The story of Mary Morgan 2
The verdict
A verdict of guilty of murder
Mary was
too ill to travel to Presteigne, where the Assizes were held,
until the 6th of October. The document which can be seen on the
next page illustrates a small detail of her life in prison at
this time.
By the time of the start of the Session in April 1805 she had
been locked up for almost six months, under the grim prison conditions
of the day. By this time Mary had just turned 17 years of age.
The fateful day in her short life was Thursday the 11th of April,
the final day of her trial 
before
Judge Hardinge, when the jury found that she was guilty of the
murder of her child.
The Judge's final address to Mary has been described as "consisting of pious platitude... without pity or understanding".
After the trial Mary
Morgan was returned to the gaol at Presteigne, this time to the
condemned cell. It has been claimed that a gentleman who
witnessed
the trial immediately set off to London to seek a reprieve for
Mary, but failed to get back in time to save her because his
horse went lame. However, there does not seem to be any evidence
to support this version of events.
There are 5 pages on Mary Morgan. Use the box links below to view the other pages.
