The Sun. — 1827-09-19 (London, England)

MARY WITTENBACK.  Although this wretched 'culprit stated in her " Confession" that she expected no other fate than that which has befallen her, it appears that she all along entertained the strongest expectations of an acquittal. On the morning of her trial, a few hours before she was arraigned, she expressed the fullest confidence that she should be with her daughters in the evening. Between the time of her commitment to Newgate and that of her trial, she frequently adverted to the case of Sheen, and seemed to think that in her case there would be a discrepancy in the evidence with respect to the Christian name of her late husband, and that the prosecution against her would fail. • She had ' had seven children by her husband, three only of whom are now living. The eldest (Mary), is married ; the second (Frances), who is 19, years of age, is living as a servant in a respectable family in Tunbridge-place, New-road ; and the third (Charlotte), who was sixteen years old on the day her father was poisoned, gets her livelihood by fancy needle-work. 'After the birth of these and four other children, the husband and wife separated, having previously lived very unhappily together. Wittenback, it is said, during the first eight or ten years of his marriage used to ill-treat his wife, and generally misconducted himself. They uh ser t r fromsaerpdahard-working separations koni gowt hwietortaenisabenva,ecrkaa and hda d times, and supported h colal adb ied\ud' uer diswnt rgi iat )ti a other women. The wife was then herself and her children solely by her own exertions, she working as a laundress. From the time of the last separation until the horrible deed was perpetrated, they had lived together about five years. During that time Wittenback had conducted himself well towards his wife, and was very attentive to his work, and regular in his habits. He was employed as a labourer by Mr. Parker, a builder, in Maiden-lane, Battle-bridge, for whom he had worked many years, He latterly bore a good character, and was considered a very quiet, inoffensive man ; the wife, it is believed, had been acquainted with some women of bad character in the neighbourhood of Vlington, where she formerly resided. She was seldom at home to get her husband's meals ready, and used to pawn her clothes and those of her friends (which she borrowed), and spend her money in drink. She was constantly complaining of her husband to Mrs. Davies, the woman who lodged in the house with her, and used to say that she hated the very sight of him." She frequently spoke of the circumstances connected with their separation, and of his various acts of cruelty towards her in former times ; and she appeared to entertain the strongest conviction that he was still carrying on an intercourse with other women. At the latter end of June, or beginning of July last, he had disappointed her of a walk. This appeared to affect her a good deal. She said to Mrs. Davies, " I had prepared myself to go out with Wittenback, who had promised me a walk, and he now refuses to go ; but no matter, lie shall deceive me no more ; this shall be the last disappointment." She would frequently say to Mrs. Davies that she should like to see him a corpse, and inquired how much money' it would cost to bury him, saying she should receive 15/. from his club. The poor man, while labouring under the effects of the poison, appeared fully conscious that his wife was the person who had infused it into the pudding. In answer to a question whether he suspected any one, he said, " It is my cruel wife." To his eldest daughter, who was with him in his last moments, he said, " Oh, Mary, Mary, this is murder !" He added, he freely forgave her cruel mother—he hoped they would all forgive her, and that God also would forgive her. The miserable woman appeared quite callous to his sufferings, and it was not until after her trial that she exhibited the least symptoms of remorse.