Stockton Herald, South Durham and Cleveland Advertiser. — 1880-08-28 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

STOCKTON URBAN SANITARY THE ALLEGED CHILD MURDER I STOOKTON RURAL SANITARY AUTHORITY. AT STOCKTON. BOARD. On Monday morning Elisabeth Wright was again brought before the Stockton County Magistrates, charged with the wilful murder of her infant child by drowning it in the Tees on Tuesday evening last. The accused was originally brought before the Magistrates on Wednesday morning, when she was formally remanded to await the Coroner's enquiry into the death of the child. The inquest was held on Friday, and the jury returned a verdict that the infant had died of suffocation, but that there was not sufficient evidence to show by what mode. Superintendent Bell, at the opening of the ease, told the Magistrates that at the Coroner's enquiry the prisoner said that she went to sleep at the house of a Mrs Nicholson, and that when she awoke the child was lying dead by her side with the breast in its mouth. He should, however, produce witnesses who would show that the child was alive when the prisoner went out of Mrs Nicholson's house, and that it was alive later in the evening, between six and seven o'clock. The first witness called was Thomas Marley. He said that he had been living with the prisoner, and on the night of Monday, the 16th instant, they had a few words, and the prisoner left the house. The child was quite well then, although it had been a little weakly since its birth. Mr John Drayton, boatman at the Tees Amateur Boat Club, repeated the evidence which he gave at the inquest as to seeing the deceased walk along the river-side on Tuesday evening, and return with the dead child in her arms a little while afterwards. Witness adJed nothing whatever to the statement he made on Friday to the jury. Superintendent Bell said that when the prisoner was brought to the station she told him that she was walking along the riverside, when two men came up and attempted "to take liberties" with her, and because she resisted they threw her into the river with the child in her arms, and on getting out again she found that the child was dead. She said nothing at all then about the child being dead before she went along the riverside. Inspectcr Parkinson said that at six o'clock on Wednesday morning last be went to the accused in the cells, and asked her if she could point out the place where the men threw her into the river. She said she could, and he then went with her down the river about three-quarters of a mile beyond the Tees Amateur Boat Club. The prisoner then pointed to a place where she said the men assaulted her and threw her into the water, but there were no marks to indicate that a struggle had taken place. At the inquest on Friday she told him the child was dead before she left the house of Mrs Nicholson, and that she went down to the river to drown herself. William Chick, lodger at Mrs Nicholson's, proved that the prisoner was not at the house after four o'clock on Tuesday afternoon. When he saw the child it was alive and well. Sarah Nicholson gave evidence to the effect that the accused fed the child with I sop before leaving her house on Tuesday afternoon; and George Groskrop, pawnbroker, of Cross. street, said the prisoner was at his shop at six o'clock, when the child was alive. John Knox, landlord of the Hope and Anchor, Bishop-street, said the prisoner passed the house at seven o'clock, and asked if Marley was in the bar. She was carrying the child. Helena Carter, servant at the Three Tans public-house, Thistle Green' proved that the prisoner was at the house between six and seven o'clock on Tuesday evening. The child was then alive, and crying. She left by the back door. Prisoner now pleaded not guilty, and was sent for trial at the Assizes. She repeated her statement that the obild was dead before she left Mrs Nicholson's house on Tuesday evening.  On Monday evening a meeting of the Stockton Town Council sitting as the Urban Sanitary Authority—Was held at the Town Hall, under the chairmanship of the Mayor (Mr J. F. Craggs). In the ordinary course of things the meeting would have been held on Friday night last, but as it was then impossible to form a quorum, the meeting was adjourned till Monday. AN II4: