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Bathurst Courier, May 5, 1848
On Thursday last an inquest was held in the town on view of the body of an infant male child by Robert Muirhead, Coroner, when the jury returned the following verdict: “that the infant found died on the 25th April, inst., was born alive and that it came to its death through willful neglect of its mother; and it is the opinion of the jury from the strong presumptive evidence brought before them; that Ann Glascott, nursery maid in the employ of Hon. R. Matheson in this place is the mother of said infant”. Thomas Brooke, Foreman
Bathurst Courier, May 12, 1848
The trial of Ann Glascott for misdemeanour ended yesterday evening a short time before going to press. We cannot, therefore, enter as fully into the matter as we would have wished. Jane Griffith, a servant in the household of R. Matheson, found the dead child in the bottom of the privy wrapped in a red flannel child’s frock resembling those worn in Mr. Matheson’s family.
Mr. Matheson, when informed, took immediate steps to have an inquest held. Jane Griffith and Mary Cogrove, another servant, had both been suspicious that Ann was pregnant and that on Saturday, 13th April she was delivered of a child in Mr. Matheson’s nursery. Dr. Wilson testified the child was fully grown and a male and its neck had been broken. Dr. Nichol examined Ann and felt she had recently been pregnant. R. E. Matheson testified he did not know she was pregnant. Verdict of the Jury: Guilty
PERTH MYSTERIES AND HISTORY: All Summer Long
The Sad Tale of Unwed Mothers of Days Gone By — Perth through the Ages Tour
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