The North Cumberland Reformer. — 1894-11-03 (Carlisle, Cumbria, England)

TEE PENRITII CASE.  Isabella Stephenson,(3o) was indicted for wilfully murdering her infant son at Penrith on September 16th. Immediately after pleading not guilty she fainted, but soon recovered. Mr. Leese, Q.C. M.P., and Mr. Little, M.P., were for the prosecution, Mr. Wilson for the defence. The facts of the case, as detailed at length by Mr. Leese, and in the evidence revealed a sad and touching story. Prisoner was married, but after two years of married life her husband deserted her, and did nothing either for her or the children. For some time she maintained herself by her labour, but unfortunately she was led astray, and about May she had an illigitimate child, the unlucky infant for whose death she was arraigned. After that she was in service at the Black Bull Inn, Brougb, but about a week before September 16th, she resided with her mother, and was in a very low and depressed condition. An order had been obtained for her admission to the Workhouse, and thither on Saturday the 15th she started to go, accompanied by her mother Mrs. Harriman, and two children, a girl about five, and the infant. At the Workhouse she went past the gate, leaving her mother, who afterwards returned home. Later that night the girl returned alone to the house of Mrs. Harriman. Search was made for the missing mother and child, but nothing could be heard of either until she turned up again at her mother's house on Monday morning without the infant. In reply to questions, she at first stated that she had left it at a neighbour's house, but this being found to be untrue, she at length admitted that she had left it under a stook in a cornfield on Lingstubbs farm. On search being made the child was found at the place indicated, quite dead, having apparently been dead for nearly two days. Prisoner was seen and spoken to by her brother after leaving her mother, and was also seen about five o'clock on Saturday by a farm servant of Mr. Thom, Red Hill, at which time she had not the infant with her. Where she spent her time between Saturday and Monday, could not be ascertained. A touching letter was read which the prisoner had written to her children while living at the Black Bull, from the tenour of which it appeared that she contemplated suicide. The facts having been made. clear by the prosecution, Mr. Wilson for the defence submitted that it was necessary to prove malicious intention on the part of the prisoner to justify a verdict of wilful murder. There was no evidence to show that she did not do her best to keep the child alive. Mr. Leese thought justice would be met by a verdict of manslaughter, and the Learned Judge's summing up was in favour of that course. The jury brought in a, verdict of guilty of manslaughter with a recommendation to mercy. His Lordship in passing sentence, while concurring fully in the view taken by the jury, said that there were public considerations which made it necessary that neglect of offspring which came so dangerously near to murder should not be lightly passed over, and sentenced prisoner to ire years penal servitude. Prisoner seemed in a dazed condition on hearing the sentence.