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The Times
Monday 23 April 1900
The Assizes
At Manchester, on Saturday, in the Crown Court, before Mr. Justice Bucknill, ELLEN WILLIAMSON, 25, factory winder, was charged with the attempted murder of her child, Jane Williamson, and slo with attempted suicide. Mr. F. H. Mellor appeared for the prosecution, and, at the request of the learned Judge, Mr. McKeand defended. The prisoner's health had broken down about two years ago, and she had become weak and melancholy, with the result that it was considered advisable to keep a watch upon her movements. Jane Williamson, the child, who was illegitimate and about five years old, attended the St. Andre's day school at Burnley. On March 27 last the mother went to the school and asked to be allowed to take the child away, as she was going to provide a new home for her. The mother and child were next seen later in the day struggling in the Leeds and Liverpool Canal at Brierfield. The prisoner had left her shawl on the canal bank. Pinned upon it was a piece of paper on which were the following words:- "My last request is that only my brother and Herbert Smith attend my funeral, the latter so as to help to lower me." Both mother and child were rescued, and the former, on recovering consciousness and learning of the safety of her child, exclaimed "Thank God for that." His Lordship, as soon as this evidence was given, said that he felt no jury would convict of attempted murder after that evidence. The jury having acquiesced, a similar course was taken with regard to the charge of attempted suicide. His Lordship then inquired if the infirmary or prison doctor was present, and, learning that no doctor was present, said that he did not think it right that the medical man from the gaol should be absent from the assizes when a case of this nature was likely to come on. If he had been there he should have asked him to make a mental examination of this poor soul. As it was, he was obliged to discharge the girl, and he hoped some one would be responsible for her. Mrs. Lewis, the visiting lady of the gaol, then came forward and said she would take charge of the girl, and Williamson accordingly went away in her company.
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Mel
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