From the Kent Herald, 10 June 1824.

Death.

June 6, at Chatham, Mrs. Leppard, wife of Mr. Leppard, at the "Prince of Orange," Public-house.

Kent Herald, 30 January 1845.

Suspected Cases Infanticide.

On Thursday last an inquest was held at the "Prince of Orange Tavern," Chatham, before J. Hinde, Esq., coroner, and a respectable jury, touching the death of a female newborn infant.

William Godfrey, landlord of the "Prince of Orange," stated that Anne Brenchley had lived servant with them for the last six months, and left on Monday night last from ill health. He had since heard she was a married woman. He on the next morning Tuesday made search in the ash-hole in the yard, where he observed something tied up in a handkerchief, which proved to be the body of a new-born female infant.

By a Juror:- Brenchley was absent on Sunday night from 8 till 10, but whether on the premises or not he could not say. She seemed poorly, and he asked her if she would have something to drink. She said she had the rheumatics in her head. She was a good servant, and conducted herself respectably.

Sarah Maunder, the church charwoman, corroborated her masters testimony as to finding the body, &c. &c.

Emma Sarah Godfrey, wife of the first witness, stated that she had for some time suspected and Brenchley to be in the family-way, and had accused her of it several times; but she always denied it. On Sunday night she absented herself for nearly two hours. Witness repeatedly called her, and at length she answered her. The voice seemed to come from the privy, but as it rained very hard, witness did not go to her, and in about a quarter of an hour afterwards she came and sat herself down by the tap room fire. She looked ill, but witness did not suspect what had happened. She got up the next morning, and went about a workers usual, but still appeared ill, witness advised her to go home for a week or two. She left at about 9 o'clock at night.

Archibald Robertson, surgeon, deposed that he attended and found the child tied up in a cloth in the wash-house. Founds the naval string had been torn, and the ends of both the divisions exactly fitted each other. He afterwards visited the woman, who was at her sisters in the Marine barracks, where she confessed that she had been delivered at the "Prince of Orange." Had since made a post mortem examination of the body. It was full grown female child, recently born, and with proper care the child would have lived. Mr. Robertson was directed by the coroner and jury to visit the woman, and as a tine if she were able to attend, and on his return reported that she was ill in bed, and in consequence the inquest was adjourned.

Kent Herald, 6 February 1845.

The Suspected Infanticide at Chatham.

On Tuesday the inquiry into this case was resumed, when Archibald Robertson, Esq., the surgeon, was again sworn. He stated that he had seen Ann Brenchley every day since the adjournment, and that she was still too unwell to attend, or to be examined. He had given this case his most serious consideration, and was confirmed in his opinions that the child was born alive, but that there were various causes which might have led to its death, independent of any criminal act on the part of the mother; he was not, however, able to account for the cause of death, unless from one of those circumstances he had mentioned. There were no marks of violence on its body.

The Coroner briefly summed up, and the Jury, after a short deliberation, returned their verdict "That the deceased was found dead, without any marks of violence appearing on its body. The officer was then requested by the Coroner to report the case to the County Justices at their next Petty Sessions, which he accordingly did on Wednesday, and received their instructions for his future guidance.

It was ascertained in the course of the inquiry, that she is the wife of a soldier in the 60th regiment, named Wood.