The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — 1850-08-27 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

THE ASSIZES.  CROWN COURT:TU ESDAY. Ann Ball was charged with the murder of her infant at Southport. The case was rather a curious one, for it appeared that the prisoner, having given birth to an illegitimate child, had partly buried it on the sandhills at Southport, but so that it was quite able to breathe. The child was found there on the 24th of July last, and although deprived of the attention and care of a mother lived until the 29th. After the child had been found the prisoner was apprehended, and she at first denied having had s child, but afterwards admitted it. The medical 'vanes who attended the child otter it was found, wag  asked whether the child died because it was buried. ne replied that he could not say that burying was the cause of death; he thought that the child would have lived after it had been taken out of the sand, it it had then had the care and nourishment which its mother could have supplied. The prisoner was therefore acquitted, but his lordship ordered her to be detained in custody, in -ender that an indictment for an attempt to murder might be -presented against her. Robert Leigh was charged with causing the death of an infant, named Margaret Currie, aged seven ;Months, at Liverpool, during the present month, by the admitristration of a narcotic drug. The prisoner, who practices as a sort of quack doctor, not being a duly qualified medical practitioner, was consulted respecting the child, .which was labouring under a bowel complaint, on the 4th of August, and he prescribed a dose of medicine containing 14 drops of laudanum. The child lived seven days after the administration of the medicine, and then died.—Mr. Folkes, surgeon, said the child was evidently labouring under the effect of a narcotic. On crossexamination by the prisoner, he stated that the child did not die until seven days after the administration of the drug by the prisoner ; that narcotics generally proved fatal in 24 hours, though he had known a case in which death did not ensue for three or four days.—His Lordship laid great stress upon the surgeon's statement that he had known a case in which death did.not ensue until three or four days after the administration of the poison, stating that that implied that three or four days was tho extreme point to which (in the opinion of the witness) the fatal effect of the poison would extend.—The jury acquitted the prisoner. . .  Thomas Sixsmith• (30), John Lever (52), and Ellis Green (30), were charged with having, at Knowsley, on the night of the 18th of April last, been out on the enclosed lands, the property of the Earl of Derby, armed with guns and bludgeons, for the purpose of destroying game. The prisoner Sixsmith was also charged with having feloniously shot at Richard Redhead, with intent to murder him. On the night in question, the keepers of the Earl of Derby were out watching, when they discovered the prisoners in pursuit of game. On the keepers coming up with the prisoners, and asking them what they were about, one of the poacher's cried " Go at them," and Sixsmith then shot at Redhead, in whose hat the contents of the gun hidged. Sixsmith was captured after a struggle, but the other prisoners made their escape.— Sixsmith was found guilty of firing the gun, with intent to do some grievous bodily harm : but was acquitted on the capital charge. The other two prisoners were acquitted, but they were subsequently tried for the poaching, were found guilty, and were sentenced to be imprisoned each for six months. John Pye • (30), Frederick Witherington (21), and Peers Harrison (38), were charged with having, at Ashton-in-Mackinfield, been out at night, armed with a gun and bludgeons, on certain inclosed land called Small Lane, the property of Sir John Gerard, Bart., and having there assaulted, beaten, and ill-treated James Ashcroft, John Rigby, and Joseph Rigby, gamekeepers to Sir John Gerard. The prisoners were all found guilty. Witherinttton and Harrison were sentenced to be imprisoned for six months, and Pye for three months.