The Sun. — 1849-02-05 (London, England)

CONFESSION OF MURDER.  An extraordinary confession was made on Thursday morning by a young woman, an inmate of the Kingston pour house (Portsea Island Union), of two most coldblooded and predetermined acts of infanticide committed about ten years ago. For some time past the woman, whose name is Mary Anne Skinner, has been leading a most wretched life from poverty and other causes; she had latterly become an inmate of the above-mentioned union, where, on Thursday, finding death approaching, she raved and called for one of the guardians to come to her. She called for her sister also, apparently a welleducated and respectable young woman, and then made a statement, which one of the guardians (Mr. Marks) took down in writing from her lips, that she was seduced by a gentleman, a member of the legal profession, then and now residing at Gosport.; thato the first fruit of their intercourse she, with his months afterwards and persuasion, murdered; that about 12 seducer, who afterwards she again became enceinte by her hpains of took her to Portsmouth to a ball, where ttoe fosport, labour were brought on; he took h ed swi otherst which of andhi n was born alive; the child was where she was confined the same neigrfhobtr,aeabknydthaefisneedcuhceilrd, taken away in a pocket kerchief by bY skeleton was found disposed of as the first had been (ao. vherayt thesP man gave hbfeaermamrsontehye his clerk, and c mentioned by the some years after in the woman in her confession); her wants, and to keep secret (51.) to assist her to o six 37 otherana atrocitythe tran saarcetidoent of making her signature of the respectable witnesses—around . the transactions. detailed gentlemanO intb httttalorie cnwicurohrcnsoufeempss sesatni naonndn circumstances d recapitulation of crime. Major death-be Travers, one peace of bed of the wretched woman at the time of the justices of the _ Portsmouth, was sent for immediately by Mr. Marks to take down officially the statement of the woman, but when ho arrived the woman was either so terrified or so exhausted, or perhaps both, that she could not again recount the story. Death terminated her sufferings on Friday afternoon. The confession made remains in the hands of the gentleman who tookhe it down, but is at the disposal of the magistracy. board of guardians had a special meeting upon the subject at their offices on Friday afternoon, the result of which has not transpired. The person implicated in these atrocities has hitherto been considered one of the most repectable and honourable inhabitants of Gosport. The confession of the woman is very clear in names, dates, and circumstances,. but from prudential motives, and ;at the request of the authorities, we, for the present, suppress them, in order not to defeat the ends of justice. It is important to the credence of the statement made by Skinner to add that medical testimony pronounced her perfectly sane at the time of making the disclosures.  PoaTsuouriiELEcTioN.--The writ for the election of a Member to serve in the place of Sir Francis Baring, Bart. (appointed First Lord of the Admiralty), was received at Portsmouth on Friday afternoon. The day of nomination is fixed for tomorrow, and the polling (if any is demanded) for the following day. No opposition being'contemplated, the usual ceremonies will be performed, minus the agitation and interest which generally attend such proceedings. Sir Francis is expected to be at the meeting of his friends and supporters at Portsmouth this evening. In the military circles it is stated that Prince George of Cambridge will succeed the late Sir T. Arbuthnot in the command of the Manchester district ; and Killkenny temporary district being abolished, that Major-General Macdonald will be removed to Athlone, as successor to the late Sir Guy Campbell.