Horrible Cruelty to a Child.

 Maryleborn Police Court - A woman named Anne Davis, who cohabited with a stone-mason at 6, Molyneux Street, Lisson Grove, was charged at this Court with cruel treatment of one of her children, a little girl, eight years and a half old, by burning her with a red-hot poker.

The defendant, who carried in her arms an infant, seemed to be about 40 years of age; she was very respectably attired, and her countenance certainly did not be token a cruel disposition.

The sufferer, a sickly-looking child, was led in by a young woman who had humanely interfered.

Mr. Long read the warrant to defendant, which set forth the nature of the charge of cruelty against her, when Defendant eagerly and imploringly said, "I did it in the heat of passion."

The poor child deposed:- I am eight years and a half old. The defendant is my mother. Yesterday fortnight my sister gave me some cocoa to drink, and because I took it at her bidding my mother scolded me and burnt me on my bottom with a red-hot poker; after that she made me take off and wash my clothes; before I did so, and while I was quite naked, she beat me with a cane and whealed me, and also kept pinching me.

Mr. Long. - At what hour was it she burnt you with the poker?

Child. - At 6 in the evening, and at about 7 she tied me tightly to the bedpost with a rope round my waist. When my father (the man living with defendant) came home she loosed me for a time, and then tied me up again, so that I was obliged to lie upon the floor under the bed all night. My legs were tied together in the first instance, and so were my hands, but my hands were loosed when my father returned. I was secured tightly to the bedpost the whole of the next day by cords, my legs, but not my arms, being then confined.

Mr. Fell (the Chief Clerk). - Were you supplied with any food during the time you were tied up as you have stated ?

Child Yes, sir, a little. On Tuesday morning my mother gave me some milk and water and a little dry bread for my breakfast. I had the same for dinner.

Mr. Long. - When were you untied? On Wednesday morning.

Mr. Long. - Who then untied you? My mother.

Mr. Long. - When did you first tell anybody about what had happened to you? - On the next Friday, when I left the house and went to Kew to my grandfather and aunt, who live there. [The parties alluded to were not relations.]

Mr. Long (to defendant). - Do you wish to ask this child any questions?

Defendant (to her daughter). - How many times have you run away? Child - Several times, mother.

Defendant. - And why have you done so? Child - Because you threatened to give me a good hiding.

Prisoner. - I have always treated you as well as I have the rest of my children.

Mr. Long. - Then if you have done so, you must, according to what has appeared before me, have used all your children most cruelly.

Mr. Fell. - You don't beat them all with a red-hot poker, do you?

Defendant made no answer to this question.

Emma Gibson. - I live at 4, Bryanstone Place. On Saturday morning last, in consequence of something which I had heard from my brother, I went to the defendant, and asked her if she had heard anything of her child; when she said she had not, and that she should not trouble herself to look after her any more. I told her I thought she had better go to the workhouse to see if she was there, as it was such a wet night; she said she would not do anything of the sort, and she should be glad if the child was out in the wet and lying under a hedge. She told me she had given her a good beating with a stick and burnt her bottom with a poker, which she had taken red-hot from the fire. She did not consider it would have been any sin to have "put away with it" if nothing had been found out respecting it. On Sunday I went to Kew and examined the child's person, when I found upon the right side of her posteriors the marks of a burn, as if caused by a red-hot poker as described; it was as broad as three of my fingers and as long as my hand; it was very sore and inflamed, and is so at the present time. The poor child cannot yet sit without experiencing much pain.

The prisoner was brought up again on a subsequent day. She now appeared to feel acutely the position in which she was placed, and shed tears plentifully. She was committed for trial. She pleaded guilty, and was sentenced to six months' imprisonment with hard labour.