The Express. — 1866-11-16 (London, England)

LTTRAORDINURDER ARY CA AST CLAPHAM. E OF SUSPECTED CHILD M  (INQUEST.—THIS DAY.) This afternoon, Mr. W. J. Payne,. the coroner for the Duchy of lanesater, held an inquiry at the Cook Teem, Clapham Old-town, on view of the skeleton of a &Id that was discovered underneath the boards at a gen_  deman a mansion. The jury having been shown the complete skeleton of an *dant child, Jane Clinker said that she was housemaid at a loose in Clapham-park, and that on Friday morning, the 26th tilt., she discovered the skeleton underneath the boards of the kitchen. It was folded up in a newspaper eel part of a sheet. Witness called her sister, and the remains were then handed over to the police. Witness bad been seven months in her present employment. There were four female servants employed at the house. When witness went to live at the mansion Anne Sawr, the suspected person, was then there. When the skeleton was discovered she was out of the house. She said that she wanted to go to her husband's funeral. When she returned the neat da, witness spoke to her about the child endd she said it was not hers. After that the lady at the mansion requested the cook to leave, and she did so. (At the request of the Coroner the witness did not mention the name of the owner of the mansion.) When witness found the child she was near the dresser, and the body was discovered by her underneath a loose ward. Anne Purser, • laundress, at Clapham, said that 18 mouths ago she had her suspicions aroused. She did not tell the cook what she thought about her, but shortly after that time a sheet was missed, and the lady of the house spoke to witness about it. Last Monday week witness saw Anne Sawr at the police-station. She said, "I am innocent ; the workmen must have ut it there. The only baby I have had is one that is now a child three years old." George Grutton, 185 W, said that the newspaper in which the skeleton was wrapped in was the " April 11, 1883." Witness arrested Ann Sawr, and she was taken to the police station. The inspector there did not think that the evidence was sufficient to take the accused before a magistrate. Witness had arrested the accused on the :10th of October, but she had to be taken to St. Thomas's Hospital, as it was believed that she had taken poison for the purpose of committing suicide, On the :ith instant witness removed her from the hospital to the police-station. Dr. Parrett said that he could not tell the sea of the skeleton. lie could nut of course say what was the cause of death. It was a full-timed well developed child. Witness had attended Anne Sawr for illness in 188.1, but she did not tell him that she had given birth to • child. The bones of the skull had fallen in, but witness could not say whether that had been caused by violence, such as a blow on the head or a fall. The bones of the skull might have fallen in while the child was underneath the boards. On the 28th ult. witness was called in to see the accused. She was lying on the door, and as witness believed that she had poisoned herself he bent her to the hospital. Ann Satyr, the accused person, having been sworn, said—l am perfectly innocent. It is not my child. I know nothing about it. I had no child at that time. I deny all knowledge of it. Ido not know who put the child there. The doctors at the hospital declined to tell the police whether the accused had taken poison or not. The Coroner having summed up, the jury returned • verdict, " That the deceased child was found underneath the boards of • certain house, but whether it was born alive or not, and, if so, the cause of its death, the condition in which the body was found prevents the jury being able to declare."