The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — 1841-04-06 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

MYSTERIOUS CIRCUMSTANCE.—On Wednesday morning last, as the sexton of Walton-on-the-Hill was passing near the east window of the church, he observed that a portion of the ground had been recently disturbed by other hands than his own ; and on examining the spot he discovered, near the wall, anti about six inches below the surface, a box, which, on being opened, was found to contain the body of a male infant, apparently full grown. An inquest was held on view of the same, at the Black Horse Inn, on the following day, before John Heyes, Esq., coroner, and a respectable jury. The box was evidently not made by a mechanic, it being of deal stained red, cut at the ends in a very unworkmanlike mariner, having a pair of brass hinges and fastened together clumsily with brass headed nails, common large nails, and tacks. It was about 20 inches long,rown and from Bto9 in width. The body, that of a full upon it, or towelling, and beneath it, in the box, v! and finely formed child, was wrapped in a piecereofa coarsequantity linen o eor ef weresshirt linen wadding, (used in females' dresses,) clippings and shreds of various kinds o)f ,tc cloth, h e cotton whole and linen wadding, (used in females' dresses,) &c., the whole realso in the box remnants of cotton stocking, sembling the sweepings of a dressinakstesorec'tiroogo:n. piecesTh The mother of the fronts cut out, and other fragments. as the usual ligature, 84e., been attended in her accouchment by child had, it appeared, bee a professional man, or adirto. d 'Mr. Hannay, surgeon, and had been regularlyatten his relative, Mr. Norris, surgeon, had made a post mortem examination. They were of opinion, as the lungs were fulls inflated, that pressurefthe on one nostril and on the corresponding part o child had been born alive. There was aim appearance- 0 of the lip ; with a tint on one cheek, also indicating pressure. re A small quantity of food—water gruel— was fou couldnd on the stomach, and it was stated that the deceased not have been above three days old at the time of its death. The jury, under the circumstances, returned a verdict of " Wilful murder against some person or persons unknown.  was a fire in the Tables were in the of them. Fell asleep soon ; hof stand and basin. Heard Mrs. an't you get a light :" that was in their as no reply. She went down stairs ; of to the bottom she cried out " 0 Lord !" e, as by a hammer beating against a wall. "Oh !" and " woe." Heard nothing else. )me person come up stairs into witness's room. e door, and stood by the bed-side. There was then walked to the foot of the bed, where he ; then came back and stood by the bed side. rwards went to Mrs. Cooke's room ; he did not rerd proceeded down stairs. He passed he window ; but it being so very dark r the person was a man or a woman ; :Master had a clock in the house place ; the person leave the house, nor hear anything Still continued in bed, and then heard two roans ! it struck eleven just at that time ; the struck ten when the noise of the stand and basin afterwards heard the clock strike twelve, one, aree, when she fell asleep, and awoke at five; got !ssed herself. There is a small room between the ems and going down stairs ; observed that Mr. rn's bed room was open. The first thing she saw down was the dead bodies of Mr. and Mrs. Cook, lying in a F blood • got upon her hands and knees ; procured her t and shoes ; unbarred the kitchen door, and went to  ay, " Jose  cried a  eah what she had seen ; master w ssinz himself down stairs, but befor(  rs's bed-room window was open; ins not in the going up  generally threw his neckcloth over the chair sack use. He had been cutting sticks that night at the A ; but was not sure whether it was an axe or a was cutting the wood with ; he was cutting when came up ; usually kept upon a little shelf in the he axe, hook, and dubbing sheers ; saw the handles  as cross-examined, but nothing of impor Mr. William Leah examined by Mr.