The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — 1847-10-26 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

CGARGE O INFANTICIDE.—An inquest was held on Saturday before Mr. Currie, on view of the body of a new-born male child. Mary Ann Walmsley, a widow, residing at 84, Upper Pitt-street, said that about seven weeks ago a young woman, named Charnock, came to live with her as servant. In about a fortnight afterwards, witness observed an alteration in her person, and told her that if she (Jane) were a married Woman, she should say she was in the family way. The reply was, that it was ' the want of a pair of stays that she looked such a figure, and that she was not so stout when she left home. She went out the same evening, and bought a pair of stays. On Thursday afternoon last, she complained of being ill, and was told to go to bed, which she did. She remained in bed that day and night. On the following morning, witness took her up some tea, and she then said she was much better. That forenoon she came down to the kitchen. Witness went-up to her room, and was surprised to find the bed made. Witness, surprised at this, and on turning down the clothes, missed the sheets. Witness then called her, and told her she suspected something wrong. She also asked her what she had done with the sheets. She said she had marked theM, and taken them off the bed, and put them into a cradle in the room. Witness then asked her if she had had a child, and she made no reply. She next asked if she had murdered it, and she replied that she had not. Witness went up stairs, and found the sheets, soiled, in the cradle. Mr. Moore, surgeon, was sent for. He examined the young woman, and said she had been delivered. He questioned her, but she was seized with a fit and muld not reply. The surgeon and witness then made a search in the room, and at the back of the bed found the body of a male child, tied up in a pair of old stays. A police-officer was sent for, and took her into custody. The daughter of the witness said she had also suspected the prisoner of being in the family way, and accused her of it, but she denied it. She corroborated, as did another witness, the principal facts stated.—The prisoner was not in court, being yet too poorly to be removed.—Mr. Moore, surgeon, who had been called in, said he was present when the body of the child was first found. It was a male child of about eight months old. He had since made a post mortem examination. The umbilical cord had been cut but not tied. At the external root of the neck he found a dark green spot of about 14 inch in diameter, with an abrasion of the skin—presenting a slough y appearance. On dividing the skin he found eccymosis (or great extravasation of the blood) under the skin. From the appearance of the heart, lungs, and connecting vessels, he had no doubt but that the child had been born alive, and that the cause of death was pressure upon the windpipe, producing suffocation. He was also of opinion, from the appearance of the spot on the neck, that the pressure was effected by the fingers, or some blunt instrument. The pressure might possibly have been occasioned during parturition, but not by the act of parturition.—The coroner addressed the jury, stating the law of the case, and they immediately returned a verdict of "wilful murder" against the mother, who will be committed to Kirkdale as soon as she can be removed, previous to being tried at the next assizes.