Cheltenham Murder Stories - 1863

It will be remembered by our readers that in the Daily Post of the 27th --- there appeared a paragraph announcing the fact that the remains of a child were found, under very singular and mysterious circumstances, under the staircase leading to the underground kitchen of 1, Ormond Terrace, Regent Street, Cheltenham. Last Wednesday week, and inquest was held on the remains. The circumstances attending the discovery of the body were then given and published in our columns, and the enquiry was adjourned till Wednesday, in order to give the police time for investigation, and the enquiry has since been vigorously pursued. At the Police Court, yesterday, before Colonel NEWMAN, a very respectable looking young woman, of prepossessing appearance, named ELIZA PERRIN, described in the charge sheet as a single woman, in service at 27, Westbourne Park Villas, London, was charged with the wilful murder of LIZZIE PERRIN, at Cheltenham, on the 6th of September, 1863. – Mr. NICHOLS, Deputy-Chief-constable, applied for a remand until Monday, for further evidence. – Police constable WILLIAM BOWLES was then examined, and said: I received the warrant for the apprehension of the prisoner on the 4th of this month. Yesterday morning, I went to 27, Westbourne Park Villas, London. I there saw the prisoner, who was in the capacity of a servant. I asked her if her name was ELIZA PERRIN, and she said “Yes.” I then charged her with destroying her child, LIZZIE PERRIN, at Cheltenham, in September, 1863, and cautioned her as to what she said, telling her I was a police constable. She said, “Do not tell the people of the house.” She went upstairs and I followed; she went into her bed room, I remained at the door. I heard her say, “Oh dear; what shall I do? What will they do with me?” Addressing me she said, “Come in, and tell me all about it.” I then cautioned her as to what she said. Prisoner then said, “It was down-right want that made me do it. The man that had the child at nurse told me that I must take it away that very night.” – By Colonel NEWMAN: It would appear the prisoner was at the time in lodging, and the child was out at nurse. – Witness continued: The prisoner said, “I took the child with me, I had no where to take it to, nor a penny in my pocket.” Upon this evidence the prisoner was remanded until Monday next.

The discovery of human remains at No. 1, Ormond terrace, Cheltenham, said by medical men to be those of a child about two years old, together with the apprehension of the mother, and the circumstances under which the remains were discovered, have caused no little commotion in Cheltenham. The accused is a young woman of prepossessing appearance, named ELIZA PERRIN, whose friends reside at Broad Brunsden, near Swindon, Wiltshire, and who, we believe, was brought to Cheltenham in the service of a clergyman, with whom she some time remained. She was afterwards seduced by a coachman, whose name it will perhaps be as well not at present to disclose, who allowed her to seek the shelter of the workhouse during her confinement. It was noticed that she appeared to be particularly attached to the child, which, on leaving the house, she placed under the care of a Mrs. BICK, whose husband was formerly superintendant of police in the Dursley district, to whom she agreed to pay a certain sum weekly. Failing to carry out her agreement, she was ordered on one occasion by BICK, when she went to see her offspring, to take the child away with her at once, adding that she should not leave his house without doing so. At that time, it appears, she was in the service of Mr. COX, a professor of music, residing at No. 1, Ormond Terrace. She took the child, but having no friends in Cheltenham, and not a penny in her pocket, as she confessed to Police constable BOWLES, who apprehended her in London, she carried it to her place of service; but how the death of the child was brought about has not yet transpired. She left the service of Mr. COX, and procured a situation in London, in the service of a gentleman engaged at the Bank of England, whose family were greatly attached to her in consequence of her general conduct and attention to her duties, and the blow to them on hearing of the charge against her was somewhat severe. The circumstances which led to the discovery of the remains have already been laid before our readers; but as the accused is to be brought before the magistrates this morning it may not be out of place to recapitulate them here. On the 26th of September, as some masons were employed in altering and repairing No. 1, Ormond terrace, they noticed that the surface of the soil in a recess beneath the staircase had been recently disturbed; and as their suspicions were somewhat increased by the perception of a most disagreeable odour, one of the men turned up a few spades of earth, and brought up what appeared to the skull of a child. On making further search the whole of the remains of a child, which, from the appearance of the teeth, was judged, as we have said, to be about two years old, was brought to light. Around the neck was a woollen scarf, tightly tied, but when touched by the men the fabric separated, evidently from decay.