South Eastern Gazette,17 January, 1860.

Friday. (Before the Rev. G. Davies, J. Hulkes and T. H. Baker, Esqrs.)

John Bramble, who had been admitted to bail, appeared to answer a charge of having severely injured an infant, eight months old, named Thos. Buss, at Hoo. Mr. Bassett appeared for the accused.

The mother said she went to the defendants beer-house at Hoo, where her husband was, and on wishing him to come home defendant interfered and pushed her out, squeezing the infant she had in her arms. The child was so much injured that it was not expected to live for several days, the sight of one of its eyes having been destroyed, besides other injury.

Cross-examined:— When she went to defendant’s house on the occasion she was very cross. When the defendant pushed the door against the child its head was against the door and the door post. Did not say when she was in the beerhouse that she would make away with the child.

James Moon, a lad, said he heard Mrs. Buss tell defendant that he had injured the child, on which he said he would serve her and the child so again.

Thomas Buss, the father of the child, gave corroborative evidence as to the injuries inflicted by the defendant on the child.

Mr. W. J. Cunningham, surgeon, who attended the child, deposed to the injuries which had been inflicted on it. The bridge of the nose was crushed in, the jaw injured, and the right eye entirely gone. The injuries inflicted were such as would have been caused by the infant being crushed in a door.

Mr. Bassett, on the part of the defendant, gave a complete denial to the assault, suggesting that it might have been caused by the mother and father, who were both drunk on the day in question.

John West said he saw complainant at the defendant’s house. The husband and wife were quarrelling, during which the mother said she would kill the child. Defendant requested her to go out, on which she went away, and defendant shut the door. After a short time the mother came in and sat down by witness, but she did not complain of the child having been injured. They then both left Mrs. Buss cried "Murder" outside, but witness could not tell why she did so.

George Smith, a lodger in defendant’s house, gave similar evidence.

Ann West said the mother of the child came to her house about three o’clock on Christmas-day, bringing the baby with her. The child was wrapped up in a damp shawl, and witness, after examining it, told her she had better take it home, or it would die with the cold. Witness warmed it, and it then smiled. There was nothing the matter with it.

William Whiffin said he was outside his house at five o'clock on Christmas evening when he heard Mrs. Buss calling out to her husband that he had killed the child, and that it was dying. It was dark at the time, and he could not see her.

The magistrates, having occupied nearly four hours in the investigation of the case, came to the determination to send the case before a jury.