The tryal of Spencer Cowper, John Marson, Ellis Stevens, and William Rogers, Gent : upon an indictment for the murther of Mrs. Sarah Stout, a Quaker. Before Mr. Baron Hatsell, at Hertford Assizes, July 18. 1699. Of which they were acquitted. With the opinions of the eminent physicians and chyrurgeons on both sides concerning drowned bodies, delivered in the tryal. And the several letters produced in court.

  • Cowper, Spencer, 1669-1728.
Date:
1699
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The tryal of Spencer Cowper, John Marson, Ellis Stevens, and William Rogers, Gent : upon an indictment for the murther of Mrs. Sarah Stout, a Quaker. Before Mr. Baron Hatsell, at Hertford Assizes, July 18. 1699. Of which they were acquitted. With the opinions of the eminent physicians and chyrurgeons on both sides concerning drowned bodies, delivered in the tryal. And the several letters produced in court. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Dew, She lay-fide-Ways, with her Eyes broad open, and her Teeth clenched fart into her Head, with Water flowing a little fiom her Face, fome Part of her, and her Petticoats were above Water. Mr. Jones, Did nothing hold her from finking ? Dew, Her right Arm lay againft the Scake. Mr. Jones, Did you fee her after flie was taken out of the River ? Dtw, Yes Sir. Mr Jones, Was flie fwell'd ? Dew, I did not perceive fhe was fwell'd at all. Mr. fonts, Did you handle her ? Dent, No, I touch'd nothing but her Petticoat. Mr.' Jones, Did you obferve her Legs were in the Wacer ? • Dim, Nb» I did not. Mr. Cowper, Did you fee where her right Arm was ? Dew, I could not fee her right Arm, the Water flow'd over it. Mr. Cowper, Did you fee her after this time ? Dew, No Sir, I faw her taken out, but not afterwards. Mr. Baron Hatjfell, Did you fee her after fhe lay on the Ground ? * Dew, Yes, my Lord. Mr. Baron Hatjfell, How was fhe then ? Dew, She purg'd at the Nofe and one of her Eyes; I did not take particular Notice after Ihe was out, the notice I took was when Ihe was in the Water. Ux. Barm Hatjfell, What did you fee at her Eye ? Dew, Froth, my Lord. Mr- Jones, Did you fee her after flie was ftripp'd naked ? Dew, No, my Lord. Tvlr. Jones, Was it a fettled frothing, or a purging ? Dew, A purging Froth Mr. Baron Hatfell, Did any Body wipe it off? Dew, No, my Lord, I did not fee any Body do it. Mr. Baron Hatfell, Then there was no Froth come ? Dew, No, my Lord, I faw her froth at the Nofe and one of the Eyes, as foon as fhe was taken our, but I did not flay long. Mr. Cowper, Was fhe in her Stays ? Dew, Yes, Sir. Mr. Cowper, Was fhe not lae'd ? Dew, Yes, flie was laced before and behind. Mr. Jones, Call Thomas Dew. (Who was Sworn,) Did you fee this Mrs. Stoat in the Wa- ter ? Pray give my Lord and the Jury an Account what Pofture fhe was in. Dew, I faw her lying in the Wacer floating, above the Water I will not fay, but the Water run fome fmall matter ovetjier, her right Arm was within the Stake, and her left Arm without, {be lay juft upon her fide, and I faw her when flie was firft taken up, and her Shoes and Stockings were as clean as when they were put on, no Mud nor Dirt upon them ; and I faw her Shoes and her Stockings, as high as h«r Knee almoft, but I faw no Dirt. Mr. Jones, Do you believe that fhs had been funk to the bottom ? Dew, She did not look as if fhe had, nor I faw no Water come from her. Mr. Jones, Did you obferve, that flie was fwell'd at all ? Dew, No, nor fwell'd that I perceived abit; there was a little Froth that came out of her Nofe, and about her (I cannot fay f om her Eye) in that it was a fmall Quantity. Mr. Jones, Call Mr. Edward Blackno. (Who was Sworn,) Did you fee Mrs. Stout, when fhe lay In the Water ? Blackno, Yes, I did fee her lie in the Water floating j I was fo near, that I faw the Millet's Man lift her up by one of her Aims out of the Water. Mr. Jones, Was the Arm bent or ftraight? Blackno, It hung in this manner, (fliowing the Court how with his own Arm) Mr. Baron Hatfell, The other Witneffes faid, fhe lay on her right fide. Blackno. Yes, fhe lay on her right fide, and her Arm in this manner. Mr. Baron Harfta, r»:.i v„„ ^(Wve her to be fWiled ? Blackno, I did not fee her taken out. Mr. Baron Hatfell, Did you obferve any thing to hinder her from Finking f Blackno, No, I did not ; nothing but the Water, Mr- Cowper, I think, Sir, if I heard you right, ycu fav, that this taking by the Arm, and ftirring her, was before flie was taken out of the Wacer ; then I would know after fhe was flirred, was flie let go again ; was you by at the taking of her up ? ( Blaikno, No, I was not. Mr. Baron Hatfell, He told you fhe was floating when he faw her, and that nothing hind red her frcm finking. (Then William Edmund* and William Page were Sworn,) Mr- Jones, Edmunds, did you fee Mrs Stout when flie was in the Water ? Edmunds, Yes, Sir. Mr Jones, Give an Account what Poftjre fhe was in. Edmunds, She lay againft the Stake, her Head lay againft the Stake in the River ; we were coming up In a Barge, and called to a Miller to draw the Water, but he faid he could not, for then flie would fwim through ; and then we came on, and fee her lie in the Water. Mr. Jones, Did any thing hinder her from finking ? Edmunds, Not that I faw. Mr. Jones, Did no part of her Legs or Arms flick? Did you fee her taken out? Edmunds, No, I did not, I was gone; I did not know whether they would take her out or nol Mr. Jones, Page, Did you fee Mrs. Stout upon the Water ? Page, Yes, Sir. Mr. Jones, Tell us how flie lay. Pag*, She lay floating in the Water on her rigi t fide, with her Head between the Stakes. Mr. Jones, Did her Arms or Cloaths, or any thing flick ? Page, Not that I faw. Mr. Jones. Did any thing hinder her from finking? Page, I faw nothing. Mr. Cowper, Did you fee her Legs or Knees ? Page, No, I could not, they were not out of the Water. Mr. Jones, Swear Mrs. Anns Ulfe, (which was done} Did you fee Mr?. Stout in the Water ? Ulfe, Yes, I helped to pull her out; flie lay on one liJe in the Water floating, and the Water came over her Face. Mr. J ones% Did flie flick by any thinq ? Ulfe, One of her Arms was about the Poft. Mr. Jones, How ? Ulfe, It got through the Grate. Mr. Jones, But it did rot hang ? Ulfe, No. Mr. Jones, Did you take her cut ? Ulfe, Yes, Sir. Mr. Jones, Did you mind her Cloaths ? Ulfe, Yes, I turn'd up her Petticoat in the Water.' Mr- Jones, Had flie Gloves on ? Ulfe, No, Sir. Mr. Joins, How we-e her Shoes and Stockings? Ulfe, They were not muddy, her Stockings were rolled down, fhe had no Garters on. Mr. Cowper, You fay, one Arm lay through the Stakes, where lay the other ? Ulfe, The other was down in the Water. (Then William Horn was Sworn) Mr. Jones, Did you fee Mrs. Stout in the Water ? How,, Yes, Sir, I fee her lie upon the Water, fhe lay afloat; fhe mi^ht He 3 or 4 Inches deep in the Water. Mr. Jones ^