The Warwickshire Herald. — 1885-12-24 (Birmingham, West Midlands, England)

SINGULAR CHARGE OF MURDER. On Friday, at the Central Criminal Court, William Wi.t.!.ey and Louisa Withey, his wife,, were charged with the wilful murder of Arthur —Minns. Mr. in opening the case at peat length, said the facts were of a very remarkable character. In July, Pse.2, Mrs. Minns was in a small way of business at t-unbury. She was left a widow, and having lormed relations with another man, is child was here which was registered in the name of Arthur Minos. Mrs. Alines, when subsequently about to get married, was anxiou-i to coeval the fact that she had had this child. The female prisoner, wheat that time iiVol at Sunbury, had a conversation with Mrs. nous about the child, and stated that she and her hit-mad, having no children of their own, were wi ing to adopt it without any payment. There was no doubt ti at for a consideraVe time the prisoners were fond et the child, arid took care of it. The male prisoner, however, got into difficulties, and un.ved to 6, M'Dei noott-r. ad, East Dulwich, when the female pri.oner took to an inineiral life, She their heglo tied the child, and it was often left alone in the house, el prig. In the beginning of July, 184, it was missed ; and, in answer to inquiries, both prisoners said it had been taken away to Sunbury to its ni thee The prisoners subsequo ntly left Bl'Der'nett - road. One ot the female prisoner's two sisters, who were also unfortunate., made the acquaintance of a German named Lehman, and through her, the male poisoner and Lehman became somewhat intimate. About November, ISB4, Lehman Lad some conversation with the Male prisoner, with whom he remonstrated for permitting his wife to lead an immoral life. He replied that he could not interfere for here was a secret, his wife having killed a child, and he had buried it, and he was afraid. Lehman promised at the time not to say anything about it, but a quarr,l having ensued between the two men. Lehman informed the police, who at once made inquiries. The prisoners both declared that the story was untrue, and that the child had been sent back to Sunbury, but on search being made at the h use where the parties lived when the child disapp rod, Hie remains of a child about 2 years old were found buried under the flooring in quicklime. The prison: rs were consequently takPn into castody. When the sister visited the female prisoner in the lirniso of Detention the latter stated that the child had died suddenly of convulsions; that she was afra d to call in a doctor; and that her husband buried It. Evidence was then given in support of the c unbent statement.—The niet],er of the child swore that she had never received the child back aowin from the prisoners —Arnie Smith, the sister of the In-male prisoner, said the child NVZI fi always delicate, but it never had valvulsiohm tfi her knowledge.— Mr. Lehman, the German friend of the primeners, also gave evidence of the alleged confessinn made to him by the male prisoner.—Mr. Hardy, F. it.C.S.,deposed thatthe remains found were the ti, ties of a child about two years old, but the sex could nit be ascertained. It was impossible to say whether the child had died of cavulsione, or from violence. Indeed there was nothing to shew what was the cause el death. At this point, Mr. Justice Hawkins asked Mr. Poland, seeing that there was en entire r,hsence of direct testimony as to the curse of death, whether he would ask the jury to give a verdict hostile to the prismiere—Mr. Poland said he was not ptepared to take that responsibility after the evidence that had been given; but he would say on the part of the prosecution that it was felt to be a case of such suspicion that an investigation in the interests of the public was necessary,—Mr. Justice Hawkins said he quite concurred in the course pursued by the proeecution. The jury said they were satisfied ; they could not see anything in the evidence to absolutely sustain the charge. A formal verdict of "Not Guilty " was then returned. The prisoners were then charged with failing to register the death of the child. They were found guilty of this offence, and sentence was postponed.  The Queen and Prince and Princess Henry of Bat. tenberg left Windsor Castle on Friday morning for the Isle of Wight.