The Sun. — 1836-01-26 (London, England)

HORRIBLE CASE OF INFANTICIDE.  CHELTENHAM, MONDAY EVENING, JAN. 2.s.—This day a Coroner's Inquest was held at the Fleece Inn, in this town, before John Cooke, Esq., Coroner, on the body of a remarkably fine illegitimate male child, which was murdered on the Tuesday evening previous in the most inhuman manner by its own mother. The name of the murderess is ,Ant; Sherrington, a servant girl, twentyfive years of age, ::*id tie infant was exactly three weeks old on the day it izas murdered. The father of the child, a journeyman butchen named Thomas Smith, is in custody for wilfully conceaL'iAlg the murder after he knew it to have been committed.  Sarah Biggs, wife of John Biggs, carpenter, residing in Milsom-street, Cheltenham, about tweln: weeks since, took the young woman (Ann Sherrington) into her house as a lodger, at which time she was pregnant. She took her at the request of Mrs. Foxell, a midwife. The roman called herself Ann, but would not tell her other name. Three weeks ago last Tuesday the prisoner was confined of a male child, and witness attended upon her for one week afterwards. A person whom the prisoner called Thomas Smith, a butcher, frequently called to see her, and she (prisoner) said upon several occasions that he was the father of the child. On Tuesday last, the 19th inst., the prisoner left witness's house about six o'clock in the evening, taking the child with her, which she said she was going to take to am aunt of the father's to be nursed. She returned about eight o'clock the some evening without the child, but with a small bundle in her hand. She said she bad left the child with Smith's aunt, and that it was very comfortable ; and after putting the bundle she had brought back with her into her box, which she locked, she again went out, saying she was going to her sister's, and would return the next morning and p.py for her lodging. She did call the following morning but did not pay for her lodging till Friday, when she was about to take her things away : witness, however, told her husband that prisoner had put a bundle in her box and locked it, which box bad never been locked in her house before, and that she was fearful some harm bad come to the fore, insisted upon the box being child ; her husband, ther','-: ose, which the prisoner resisted, opened before it left the ho but the prisoner's sister, whe was with her, said the box should be opened. Witness's hxband then forced open the box with a screw-driver, and the first thing witness saw was the bed gown and two flannels, it: which the baby was wrapped when the prisoner took it away from her house. Witness's husband then said that if the child was not brought forward he would see into it till it was found. The prisoner then said she would produce the child in half an hour and went away, but witness never saw either woman or child till to-day, when she saw the child dead at the Casualty Hospital and the woman in custody at the station-house. She identified both. She said the woman did not neglect or ill-treat the child while residing with her, but appeared very fond of it. John Hobbs, constable, said he took Ann Sherrington  into custody, when she said it was all through Smith that I sLe committed the murder ; for if he had not told her that he would not give any money towards the support of the chile, tior do anything for it, if she did not do something with it, ..the should not have done it. She never explained "ant by this something. When he took Smith said he did not know Ann Sherrington or itwnhhteoa t child,csuhset o butmd'Y ,e , v,'ven be was handcuffed he said he knew her, and knew she had .71urdered the child, for she had told him so the same evening' that she committed the murder. When he took him into ,',be female prisoner's presence, she said, " Thomas, this is all `trough you ;" to which he replied, " No, it is not." No 2:Arther conversation passed. This testimony was corroborNed by Wm. Cab, another constable. The Jury returned a verdict of " Vkrilful Murder against Ann Sherrington, and we find Thowas Smith Guilty of being accessory after the fact, and wilfUlly concealing his knowledge of the murder." The Coroner said he cold& only take the verdict as against the woman—the other must be put in the shape of the opinion of the Jury, which was accordingly done. The man will be brozight before the Magistrates to-morrow (Tuesday) on this chtZrge•