The Sun. — 1830-05-28 (London, England)

OLD BAILEY SESSIONS.-(THIS DAY.:  OLD COURT.  Sophia Morgan, a respectable looking woman (a widow) whose case was remanded from the last Sessions, was this morning placed at the bar, charged on the Coroner's inquisition with the wilful murder of her new-born male child.  The prisoner plea led Not Guilty. Mr. ADOLPHUS stated the cise for the prosecution. Mr. PHILLIPS was Counsel for the prisoner. Mr. Hugh Eastcot examined—l am assistant surgeon of the parish of St. Pancras. On the 13th of April 1 was called in to the workhouse to examine the body of a male infant ; from its appearance I should think it had been ten days or a fortnight.—(The prisoner here fainted, which caused a short delay in the proceedings, on her recovery she was, by order of the Learned Judge, accommodated with a seat.) Examination continued—The infant was in a putrid state—on the right side of the head was a contused bruise as if inflicted by some hard instrument, or by a fall. I could not from its state examine the lungs. The child was full grown—such a wound as appeared on the head might, or might not, have caused death.__ The wound must have been inflicted whilst the child vras alive, or immediately after death. Such an appearance would not have manifested itself from a blow on a body that had been dead for a length of time. I cannot form any opinion as to whether or not the chill was born alive. The naval string was not tied. Richard Edwards, a police officer, examined—ln consequence of information that I received on the 13th of April, I went to No. 7, Suffolk-street, St. Pancras. I there saw the prisoner in company with Mrs. Williams, when I told her that it was a very serious charge against her, and cautioned her not to say anything that might injure her hereafter. I then said, is it true that you have been delivered of a child ? The prisoner said, by attempting to hide one crime she had committed a greater. I then said it is true that you have be-n delivered of a child ? She replied, yes, it is. I .asked her if the child was born alive ; she said that she could not tell. I then asked her if she had heard it cry ; she said no. In answer to further questions she said that she threw the child down the privy ; she did not look after it, or take any means to force it under the soil, and that it had been there about a fortnight. I then took her into custody, and shortly afterwards I and another officer searched the privy. The prisoner also told me that she believed the child had slipped from her. On searching the pi ivy, a child was found, there was a bruise on the right side of the head about the size of a halfpenny. Oa looking round the prisoner's room I found a platerer'shammer. which.' compared with the bruise on the child's head, and it appeared exactly to correspond. I then took the prisoner to Maryltbone-office. On the road I asked her who the father of the child was ; she said she could not tell his name, that shehad been living with a Mrs. Cox in Hunter-street, and during her mistress's absence from home a gentleman called and prevailed over her.  Abraham Deller, another police officer, confirmed the evidence of the last witness.  Tne trial was proceeding when our Reporter left the Court, and from the-number of witnesses then to be exarnined:would inall probability occupy nearly the entire day.