Mexborough and Swinton Times December 13, 1919
Wath Baby Case.
Mother Committed For Trial.
Evelyn Hobson (17), single, of Nash Row, Wath-on-Dearne, was brought up in Custody at the Rotherham West Riding Police Court, on Tuesday, before Mr. W. Dyson, J.P., charged with concealing the birth of a newly born female child, whose body was recovered. from the Dove and Dearne. Canal, on the 25th November.
Arthur Jackson, kiel captain, of 26, Steward Street, Doncaster, giving evidence said that on the 35th November, he was placing a rope on the capstan at the Dove and Dearne Canal, when he saw a bundle floating in the water, He took the bundle out of the water, and on examining it, he found the decomposed body of a female child, wrapped in clothes. He informed Insector Chappell, of Mexboro’, who took it to the mortuary, at Mexborough, when an inquest, was held, and a verdict of “Found dead, in the Dove and Dearne Canal, at Adwick-on-Dearne, no evidence to show cause,” was returned.
Dr. Huey, of Mexboro’, said he had made a post-mortem examination of the body, and found the skin bleached, and the face swollen, and in an advanced state of decomposition. There were no marks of violence. In his opinion the child had had a separate existence, and had been in the water fourteen days.
Sydney Hobson (13), brother of the prisoner, identified the clothes wrapped round the child, as belonging to him. He also remembered his sister being -ill a few weeks’ ago, but she was only ill for about three days.
Lillie Prigmore, wife of Arthur Prigmore, of 14 court, N yeah ash Row, a neighbour of the prisoner’s, noticed that the prisoner was ill and looked pale. On asking the prisoner what was the matter; she said that she had a bad cold.
Emma Dexter, wife of James Dexter, 2 Edna Street, Wath, late of 14 court, Nash Row, corroborated the last witness. A fortnight before the witness left Nash Row, the prisoner told her she had had no sleep the previous night (Sunday night).
Inspector Hoyle said that on the 29th November, he visited the Roman Hotel, Swinton to make enquiries re the clothing wrapped around the child. On asking the prisoner, she replied, “I threw them in the ash pit when I was cleaning up some weeks’ ago.” On giving the brother’s statement, and saving that circumstances pointed to her being the mother of the child, the prisoner said that the baby was hers; and that it did live over three minutes when born. She wrapped it up in the ‘clothes and , put it in a closet upstairs for three days, and then threw it into the Dove and Dearne canal.
The prisoner made no comment during the time she was in court, asking no questions of any of the witnesses. She was committed for trial.
The magistrates granted bail, accepting the surety of the prisoner’s father, Sidney Hobson, of 1 court, 13 house, Doncaster Road, Maltby, who was bound over in the sum of £10.