The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1872-08-24 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

CHILL' MURDER AT KINVER.  COMMITTAL OF THE ACCUSED.  On Saturday last, Ann Edwards was brought up before Major Fletcher on a charge of feloniously, wilfully, end of her mal,ce aforethought, did kill and murder her female Want child, on the 4th inst.  Prisoner was undefended.  'the first witness called was Mary Ann Fletcher, who deposed I live at Stsurton, in the parish of Kinver. On the 4th Atlanta, Sunday afternoon, I went to the house where prisoner resides at Kinver Edge. About six o'clock I missed her out of tho house. I went to the petty and saw prisoner there. Blood was on the floor. I asked the prisoner if she had been nick. She said, No." I asked her where the blood came from. She said from her stomach. I noticed dirt on the seat, and she had a spade in her hand, which she was in the act of pulling iron the hole of the petty seat I then called my mother, and we both looked down the hole. I saw a child's hand and foot. I then went away. The child was moving. Sarah Fletcher deposed I am wife of Joseph Fletcher, and live at the Rock House, Kinver Edge. lam aunt to prisoner, and the prisoner lived with vie. On the 4th iust I missed her about six o'clock in the evening. My daughter went to look for her. and my daughter called out, " Mother, come here." I went to her to the petty. looked in the petty, and saw • child's foot. I fetched a pair of tongs and got the child out of the petty. I dot some water and cleared the dirt out of its month. I laid the child down, and ssmt for a neighbour, Mrs. Hughes. I then sent for the doctor and the police. The child was taken jolt, the hone and washed, and it lived until half. past four the next morning. I noticed prisoner's clothes after she came from the petty. They were stained, and she bat the appearance of having been recently delivered of a child. I noticed that the child had brniees and wounds upon it:  Harriet.- Hughes deposed: I am the wife of Richard Hughes, and live on the Rock House, Slaver. I was at home on the 4th August. Sarah Fletcher called Inc. and I went with her to the petty. I saw a child on the floor. I brought a cloth and wrapped it in it. I gave it a little milk. I saw cuts and marks upon it. At the back of the petty I found the spade produced. It had fresh soil upon it, and appeared to have been used. I went to Mrs. Fletcher's house, and saw the prisoner. Her hands were stained and dirty. 1 told her to go up stairs. After the doctor had been I examined prisoner, and found that she had been recently confined.  Thomas Holyo.ake, jun., deposed: I am a surgeon, practising at Kinver. I have known prisoner a many years. On the 4th inst I was called to prisoner's house, at Kinver, about eight o'clock in the evening, to examine a female child. I found it was a seven months child. It was living. I found four wounds on the right side of the head. They were incised wounds. One was a severe one extending to the bone. These wounds were from two to four inches in length. The spade produced might have inflicted the wounds. Besides these wounds, there were others all over the body and legs, both incised and contused. I was called in again the following day, and the child was deal. I made a postmortem examination, and found • wound over the right sar semi-contused, and one it'd a half inch in length, communicating with the fractrued bone, causing compression of the brain, and being the cause of death. I found that 'food was in the stomach. I examined the prisoner, and found that she had recently been confined. I have attended her since. Thomas Fox, police-constable, deposed: From infermaticn received I went to Rock Houses, Kinver Edge. I saw a child lying on the flo,r of the petty. It was hying, end had wounds and cuti upon it. I remained thererantil • et r Holyeake came. The spade produced I received I . 1m witness flnghes. It had fresh soil upon it, and was sined upon the lower edge.