Huntingdon Bedford and Peterborough Gazette 31 Mar 1838: Mary Sell charged with murdering her infant
CHARGE OF MURDER. — Mary Sell has this week been committed to Bedford Gaol, charged on the coroner’s warrant with having murdered her female infant, at Trumpington, near Cambridge, on the night of Thursday, the first of March. The girl left her place of service, at Trumpington, on the morning of Friday, the 2nd March, to go into the service of Mr. Hugh Smith, a farmer, residing at Edworth, near Biggleswade; and, about three weeks after she had left, a fellow-servant fancied a smell proceeded from the box which Sell had left behind her, and on examination of the contents, the dead body of a female infant was found amongst them. The girl, it seems, had been delivered of the child the night before she left Trumpington, and the child put into the box where it was subsequently found. The inhuman mother then went direct into the service of Mr. Smith, where she has been engaged in the usual avocations of a house-servant. The reason assigned for the diabolical act is the disgrace that would be brought on the family from the knowledge that the girl had had an illegitimate child. She will now abide her trial at the Midsummer Assizes on the capital charge.