Posted By:	Vern Dander
	Email:
	Subject:	Death in CA 1857- Eliza MONROE (MUNROE), aged about 6 weeks
	Post Date:	November 15, 2007 at 12:09:46
	Message URL:	http://genforum.genealogy.com/monroe/messages/2559.html
	Forum:	Monroe Family Genealogy Forum
	Forum URL:	http://genforum.genealogy.com/monroe/

Am not related but may be of interest to someone who is. I have no further info, but additional newspaper extracts may be found at URL: http://www.newspaperabstracts.com/index.php Vern D ///////////////////////////////////////////////// Transcribed by Dee Sardoch ////////////////////////////////////////////////// Stockton Daily Argus Stockton, San Joaquin Co., CA ************************* >>Tuesday, 17 Mar 1857<< HORRID MURDER of an INFANT by its MOTHER -- A most horrible and revolting murder of a child by its mother took place in San Francisco Sunday. Suspicions had been aroused on seeing a woman named Eliza MUNROE carrying a large bundle to an outhouse, and upon search being made, was discovered the dead body of a female child about 6 weeks old, wrapped up in clothes hidden beneath the seat of the outhouse. The head of the child had been severed from the body by some sharp instrument, and it was evident from the appearance of the cut, that several strokes had been made. The head was wrapped up in several clothes and the body in others, and both were stuffed into a pillowcase. The coroner being informed of these facts, made an examination of the premises, which are on a triangular lot on the corner of Kearney, Market and Geary streets, and upon searching the woman's bedroom, found an axe, the blade and handle of which were bloody. Buried under the sand in the lot, he found several pieces of a bloody washboard, some bloody rags, a parcel of shavings and 2 large pieces of rosin. It was evident that the woman had intended to burn the bloody boards and rags, and perhaps the body itself. On being taken to the station house by the Coroner, the woman confessed having murdered the child, stating that it was illegitimate, and she thought its death would save considerable trouble and expense to her husband and to herself on account of her husband. She said that the axe had fallen from her hand 3 times while attempting to commit the horrid deed. She finally laid the child upon the wash-board, and with 2 blows severed the head from the body. She cleaned up the blood with rags which she concealed in the yard where they were found. She afterwards washed the head and body of the child, wrapped them up, and carried them to the outhouse. The woman, after reaching the Station House, was confined in a cell, and she is still there. She is rather tall; about 30 years of age; rather fine looking, but with a troubled and unsettled expression. She is said to be a native of Cork, Ireland. She has, neverless, told a calm story, and has not shown any insanity while in the station house. She walks her cell and seems much troubled. >>Wednesday, 18 Mar 1857<< INQUEST on the MURDERED INFANT -- Coroner KENT of San Francisco held an inquest on the body of the infant murdered by its mother, Eliza MONROE, the jury returned the following verdict: That the child's name was Eliza MONROE, aged about 6 weeks, a native of San Francisco, and that it came to its death by having its head severed from its body by blows from an axe in the hands of its mother, Eliza MONROE.