The Telegram. — 1900-11-27 (Weymouth, Dorset, England)

ACCUSED.  Four weeks air() the dead body of an infant was found amongst owe nettles in St. Martin's Church_  yard. The occurrence is SO recent that there is no , need to do more than all that a Coroner's jury, at an adjourned sitting, returned a verdict of " Wilful murder " against some person or persons unknown. The matter did not end here, however. 'rhe enquiries of the police, apparently fruitless hitherto, rapidly developed, and led to the arrest last Monday week of a young woman engage I as a domestic servant by Mr. Melsome at Amesbury. On Tues. day week she was formally charged before the Magistrates with the murder of her infant child, and a remand till the following Wednesday week Iva, asked for and granted. On Wednesday morning Louisa Thomas, aged 27, a single woman, employed as a domestic by Mr. Melsome, of Amesbury, was brought up in custody at the Magistrates' Clerk's office and charged with that she, on or about Oct. 15tn, " feloniously, wilfully, and of malice aforethought did kill and murder her infant child." The we had been handed over to the county police by the city police authorities. There was a large amount of interest displayed in time case large numbers of people being outside the office dur„int, the whole of the sitting, anxious to see the prisoner, but the public wer not admitted. The Magistrates present were Mr. W. Etre-Matchain (in the chair), Mr. P. Robinson, and Mr. Wyndham. Supt. Longstone conducted the prosecution, and Mr. W. J. Tiethowau defended prisoner.  The evidence given by the boy Baxter, who found the body in St. Msrtin's Churchyard, was repeated. P.S. Stroud stated that on Sunday week he went to Bulford in company with Dr. Kompe. Ho weut to Mr. Meleorne's house, where the prisoner was a domestic servant, and proceeded to her bedroom. He charged her with causing the death of her newly-born female child on or about Gitober 15th. She was about to make a statement, when he cautioned her that what she arid would be usel in evilstice at her trial. Prisoner then said, "I am very sorry for it. I had the child in this room, and then took it to Salisbury and put it where it was found. I am very sorry .for it." Further evidence in ,iipport of the prosecution was given by Dr. Kenipe, George Edward .Melsolue, farmer, of Bulford, and Emma Penson, companion to Mrs. Melsoine. For the defence, Mr. Trethowan called Clara Thomas, sister of the prisoner, whose home is at West Grinistead ; Caroline Andrews, a matried tvontan, of Milford; and Fred Elgar, a surveyor, and chief assistant to Mr. A. Bothams, of Salisbury. Mr. Trsthowan, in addressing the Bench, contended that there was no evidence to warrant a committal on tho capital charge, and that the only piece of information which. suggested murder was given by Dr. Kemp, the doctor, who must have made a mistake in his evidence before the Coroner. Ile submitted they cmill not send prisoner to trial for murder on the doctor's uncorroborated evidence. The Magistrates retired to consider their verdict, and on returning the Chairman said they had decided to commit prisoner to trial for murder. Mr. Trothowan applied for bail, and it was granted.