The Dewsbury Chronicle, and West Riding Advertiser. — 1873-08-16 (Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, England)

CHILD MURDER AT BATLEY. Sarah Ann Richardson' 19, servant, was charged with the wilful murder of her child at Batley, on the 12th May. Mr. Tindal Atkinson appeared for the prosecution, and Mr. Campbell Foster defended the prisoner. Mrs. Henry Talbot said the prisoner was a domestic servant to her father-an-law, Mr. Robert Talbot, of Carlinghow, nearßatley, and in the absence of Mr. and Mrs. Talbot witness was taking care of the house for them on the 10th May. On the following day prisoner complained of being ill, andwitness gave her some medicine. She complained of a pain in the chest, and witness noticed she went out twice during the morning. In the evening of the tame. day the body of an infant was found floating in a goit near the house. Witness then went upstairs to the prisoner, who was in bed, and asked her how she was then. Prisoner said she was much better, and she would like to getup. She said to her Why have you done such an act ? " Prisoner said she was afraid of anyone knowing. Witness asked her Why she had taken the child's life, and the prisoner answered "She did not think it would live." She asked her what time she had taken the child away. and she (prisoner) said "Soon after her (witness's) husband went out—about a quarter-past six o'clock.,, Police Sergeant Stringer, of Batley, said he was called to the gait on the evening of the day in question. He there got out the body of an infant and washed the mud off. It was then discovered that the child had a cord tied twice tightly round its neck. It was then put into a basket and taken to the police station. He then went to Mr. Talbot's house and toleprisoner "he was going to charge her with a very serious offence." He then told her what it was, but she made no answer. He then got a cab to takeller to the police station. Whiiüi. the gab prisoner said to witness she would tell him all about it. He cautioned her, and she said, "The child is mine. When I was living servant at  Dewsbury I met a man in Dewsbury Cuttings who is the father of the child. I never saw him before that night, and I have never seon him since." Dr. gacFadden, physician, of Batley, had examined the child. He made a post-mortem examination of the body, and he leaned to the opinion that the child had been born alive. In his opinion death was caused by asphyxia, produced by strangulation. In cross-examination, he said he judged that the child had lived because of the inflation of the lungs. The lungs, however, could be so inflated with the gas produced during decomposition, and they would float in water.  His Lordship remarked to the jury that to find the prisoner guilty of wilful murder ft would be necessary to prove that the child was hers, and also that the child had been born Alive. In this case the doctor said he leaned to the opinion that the child was born alive, but he would not give it as a fact, and therefore it would be better to acquit the prisoner of the offence of wilful murder. If, however, they were satisfied from the evidence that the prisoner after having been delivered of a child had put it in the goit to conceal it, they could find her guilty of the crime of concealment of birth.  The jury found her guilty of concealment of birth, and  His Lordship deferred sentence.