PETERSFIELD.]—CHARGE OF CHILD MURDER. — At the Petersfield Petty Sessions, on Tuesday last, before the Hon. J. J. Carnegie (chairman), J. Waddington, Esq., Major Briggs, and Captain Sandeman.
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Supt. Bennett deposed that he visited the prisoner with Dr. Pink, and questioned her concerning the child. He searched the house and found nothing. After this prisoner went away on a visit to her brother at Haslemere, and the Supt. there took her into custody on the 27th, and on the 31st he went with the last witness and found the body, which he gave to Dr. Pink. The body weighed 6lb. 15oz., and it was much mutilated.—Dr. Pink, of Eastmeon, gave evidence that the child was full grown and born alive, and that the prisoner was, from the appearances he described, the mother of it, and that it had been born a fortnight.—Dr. Leachman, of Petersfield, gave similar evidence, and added that his opinion was that the cause of death was smothering by means of a towel tied over the nose and mouth.—Mr. Field, who appeared for the prisoner, addressed the bench at considerable length, and contended that, in the first place it had not been clearly proved that the child found was the child to which prisoner had given birth; secondly, that there was no proof that the child had been born alive; and thirdly, that the cause of death was left in uncertainty. The magistrates having consulted for a short time, the chairman cautioned the prisoner in the usual form, and asked her if she wished to say anything, to which, under the advice of Mr. Field, she merely replied "Not Guilty."—She was committed for trial at the ensuing Assizes, and the witnesses were bound over to appear and give evidence. The case was one of a most painful character, and was rendered the more so by the fact of prisoner's father, mother, and sister being witnesses against her. They were all greatly distressed, and had much difficulty in giving their evidence. The court was crowded during the hearing. On Saturday an inquest was held at the George Inn, Eastmeon, before Mr. Harvey, deputy coroner for the county, touching the death of the child. The same witnesses were examined, and the jury, after a deliberation of half-an-hour, returned a verdict of "Wilful murder."
(See also 6-Apr-1869)