See also
| Husband: | James DAVIES (1843-c. 1915) | |
| Wife: | Mary Ann HECTOR (1845-1908) | |
| Children: | Martha Jane DAVIES (1868?-1876) | |
| Dinah DAVIES (1870?-1872) | ||
| Samuel DAVIES (1871?- ) | ||
| James DAVIES (1873?- ) | ||
| Thomas DAVIES (1876?- ) | ||
| Maud DAVIES (1879?- ) | ||
| John DAVIES (1880-1880) | ||
| Amy DAVIES (1881?- ) | ||
| Rose DAVIES (1882?- ) | ||
| Frederick DAVIES (1885?- ) | ||
| Marriage | 4 Aug 1867 | Marylebone, London, England |
| Trinity Church, Marylebone Bachelor and Spinster, both of full age were married after banns. He was recorded as living in Upper Marylebone Street, Marylebone, and she in Trinity District. Witnesses were James Challis and her sister Georgiana Hector. |
||
| Name: | James DAVIES | |
| Sex: | Male | |
| Father: | Samuel DAVIES ( - ) | |
| Mother: | - | |
| Birth | Jul 1843 | Petersham, Surrey, England |
| Occupation | Bricklayer | |
| Census | 2 Apr 1871 | Twickenham, Middlesex, England |
| No 1 Delhi Cottages (General shop) | ||
| Occupation | 2 Apr 1871 | Bricklayer; Twickenham, Middlesex, England |
| Census | 3 Apr 1881 | Twickenham, Middlesex, England |
| Chestnut Road | ||
| Occupation | 3 Apr 1881 | Bricklayer; Twickenham, Middlesex, England |
| Census | 5 Apr 1891 | Twickenham, Middlesex, England |
| 44 Chestnut Road | ||
| Occupation | 5 Apr 1891 | General Shopkeeper; Twickenham, Middlesex, England |
| Census | 31 Mar 1901 | Twickenham, Middlesex, England |
| 44 Chestnut Road | ||
| Occupation | 31 Mar 1901 | General Shopkeeper; Twickenham, Middlesex, England |
| Census | 2 Apr 1911 | Twickenham, Middlesex, England |
| 44 Chesnut Road | ||
| Occupation | 2 Apr 1911 | General Shopkeeper; Twickenham, Middlesex, England |
| Death | c. 1915 | Twickenham, Middlesex, England |
| Name: | Mary Ann HECTOR | |
| Sex: | Female | |
| Father: | William HECTOR (1820-1882) | |
| Mother: | Jane CANN (1819-1892) | |
| Birth | 1845 | Crediton , Devon, England |
| Census | 30 Mar 1851 | Crediton , Devon, England |
| Libbets Court | ||
| Occupation | 30 Mar 1851 | Scholar; Crediton , Devon, England |
| Census | 7 Apr 1861 | Pancras, Marylebone, London, England |
| 35 Frederick Place | ||
| Occupation | 7 Apr 1861 | Servant; Pancras, Marylebone, London, England |
| Census | 2 Apr 1871 | Twickenham, Middlesex, England |
| No 1 Delhi Cottages (General shop) | ||
| Census | 3 Apr 1881 | Twickenham, Middlesex, England |
| Chestnut Road | ||
| Census | 5 Apr 1891 | Twickenham, Middlesex, England |
| 44 Chestnut Road | ||
| Census | 31 Mar 1901 | Twickenham, Middlesex, England |
| 44 Chestnut Road | ||
| Death | Q4 1908 | Twickenham, Middlesex, England |
| Name: | Martha Jane DAVIES | |
| Sex: | Female | |
| Birth | 1868 (cal) | Twickenham, Middlesex, England |
| Census | 2 Apr 1871 | Twickenham, Middlesex, England |
| No 1 Delhi Cottages (General shop) | ||
| Death | Q1 1876 | Twickenham, Middlesex, England |
| Name: | Dinah DAVIES | |
| Sex: | Female | |
| Birth | Sep 1870 (cal) | Twickenham, Middlesex, England |
| Census | 2 Apr 1871 | Twickenham, Middlesex, England |
| No 1 Delhi Cottages (General shop) | ||
| Death | Q2 1872 | Twickenham, Middlesex, England |
| Name: | Samuel DAVIES | |
| Sex: | Male | |
| Birth | 1871 (cal) | Twickenham, Middlesex, England |
| Census | 3 Apr 1881 | Twickenham, Middlesex, England |
| Chestnut Road | ||
| Occupation | 3 Apr 1881 | Scholar; Twickenham, Middlesex, England |
| Name: | James DAVIES | |
| Sex: | Male | |
| Birth | 1873 (cal) | Twickenham, Middlesex, England |
| Census | 3 Apr 1881 | Twickenham, Middlesex, England |
| Chestnut Road | ||
| Occupation | 3 Apr 1881 | Scholar; Twickenham, Middlesex, England |
| Name: | Thomas DAVIES | |
| Sex: | Male | |
| Birth | 1876 (cal) | Twickenham, Middlesex, England |
| Census | 3 Apr 1881 | Twickenham, Middlesex, England |
| Chestnut Road | ||
| Occupation | 3 Apr 1881 | Scholar; Twickenham, Middlesex, England |
| Census | 5 Apr 1891 | Twickenham, Middlesex, England |
| 44 Chestnut Road | ||
| Occupation | 5 Apr 1891 | Scholar; Twickenham, Middlesex, England |
| Name: | Maud DAVIES | |
| Sex: | Female | |
| Birth | 1879 (cal) | Twickenham, Middlesex, England |
| Census | 3 Apr 1881 | Twickenham, Middlesex, England |
| Chestnut Road | ||
| Census | 5 Apr 1891 | Twickenham, Middlesex, England |
| 44 Chestnut Road | ||
| Occupation | 5 Apr 1891 | Shop assistant; Twickenham, Middlesex, England |
| Census | 31 Mar 1901 | Twickenham, Middlesex, England |
| 44 Chestnut Road | ||
| Occupation | 31 Mar 1901 | Shop assistant; Twickenham, Middlesex, England |
| Name: | John DAVIES | |
| Sex: | Male | |
| Birth | Q3 1880 | Twickenham, Middlesex, England |
| Death | Q3 1880 | Twickenham, Middlesex, England |
| Name: | Amy DAVIES | |
| Sex: | Female | |
| Birth | 1881 (cal) | Twickenham, Middlesex, England |
| Census | 5 Apr 1891 | Twickenham, Middlesex, England |
| 44 Chestnut Road | ||
| Census | 31 Mar 1901 | Twickenham, Middlesex, England |
| 44 Chestnut Road | ||
| Occupation | 31 Mar 1901 | Dressmaker's assistant; Twickenham, Middlesex, England |
| Name: | Rose DAVIES | |
| Sex: | Female | |
| Birth | 1882 (cal) | Twickenham, Middlesex, England |
| Census | 5 Apr 1891 | Twickenham, Middlesex, England |
| 44 Chestnut Road | ||
| Census | 31 Mar 1901 | Twickenham, Middlesex, England |
| 44 Chestnut Road | ||
| Occupation | 31 Mar 1901 | Dressmaker's assistant; Twickenham, Middlesex, England |
| Census | 2 Apr 1911 | Twickenham, Middlesex, England |
| 44 Chestnut Road | ||
| Name: | Frederick DAVIES | |
| Sex: | Male | |
| Birth | 1885 (cal) | Twickenham, Middlesex, England |
| Census | 5 Apr 1891 | Twickenham, Middlesex, England |
| 44 Chestnut Road | ||
| Census | 31 Mar 1901 | Twickenham, Middlesex, England |
| 44 Chestnut Road | ||
| Occupation | 31 Mar 1901 | Library assistant; Twickenham, Middlesex, England |
Flying Post Thursday 22 December 1859, Issue 4888
Devon Winter Assize
WILLIAM TAYLOR, 36, an accountant, whose trial was proceeding when we went to press last week, was charged with having, on the 18th August last, at Crediton, feloniously administered certain noxious powders to MARY ANN HECTOR, with intent to procure her miscarriage.
Mr Bere prosecuted and Mr Carter defended the prisoner.
Mr Bere, in opening the case, said the prisoner was a man in a respectable position of life, and was in the employ of MR BADCOCK, a wine and spirit merchant, at Crediton, as an accountant. At the latter end of last year the prisoner was a married man, and had four children. MARY ANN HECTOR, the prosecutrix, was then in the habit of assisting the prisoner's wife in the household duties as a daily servant. MRS TAYLOR died in November 1858, and the prosecutrix was then taken as the domestic servant in the house. She was seduced by the prisoner, who, the prosecution now alleged, had, for the purpose charged in the indictment, administered or caused to be taken by her certain noxious drugs.
MARY ANN HECTOR, the prosecutrix, proved these facts. She stated that she was fourteen years of age, and after she entered the prisoner's service, and after the death of his wife, he seduced her. In August last, in consequence of some conversation, the prisoner promised to get something from a chemist's for her, "which would set it all to rights." A few days after he gave her some powders, which he told her to take. On taking the first, about the middle of August, she found it had a sickly, burning taste. The prisoner told her, if questioned why she took it, to say it was for a sick headache. After taking it she was sick and fainted, and was ill for some time. The following day another powder was administered. The same effect was produced on taking the second as followed the taking of the first powder. After the administering of the second powder, the prosecutrix left the prisoner's service. Three weeks subsequently she again visited the prisoner. He again gave her some powders; and she said she "could not bear the thought of taking them." He said - "Can you bear the thought of giving birth to a child?" She replied - "That would be worse still." She then took more powders and other things the prisoner gave her, but without any effect. The prisoner then said he would procure something else, and afterwards gave her some mixture, which he told her to take, and added, "it will produce a miscarriage." She took the contents of the bottle, but it did not produce any effect. Prosecutrix's family shortly afterwards discovered the intimacy which existed between the prosecutrix and the prisoner, and these proceedings were then instituted.
Cross-examined - She did not recollect that she had ever told the prisoner she was enceinte. The prisoner had said he would not give her anything after the child was alive.
The prisoner, on his apprehension by P.C. Lamacraft, stated that he wished not to be apprehended. "Go," he said "and fetch MRS HECTOR. I'll give anything to settle the matter, as I know I have done wrong; but I am not guilty of that which is specified on the warrant. The girl has taken nothing but salts and senna, which she mixed herself and took away, and that is what they charge me with, I suppose."
Mr H. F. Warren, surgeon, stated that from the evidence he had heard from the prosecutrix, as to the effect the powders had caused, he should say that it was a noxious drug.
Mr Carter: Can you venture to name, from the evidence you have heard, the name of the drug?
Witness: Certainly not.
Mr Carter: Can you, as a medical man, conclusively say that any noxious drug has been taken at all by the girl?
Witness: No; it is a matter of opinion formed from the evidence which I have heard.
Mr A. J. Caning, surgeon, gave similar evidence. He should say that the drugs administered were noxious.
This concluded the case for the prosecution.
Mr Carter submitted that there was no case to go to the jury, but his Lordship decided that there was.
Mr Carter then addressed the jury for the defence. He submitted that although it was to be regretted that the prisoner had been guilty of an indiscretion, yet the jury were not to try him for that offence. The question was aye or nay, did he on the 18th August administer to the prosecutrix any noxious powder with the intent charged; for although subsequent events had been introduced into the case, the jury had not to try him on these. The case for the prosecution rested solely on the evidence of the prosecutrix, to whom he contended the jury ought to attach but little weight, as she was evidently an accomplice in the case.
MR JOHN BADCOCK, wine and spirit merchant, THOMAS SANDERS, and MR ARUNDLE bore testimony to the prisoner's general good conduct.
His Lordship having summed up, the jury retired to deliberate, and were absent nearly two hours. On returning into Court they said they found the prisoner guilty of the attempt.
The Judge: Do you find that it was a noxious thing?
A Juror: We cannot say it was a noxious thing.
The Judge: Then you say not guilty?
A Juror: No, my lord, I can't say that.
The Judge: Then you must go back again.
A Juror: By a noxious thing we mean poison - (Laughter)
The Judge: You had better go back to your room and reconsider your verdict.
The jury retired, and returned with a verdict of NOT GUILTY.