Hi Lettie
This is an edited version of the inquest, there is a lot more detail about the crime in the newspaper:
April 24th 1841 Carlisle Patriot - Child Murder
John Hogg of Pateshill, parish of Irthington, farmer, lived with his daughter Mary and grand-daughter named Jane, her illegitimate daughter, whose age is upwards of 30. On Saturday morning last, the farmer who had been in a declining state of health for a considerable time, became much worse, and the neighbours were called in… the old man shortly expired.
During the time the neighbours were in the house, Jane Hogg was in a bed in a room upstairs… she was heard to moan several times during the morning between six and nine o’clock, and her mother remained with her the principal part of that time. Nothing occurred to attract the particular attention of those downstairs, but it being reported that Jane was pregnant, suspicion arose that she had bore a child, and by Monday (the day of John Hogg’s funeral) it was pretty freely talked about. On Monday afternoon, the report was made known to Mr Carrick, the coroner… he accordingly proceeded to Pateshill, accompanied by Mr Graham, surgeon of Brampton…
Mr Graham soon satisfied himself by the most unequivocal proofs that Jane had been very recently delivered…after considerable delay, Mary said that she would produce the body if Mr Graham and Mr Carrick would retire into another room. She accordingly brought the body into the room, and laid it upon a chair. It was without any covering – there were very severe contused bruises upon the forehead, nose and mouth, as if they had been struck with violence against a wall, and a piece of tape was tied round its neck. It was evident that the presence of this ligature had escaped Mary’s attention, for as soon as it was noticed she made a snatch to tear it away… A post mortem examination was made by Messrs Graham and Armstrong, surgeons, who proved that the child had been born with life and had died from strangulation.
After an investigation of several hours, the jury returned a verdict of Wilful Murder against Jane and Mary Hogg – the latter was committed to gaol, and Jane will be removed as soon as she is sufficiently recovered to undertake the journey.
An account of the trial is in the Carlisle Patriot August 7th 1841, if you contact Carlisle library they could copy it for you.
cheers
Bridget
http://longtown19.website.orange.co.uk/ 