The Sun. — 1824-08-07 (London, England)

ILL TREATMENT OF CIIILDR,EN.  --Yesterday morning a concourse of persons as. sembled in Monmouth-street, St. Giles's, and the neighbour. hood in•afew minutes presented a scene of confusion scarcely over witnessed, in consequence of a report in general circular Lion that a woman living in Monmouth-street, and occupying a second floor therein, who had for some time past carried on 4 school for children, and took others in at num., had actually starved them, and that one of the infants was then lying dead. This alarm soon spread itself among the inhabitants, and the house was quickly surrounded by hundreds of people who appeared very clamorous. Many seemed determined to enter Ow premises' and ascertain the fate of the little sufferers, while others were for dragging the wretch out and tearing her to pieces. The confusion that prevailed was so serious, and murder being anti. dilated, the parish officers of St. Giles were sent for, when the assistant overseer, Mr. Brigg, attended by Bowers and Green, the beadles, speedily arrived on the spot, and after understanding the nature of the affray, they proceeded to the apartments occupied by the woman : on entering winch they observed seve, rat little children literally naked, in a state of starvation, lacerated from head to foot through violent ill usage, and completely covered with loathsome disease. The officers, viewing the at. . . .  tuation of the place, and truly distressing affliction of the children, immediately procured a coach, and they, with their brutal mistress, were conveyed to Marlborough-street, amidst the execrations of the populace, who would-have torn the wretch to pieces but for the interference of the officers. At one o'clock the case was called on before Mr. Coma :el', the sitting Magistrate, and the prisoner gave her name Vathe.. rine Irwin, but admitted that she also went by the name of Wicks. Four little infants, from two to five years old, thorn entered the Justice-room, and a more appalling sight was never witnessed—they were literally in nakedness, starvation was in their countenances, and they were completely covered with disease. _ _  The investigation commenced by the mother of two of the infant sufferers, James, four years, and Mary Ann Rodwell, two years and a quarter old. Witness did not list with her husband ; she received 12s. a week from him. The two children in May last were put into the prisoner's care, they were then healthy. About five weeks since she came to town und took her children away. She also learnt that her husband co. habited with the prisoner ; her infants were literally et:ivied and dying, one of the toes of her daughter had been cut off. On its being intimated to the Magistrate that an infant, only six weeks old, had died from want since they had left the house, Mr. CONANT dispatched an officer to the house, who brought away the infant : it was not dead, but in a dying state, and the. Magistrate instantly ordered it to the work-house. The prisoner's daughter was examined as to her knOwledge of the cruelties inflicted upon the children, and who the parents were of two unknown, viz.:—Henry Hunt, and Frederick Hutchinson, apparently about four years old. She, however, denied all knowledge of brutality, nor would she know the parents, but the money was regularly sent by the children's friends for their maintenance. The daughter seemed as hard. ened as her mother in cruelty. Rodwell, the husband of the first witness, denied Cohabiting with the prisoner, but admitted he frequently visited her. Charles Otter, a little boy, one of the boarders, said, that Mr. Rodwell repeatedly came to his mistress, and staid all night in the same room with her; he left in the morning. His governess beat Henry Hunt on Thursday night with a cane until she broke it. ' The prisoner's daughter also beat him is the afternoon. She always beat them with her double fist. Several witnesses bore testimony to the good health of a e children when first nit into the prisoner's care. Mr. CostaNr, adpdressing !anise! fto the prisoner, 'mid. it was fortunate that none of the infants had died in consequence of such ill usage, or else she must have answered for it elsewhere. llowever, a case of assault had been distinctly proved against both the mother and daughter, and he was bound to commit them. lie, however, would admit them to good bail, giving forty-eight hours' notice. The case occupied the attention of the Magistrate until nearly five o'clock.