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    February 23, 1856] THE LEADER. 17^

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    CHILD MURDER. Two illegitimate children ...

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    Our Civilisation. Murder, Of A Girl By A...

    down in the dark several times , and said to herself , ' I will kill you ! ' She then got the lucifer-box , lit the candle , and went into the cellar again , and was there for some time , but I did not hear the girl speak again , and all was quiet . A short time after this , she came in , shut the door , and went upstairs . My master was out at the time , but he « ame home [ about one o ' clock . He let himself in with a key . I knew it was about one o ' clock , because I did not go to sleep for the rest of the night . I had seen the girl at the house one Sunday evening before . That was about a month ago . I knew it was tie same girl , because I opened the street door and heard my mistress tell the girl to wipe her feet and go into the parlour . She went in , and my mistress and the girl went out , and returned with a box . with three clasps . When my mistress went out with the girl , she had a large stone

    with her , wrapped up in a piece of cloth . My mistress told me to go to bed on that night , but I refused , when she took the gill away with her , and told me to stop up until she returned . That -was the only occasion I ever saw the girl there . When my mistress went out on Saturday evening , she had the same dress on that she now has , but when she came into the kitchen she had an old black dress on . After all was quiet , my mistress came to my bedside and sard she had been to market ; that she had got change for half a crown , but that she would not pay me until Sunday morning . My mistress then went up to bed , and I did not see her again that night . When she was talking to me at my bedside , she appeared to be very white and much agitated . My mistress also said in the kitchen , while she was walking abqut , ' She will not tell any more lies about me . ' "

    The surgeon who examined the body said that there " were cuts on the left hand and , arm , as if she had put them up to save her throat . Her right side also waa very dirty , as if she had lain on that side while the throat was cut from the front , and then been pulled round . . Subsequent investigations made by the police seem to render it probable that the child was the illegitimate daughter of the woman , and tiat she was murdered because her mother had to pay a certain sum . a-week for her maintenance , against which expenditure it is said the husband grumbled . Mrs . Somner lias made a confession of the murder , which she says she effected with a knife ; but she asserts that tie child was not her own , but her brother ' s . Mr . Somner , who is a German , denies that he objected to the sum paid for the poor child ' s keep .

    February 23, 1856] The Leader. 17^

    February 23 , 1856 ] THE LEADER . 17 ^

    Child Murder. Two Illegitimate Children ...

    CHILD MURDER . Two illegitimate children — the one five years , the other two years and a half old — have been drowned by their mother in . the Uxbridge Canal . The mother , who is about twenty-five , has had three illegitimate children , one of whom , an infant , still survives . Elizabeth Aim Harris , the accused , left the workhouse on Friday week , and went to West Drayton , where she left the infant in charge of a little girl , her niece , alleging that she was going to put the other two to bed at the Railway Arms Tavern . She returned in about twenty miuutes , saying she had done so ; but she had been seen near the water with the children ,

    and their bodies wore subsequently discovered in the canal . On being taken into custody , and shown the bodies , she said they were h « r children , and she hoped they were happy . ( She has been committed for trial . — A young woman , named Mary Bramwell , m under remand at Mnrlborough-street , charged with drowning her infant in the Serpentine . When apprehended by the police , she told an improbable story to the effect that sho had given up tho child ( which seems to have been illegitimate ) toa gentleman who hud found her crying in Hyde-park , and who had taken compassion on her , and that she knew nothing more of its fate . Distress appears to have been at the bottom of the act .

    —Elizabeth Webster , aged twenty-four , a miserable-looking woman , was charged at Clerkenwell , on her own confession , with murdering her infant . A policeman said ;— " I waa on duty in Portpool-lane , Gray ' s-innlaue , about bovoii o ' clock in tho morning , when I found the prisoner lying clown in tho passage loading to a houso faint asleep . I awoke her , when sho said—¦* Lord bless mo ! 1 have done it . ' I asked her , ' What have you dono ? ' Sho replied , ' I have killed it . ' I asked her , ' W hat have you killed ? ' Sho said , ' I havo killed my child . ' I inquired , ' Whoro is it V Sho roplied , 'itiBut No . 7 , Ohui-los-stroet , Hntton-gardon . ' Sho then « aid she had lived thoro . 1 took her to tho

    station-houso in Bagniggo-wollB-road . Sho had been drinking , and was very confusod and bowildorod . " Sho addod sho had squeezed the ohild ' n throat . From inquiries , it apponrs oho did not live in Charlos-stroot , and it Hoouied probable sho was suffering from dvliriit in , trcmena . Sho wan remanded , in order that inquiries might bo made . —Islington hat ) bepn tho locality of another tragedy , Hinoo tluit which hori-inod tho town at tho coiantoncoinont of tho week . Mary Ann Garrau a servant girl , aged twonby-ono , dolivorod herself of ii ohild , of which it was nut Niwpootetl nho wa « pregnant , iwxd , having nearly novorerl its head from its bod y , destroyod horsolf .

    A Barrister ' s Punishment . —In the course of a case which was heard on the 9 th instant , before Mr . Kenyon Parker , examiner in Chancery , a Mr . Warwick Augustus Hunt , a solicitor , and one of the witnesses , was subjected to some very severe cross-examination by Mr . Jessel , who asked him several questions with respect to some alleged fraud . Mr . Hunt , having refused to reply on the ground that his answers would subject him to penalties , Mr . Jessel asked what penalties . The counsel on the other side said something about Mr . Hunt's name being struck off the Rolls ; and Mr . Jessel rejoined , " And very deservedly

    too , perhaps ; but vthat would not make it a criminal offence . " After the examination , Mr . Hunt complained to Mr . Jessel that he had made statements he would not have made elsewhere ; to which Mr . Jessel replied , " You axe mistaken : if you attend at the hearing of the cau . Be , you will hear much stronger observations on your conduct . " The same afternoon Mr . Hunt called on Mr . Jessel in his chambers , in company with a gentleman , asked for satisfaction , and , on being ordered to leave the room , seriously assaulted Mr . Jessel . He was therefore given into custody , and brought up at Bow-street , where he v / as committed for trial .

    An "Independent ' Swindler . —John King Gurney , a young man who has been in business at Uxbridg-e as a cook and confectioner , and who has been greatly respected by his neighbours on account of being a strict member of the Independent chapel , and a zealous teacher in the Sunday school , has been examined before the Uxbridge magistrates on a charge of forging the name of Mr . David Basset ^ corn-dealer , on ten bills of exchange , and thus fraudulently obtaining a sum of £$ 60 from the Uxbridge Old Bank . The name of Mr . Bassett was signed on them , as the endorser ; aud the bank , believing the signature to be correct , discounted them . Nine other charges of fraudulently signing names were preferred against Gurney by different persons ; and the consideration of the case was adjourned .

    Sharks and Guixs . —Martin Breen was tried at the Central Criminal Court for fraudulently obtaining from George Argent a Watch and chain and the sum of £ 1 5 s . 6 d . The gentleman with the silvery name met Breen and another man in the streets , and was asked to buy some cigars at an extraordinarily cheap rate , as the vendors were " hard up . " The offer being refused , Mr . Argent was asked to step over the way , and look at some things which had been brought from abroad ; and , after some parleying , the gentleman of much , faith , went home , got some money , adjourned with his acquaintances t . o j , p ^ blie » h ' 0 U 5 e , and yielded liiuiBtslf up to the seductions of the

    moment . Gradually tinfoldiug the marvels aud splendours which their "hard-up" condition induced them to offer at ruinous sacrifices , the strangers produced a shawl , the story of which was quite a romance , in more than one sense of the word . It was described as having cost 16 s . Gd . duty per ounce to bring it ashore ; and it was made of camel ' s hair , and had been worked by Chinese nuns . Never was there such a shawl , exoept that one in the fairy tale which could be drawn through the eye of the finest needle ; nevertheless , being " hard up , " they woxild sell it to their friend , together with a gold chain and

    a chronometer , for £ G 10 b . The silvery gentleman was tempted , but , alas ! he had not money sufficient ; so he came to an agreoniont that he should give £ 1 5 s . 6 d ., his own watoh ( a silver hunter ) , aucl ~ guard-chain ( worth £ i ) , for the treasure . This ivas agreed to , and he went away happy . So did the other parties : for the ebawl was an English , shawl , made of wool and cotton ( worth about six shillings ) , and the chain was of brass gilt , and the watch was almost worthless . Breen ' s companion has not yet been arrested . Breen uimeolf was found guilty , and sentenced to six mouths' hard labour .

    A Disorderly Clergyman . —A commission has been issued by tho Bishop of Durham to inquire into charges of drunkenness against tho liev . Alexander J . Howell , perpetual ouruto of Darlington . Tho coiumiHsiouera were tho Yen . Archdeacon Thorp , tho llov . Messrs . Eade , Dyko , and Dugard , and Mr . J , H . Aylnior , a magistrate of Durham . The proceedings wore conducted with olosod doors , but the decision was givon in open court . Archdeacon Thorp stilted

    thoir unanimous opinion that tho charges of drunkenness , and something like habitual drunkenness , had been so tar proved as to present primft facie eviclonoo against Mr . Hawoll , and it wnu their intention to umko that report to the hi » ho » , who would bo morally and legally required , to proceed against him . Ho would ^ tho Yon . Arulidoaoon repeated ) bo not only morally bound , but legally bound to do ho . Tho oostn of tho uol ' ouc , it is snid , huvo boon mot by u Hubnoriplion in tho town . —Durham Advertiser .

    Kxti' . nbivw itonwGBiKS . —Alfred Kwinburno " \ vati charged at Womhip-atreot with boing concerned in Bovorul oxtuimivo robberion , ami wnw roiuandod . A pawnbroker ' h asniatuut who gavo evidence , Hairt Home of tlxo proporby waa plodgod thoro by a woman immud Ann Houthoy . Thin woman , who wiih ii contain of tho prinonor , guvo ovidonoo , uiul it ) npponroil that hor juuno wuh Elizabeth : on which tho niagiMtrato ronmrkod

    that it is the habit of pawnbrokers to give all women the name of Ann— " , " said the magistrate ' clerk , " some men too . " This , of course , offers an obstacle to police investigation . A Story of a . Bond . —An action has "been brought in the Court of Common Pleas against a cottondealer of Liverpool , named Martindale , to recover £ 2 , 000 , money received by that individual to the use of the plaintiff , Mr . Litt , a gentleman living near Carlisle . In the course of last September , Mr . Litt felt uncertain as to how he should apply this money and he was referred by a friend to a stockbroker of Liverpool , named Gladders , who recommended him to invest it hi the purchase of a bond , value exactly

    £ 2 , 000 , in the West Hartlepool Dock and Railway Company . Mr , Litt agreed to this proposal , and instructed Mr . Gladders to buy the bond , which he did , and shortly afterwards received the £ 2 , 000 purchase money , together with £ 10 for his commission , in the form of a letter of credit on Mr . Litt ' s bankers at Carlisle . About a week after this , Mr . Litt lad a letter from the broker employed by the seller o > f the bond , demanding immediate payment of the money . In consequence of this , Mr . Litt went to Liverpool to Mr Gladders , but , on arriving at his office , was told that Mr . GladderB was not in town , but that his clerk had an intimate friend who would tell Mr . Litt all he

    desired to know . This was Mr . Martindale , to whom Mr . Litt therefore went , but it was some time before he could learn from him much respecting Mr . Gladders . At length , however , Martindale , with soraae reluctance told him that he had got . £ 1 , 9 47 of the £ 2 , 010 which he had sent to Mr . Gladders to pay for the bond . This he said he had received in payment of a debt that Gladders owed him , and refused to give it up . It afterwards appeared that , hearing of the purchase by Gladders of the £ 2 , 000 bond , Martindale requested the stockbroker to lend him the money for one day , saying that he wanted to buy some cotton which he had not sufficient money to

    pay fbtv Gladders at first objected , on the score of such a proceeding being , under the circitmsfcanees , unlawful ; but , after a good deal of persuasion from Martindale , he consented , and placed in hiB hands £ 2 , 0 O 0 j the value of the ' bond , retaining the £ 10 cornmission for himself . On the afternoon of the same day Martindale called upon Gladders , and told him that he had got a balance against him . amounting to £ 1 , 947 , which account he had come to settle ; Gladders in vain reminded Martindale of his promise to . repay the money in a day , and represented to him what a painful dilemma he should "be placed in i £

    the ^ £ 2 , 000 were not refunded . Martindale replied fT-ictf . ha n / MiM — -- > - . ¦> ; - ¦> . M- SS inJtm „—— ~ Ui *< . i * . uuii Keep his promise , ana xutt « «_ j * c » v * ders should not have lent him the money . Gladdera was therefore eventually compelled to take the £ 53 minus the £ 2 , 000 , and afterwards went out of town to avoid the difficulties which he had bro \ igh . t upon himself by the transaction . Mr . Litt then brought the present action against Martindale . Mr . Hill , on the } : > art of the latter , contended that there was no case against his client ; but the j udge ruled that Mr Litt was entitled to recover the sum of £ 2 , 000 . The juiy therefore returned a verdict in his favour .

    Attempt to Poison . —A farm-labourer employed by IIr . Thomas Wanklyn , of Uaduock , has been charged before tlio magistrate at Rlonnaoutli , with having attempted to poison a shepherd named Tomkins , also in the service of Mr . Wanklyn . Tor tha better 1 cave of Ins sheep , Tonikins had temporarily occupied a small cot situated in the midst of his floclc . Here he kept a bottle of cider with which he daily refreshed himself . One day last woe"k , being thii'st . y , bo went to take a draught , bxit had no sooner tnstocl it , than ho thought it had a peculiar flavour , and therefore drank no moro . Immediately afterwards he felt a burning sensation in his throat and stomnch . His suspicions being aroused , ho emptied the bottle , and there found somo lumps of blue stone , partly molted . Having previously hiul a

    disngroement with tho other man , Toinltins nt <> neo suspected him . Ho , therefore , obtained assist mice , sought him out , aud charged him with attempting to poison him . This the other denied ; but Tom kinw ' suspicions being strengthened by tho confiiBod looks of tho man , ho iicrsistod in his charge , uml , on searching him , found in his pockets eomo sulphate of oo |> por in lumpa similar to those which had boon previously ( Hsouvorod iu tho bottlo . Upon this , tho man was k ivou into custody . Tonikins wns aiftorwurdu taken Huriouflly ill , but under modicul treatment , ha rallied , « uul ia now considered out of danger . \ Vhou brought boforo tho uingistnilo , Iho prisoner ngnin _ douiod tho charge , and aooountod for the fjulphralo of luixd found upon him , by Having that he had picked it ; w \> on tho rorul , tied in paper . Jlo wn « fully committed for trial .

    Tiik C ! ou > HonnKiims . —At tho further examination on Wodncttduy ol ' . JoUu > lall , oliargod . with boing conearned in tho gold r . ' - . oorrios botwoon London and 1 ' u . ria , a polloomun mud tho prisoner hud beon aontv miliUdfui * trial , as long ago ivs March , IB 41 , for reeuiviug a gold watoh whloh . had boon tttolon , but that being ' admitted to bail , h « j had nuvor wuirondoroil ,

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Feb. 23, 1856, page 7, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_23021856/page/7/