The Sun. — 1862-07-07 (London, England)

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COUR7.—(This Day.)  The sessions of the Central Criminal Court commenced this morning before the Lord Mayor, Recorder, Aldermen, and Sheriffs.  The calendar comprises the names of sixty prisoners for trial, amongst them being that of Mrs. Vyse, who stands charged with the wilful murder of her two children. The Recorder, in charging the grand jury, observed that owing 10 the short time that had elapsed since the court last assembled there were not so many cases as usual, and their duties would be of a light description. There was, however, one case upon which he thought he ought to make an observation, viz., that of Ann Cornish Vyse, who was charged with the wilful murder of her two children. It appeared from the depositions, that on the 22d of May the deceased children were seen alive and in their usual health, and in about two hours after they were found lying on the bed dead, and there could be no doubt that their deaths were occasioned by poison. The analysis of the contents of the stomachs proved that fact. It was also alleged that the poison had been administered by the prisoner, as early in the morning of the same day she purchaseda quantity of "Battle's Vermin Killer,"at the shop of a chemist in St. Paul's Church-yard, and she was afterwards discovered in her bedroom with a sever wound in her throat, she having attempted to commit suicide. The evidence was of such a nature that they would doubtless send the case for further enquiry, and any explanation as to the state of her mind when the act was committed might then be urged on her behalf. The only other case involving loss of life was that of a woman named Mary Mahony, who was charged with the manslaughter of her infant. It appeared that on the day of the occurrence the prisoner had been out drinking with a man with whom she cohabited. The female came home in a state of intoxication in the evening, and on going into her own apartment she fell down on the floor, and went to sleep on the top of the child. Death was clearly occasioned by suffocation, and if that was occasioned by carelessness or negligence the prisoner was guilty of the offence charged. There was also the case of Alfred Kelly, who was indicted for sending a threatening letter with intent to extort money, and from the evidence it appeared that the prisoner had purchased bread of the prosecutor, who was a baker, and in the letter the prisoner accused him of habitually selling bread short of the legal weight. He went on to state that without he sent him two five-pound notes he would make such proceedings public. The handwriting of the letter would.be proved to be that of the prisoner. There was another of these cases, which were now, he regretted to say, of too frequent occurrence—viz., an offence against the bankruptcy laws. The party charged had, on the 14th of May, been made bankrupt, and on that day he was found pawning his furniture, instead of handing it over to his creditors. The only other case he would refer to was that of Elizabeth Monk, who was charged with attempting to strangle her child, but he believed that in that case it would turn out that the prisoner was a person of unsound mind, but if the attempt to kill was proved to their satisfaction, it then became their duty to send the case for trial in this court, notwithstanding the mental condition of the  prisoner. The grand jury then returned to the performance of their duty, and in a short time the trials commenced.