Denton Examiner, Audenshaw, Hooley Hill and Dukinfield Advertiser. — 1877-02-03 (Denton, Greater Manchester, England)

MOTHER.  Mr. Humpbrys, coroner for East Middlesex, held an inquiry at the Old Ship Tavern, High-street, Stepney-green, touching the death of James Day, aged 7, who was murdered by his mother on Friday last. Mary Day, the wife of a seaman, living at 9, Victoria. buildings, Emmett-street, Stepney, identified the body of deceased as her grandson, the illegitimate son of her daughter, Hannah Louisa Day, but now the wife of James Fish, a mariner. On Thursday last the mother of deceased called on her, and she returned home with her, when they had tee. On leaving deceased wished to go with his grandmother, but the mother refused. They left about half-past eight o'clock, and went over to the Old Ship, and partook of a glees of stout. The mother then bought some meat at a butcher's, and witneas Was to have dined with her the following day. Her daughter's age was 27, and she had eight years ago been confined in Colney Hatch, suffering from religious mania. Ann Frannie Hunt, 6, Ivy Cottages, Charles-street, Stepney, deposed that shortly after nine o'clock on Enday morning she heard cries of "Murder," and on following a policeman into the back room of 5, Eltham-place, she saw the body of deceased lying on the floor saturated with blood. She took the child in her arms, and held it until the doctor came. On a seaman's box clone by lay a chopper besmeared with blood and hair. Thomas Young, inspector of the K Division of police, proved seeing the mother of deceased at the police-station shortly after her arrest. She wee then in great distrees. She said that she had killed her child, and on witness asking her why she did it the only reply was, "Nothing." Her hands were covered with blood, and ' on giving her a vessel to wash them she placed her head in it, evidently intending to suffocate herself. When a little composed she asked if her child was dead, and on receiving an answer in the negative, she said, "I suppose it cannot survive ; he was a dear good boy; he asked me for a pencil and I struck him with the axe." Harriet Howell, landlady of the house, said that on Friday morning she was washing her children for school, when she heard a faint cry of " Mother, mother," and afterwards a noise of something being chopped. She heard no more until the constable entered the house, when she went into the room. Mr. James Horton police-surgeon, said that he was called to deceased shortly before ten o'clock on Friday morning, who he found lying in an insensible state. No remedy was of any avail, and the poor little fellow died at half-past one. Externally there woo a wound on the neck ac..mt lain, deep and the same in length ; also one on the right side of the neck, but not so deep; much blood had flowed from both. On making a post-mortem examination he found a considerable effusion of blood on the right side of the head, showing that a severe blow must have been given on the top of the head, which had produced fracture of the skull, splitting the bone into four pieces. These injuries he woo of opinion bad been caused by the back part of an axe, such as that produced. The cause of death was due to fracture of the skull and hemorrhage. The mother while in the police-station said that when she hit deceased it struck her that he would be better dead, and that was , the reason she killed him, and she supposed she would be hanged for it. She then cried bitterly. The jury returned a verdict of 'Wilful murder" against Hannah Louisa Fish. A warrant was then made out for her committal to Newgate.