen the deceased struck at the top of the stairs by the prisoner and knocked down stairs. That was about six months before her death. After she had fallen down stairs the prisoner followed her down stairs and beat her again. The stairs have about ten steps. The mother beat her with her hand down stairs. The child cried out. She beat her perhaps about a minute. The deceased was perfectly healthy about that time. Have not seen her beaten much at any ether time—not more than is usual with mothers, Have seen her beaten across the shoulders, about twelve months ago, by her mother. Have seen the family of the second husband at meals. The deceased was not fed like them when witness had seen  them at dinner. Have seen her (the deceased) have a piece of dry bread, and a piece of bread thrown at her by the mother, while the other children would be having bread and meat to dinner. The deceased did not sit at the same table with the rest of the family. The  girl never complained to witness until the day before she died. Witness thought and told the deceased she was dying, and urged her to prepare for  death by -Praying to— God to pardOn the sins she had committed in this world. She said she would pray to be forgiven. Knew that the deceased had committed some sins, and urged her to  make a confession of tEem before she died: in which  case she would not be likely to have so much to answer fee in the next world. The deceased said she would pray to be forgiven those sins, and then she repeated the Lord's Prayer and part of the Creed in presence of witness. Asked deceased if she really felt she would die, and she replied sbe did. She complained that she was hungry. Witness then took a mutton-chop, which deceased said was in the prisoner's house, and cooked it along with some potatoes, and took them upstairs to the deceased. She complained of her ear aching very much. Remember the inquest being held. It was on the Saturday. The body of the girl at that time was in her mother's house. During the progress of the inquest, heard the mother say, if she got her liberty, she would go home and throw the b— out, (meaning the body of the deceased), box and all. The prisoner was then in custody at that time in the taproom of the public-house where the inquest was being held. The prisoner went to the station-house along with her husband and witness; and on the road she charged her husband not to follow the body of the deceased to the grave, and that if he did she (the prisoner) would remember it when she came out of prison. She told her husband not to bury the deceased, but to let the parish doctor do it. Cross examined by Mr.