Lancaster Standard and County Advertiser. — 1905-10-20 (Lancaster, Lancashire, England)

MYSTERY.  NUDE CHILD FOUND IN A DITCH  WOMAN CHARGED WITH MURDER AT  LANCASTER.  PROCEEDINGS AT THE INQUEST AND  THE POLICE 00 kJ dr.  There has arm a sensational sequel to the finding of the nude holly of a female Child tit l'iturecalube, reported in our last issue. The body was found on Wodnesday week, an inquest WA.. held and adjourn.] on Thursday evening, and the :AMU evening P.S. Christie journeyed to Bristol and effected the arrest of a woman named Matilda Arnold, who, on Friday morning, at the Judge's Lodgings, Lamm:ter, was charged before J. &sidemen, Esq., with murdering her child by drowning it in a ditch adjoining White Lund Road, Morecambe It appesm that prisoner, who it a widiw of about 3.1 or 35 years of age, is a theatrical dresser attached to the Coopton Comedy Company, last week engaged at Bristol, aid which early in September had an engagement at the Royalty Theatre, Morecambe. At the police court prisoner appeared in smart attire and Wati allowod seat. She is a pleasant-featured, freshcomplexioned woman and of small stature. She was perfectly compact" during the pro. gross of the pratodings, and on being asked if she wished to question the witnraies at tin] I conclusion of their evidence, replied in the I negative._  Supt. Barnett said the woman was charged with causing the death of her infant female chdd, live or six days old. She came to Moreeambe in the first week of Septein- ! her, along with the Compton Comedy Coin- I pally. and took lodgings with Mrs. Dixon, of Hanover Street. On the Ut'h September she was delivered of a fully-grown female child at Mrs. Dixon's house; and although that event happened, she attended to her duties in connection with the company, and took little notice of the child, leaving the landlady to take care of it. On Sunday, September 10th, prisoner told Mrs. Dixon that she had arranged with a young marred couple at Lancaster, who had just buried their child, to take the baby for three weeks, • at the end of which time the company would be broken up, and she would be able to ' fetch it away. She eflibwri to give Mrs. Dixon the name or address of the people at Lancaster to whom she was taking the baby. ,bt 9.45 on Sunday morning, tin' 10th September, prisoner left her lodgings, carrying I the child, which wo.'s fully dressed, in an opera cloak. It was then in good health. Prisoner returned about eleven o'clock, saying that Ale had caught the 9.50 train to Lancaster, that she had handed the baby to her Mends, and that she had got a lift back in a milk cart. The child had not been re g;atered._ _On Wedne,day laat the body of a  female ehibl was found in a ditch near Morecambe in a nude condition, and it was believed it was the child belonging to prisoner. She was apprehended at Bristol on Thursday night, and brought back to Lancaster. __Mrs. Agnes Dixon, wife of William Dixon,  Hanover Street, gave evidence in support of Supt. Bartrett's statement, adding that when prisoner became ill She (witness) suggested that a doctor should be obtained, but prisoner raid `• No." Withers, however, went for a doetor, hut he was not in. She therefore called on Mm. Hislgson, a midwife, and asked her to attend the ease. When witness got back to the house prisoner had been delivered of a child, which was on the floor, aril prisoner was by its side. No preparations had been made for a baby, and prisoner had no suitable clothes for it. Witness went on to say that she had seen the b cly of the child at the mortuary, and by its hair and the roundness .of its head she was of opinion it was prisoner's child. The baby was perfectly healthy when it was taken away. Mary Hodgson, midwife, 57, Huston floral, said she went to Mrs. Dixon's on the sth September, and found a baby on the floor. It bad not been attended to, and Mrs. Dixon put a piece of flannel on the floor for it to lie on Witness attendol to the baby and mother Judging by the face and head of the child found in the ditch she was of opinion it was prisoner's child. On that evidence Supt. Barnett asked for a remand until Tuoiday morning, which was granted. On Tuesday, ixt 9.15, prisoner was again brought before Mr. Sanderson, when P.S. Christie formally asked for a remand until After the adjourned inquest, which was to be held at Moreeambe at. 10.30 that morning. This was granted, and prisoner then loft in the custody of the sergeant.