Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 12.pdf/138

 A Bogus Baby Case. cast upon her, and left Bridport for London in February. At first she stayed with a Mrs. Crabbe in the northwest of London, but tor the alleged reason that the accom modation there was not suitable for a con finement and that she began to expect the child sooner than she had anticipated, she took lodgings elsewhere. For this pur pose she selected a house in Kensington road, in the south of London, the same house where her child, May Montague, had beenfront the born. drawing-room The room which she occupied had a bedwas in j it. There she and her sister, Mrs. Pike, went to stay on Thursday, February 22nd. Harly on the following Saturday morning, according to their story, the child was born, there being no one present but Mrs. Pike, who said that owing to the lock being out of order she was unable to undo the door of the room so as to fetch assistance. About seven o'clock in the morning the door of the room was opened with the assistance of the servant girl, and the baby, a full-time child, -was shown to the kind and inquiring landlady. A local doctor saw Mrs. Salis bury during the course of the day and both mother and child were going on satisfactori ly. The trustees' solicitor communicated with this doctor, and as a result Mrs. Salis bury consented to a medical examination, provided that Dr. C., whom she knew, was present. Unfortunately, at the time arrang ed, Dr. C. was taken ill, and when the other doctor wished to make the examination, alone, she flew into a temper at the sus picion that was cast on her, and refused to allow the examination. This was the weak est point in her case, for however angry a woman might be at suspicion, she would on reflection be only too glad to have it re moved, if it were groundless. On the other hand, an obstinate and hot-tempered woman might persist in a foolish refusal, as her consciousness of innocence would make her intensely angry at the accusation. She had moreover consented to an examination if

her own doctor were present. He had arranged to come, and his' subsequent ill ness was either an unfortunate or a fortunate event for her. Mrs. Salisbury's story was a circumstantial one. It was as follows. She said that she first knew that she was in the family way in October, and she then expected the child in April. She talked to her husband on the subject and when her husband was taken ill in January, she told his physician that she would want him to attend her confinement in a few months. On his death-bed her husband asked her to give the child, if it was a girl, the name of Hannah Priestley, and if it was a boy any name she pleased, provided it contained the name Priestley. There was no one present during the con versation, to which Mrs. Salisbury deposed. Her object in coming to London after her husband's death was to save the family pictures — small portraits which had been pledged by her husband, and were going to be sold. She intended to stay only a fort night, and to go back to Bridport in good time for the confinement in April. Shortly after her arrival in London, she tried to find the nurse who had attended her when May Montague was born. After many inquiries she found her, and asked her if she would go to Bridport about the end of April. She left a card with her address upon it, and this card was produced in court, and was identi fied by Mrs. Salisbury. On Sunday, Febru ary 18, when she was still staying with Mrs. Crabbe, she felt a change in her health and knew that her confinement would soon take place. As Mrs. Crabbe had no suitable ac commodation, she took the same room in Kensington road, in which her daughter Monty had been born. She slept there that night with her sister, Mrs. Pike. Next day they drove about London in a cab, looking for a nurse, and did not get back till about nine o'clock in the evening. They went out about ten to get supper. Before returning they had a quarrel and separated. Mrs.