The Express.
London, England, 1863-05-05 00:00:00

SHOCKING DEATH PROM STARVATION
IN ST. Luirrs.

An inquiry was held by Mr. H. Raffles Wal-
ther', the deputy-coroner, at the Green-pte Tavern, City-
road, last night, respecting the death of Edward Barley,
vied 24, who died from destitution under very distressing
circumstances.
. . . . _

Elisabeth Barley said that deceased was a patent firewood
Dirket. He only earned 10a a week at that calling, and
he was frequently out of work. On runday week he was
seized with fits of convulsions, and he continued in them
with but little intermission until Wednesday even-
ing, when he was removed to the workhouse, and died.
He had not sufficient food. He had no bed, only a few
shavings. They had been sleeping in the streets for five
weeks, until within the last fortnight or three weeks. They
slept on doorsteps, or anywhere, until he got into work.
He had been long subject to fits, and ...items had lost her
employment at a paper-gainer's named Williams through
attending him. Her employer said to her, "If you like to
see to your husband rather than your work you must leave."
She had applied twelve months ago for out-door relief, but
the overseer would not g;ve it. He said demand was not
ill, and he should enter the house and break stones, which
he was not able to do.
Mrs. A. Aymer, 4, Radnor-street, St. Luke's, said that
three weeks sgo the deceased took a room in her house.
He and his wife were in extreme distress. They lay on the
boards of the floor until he bought 3d. worth of shavings,
of which they made a bed. They had no riveting at all.
They had never slept in a bed since Christmas. They were
sober, and a tly industrious. Last Tuesday witness
heard a pee iar noise, as if some one was in convulsions on
the floor. and on the Wedoleday she heard Mrs. Barley say
"He is dead ; be is dead." Witness went into the room,
and learnt that he had been in a fit since Sunday night,
Mrs. Barley aid that she bad given him no nourishment, as
she had noes, aid they did not like to let their poverty be
known. Witness sent for the parish doctor, but declined
died almost immediately.
Dr. Bletchley, raroehial surgeon, said that he found
deoemed lying on a few shavings, in dreadful ooevulsiona.
He was in a deplorable coalition of misery. There was no
sign of food about the place—not a scrap of any kind. Wit-
ness had him removed to the infirmary of the union, but he
died in ea hour. He died from epilepsy, brought on cer-
tainly is a great measure by want of food. The wife hada
great aversion to entering the workhouse, and wished to keep
deceased io the room to nurse him.
. . .

The Caroner said that he found such aversion to be very
general, and, indeed, to amount to abhorrence. Why not
give outdoor relief, which would coat lees to the parish, sod
would assist men to maintain themselves in seasons of diffi-
culty
Dr. Eletchley said that other parishes might to support
many of the applicants, and the latter could not be
to their settlement unless they entered the house. pawed
present case the relieviog officer was not responsible for
refusing relief, as the husband should have applied is person
and not by his wife. Every persoo io the house cost se. 10d.
• week, a sum larger than the labouring classes generally
could lay out on each individual of their families.
The Coroner said that no doubt strict legality was
observed in everything that had been done, but it was
evident that until the system was altered deaths from
starvation would be constantly occurring.
The jury returned • verdict of "Death from epilepsy,
caused by want of food."

CHURCH MISSIONARY Ba:inv.—Yesterday ever-
lag the Archbishop of Canterbury preached is the parish
church of St. Brace, Fleet-street, before the president,
committee, and members of the Church Missionary Society.
The church was filled to overflowing. The prayers were
read by the Rev. Charles Marshall, M.A., the vicar. His
grace selected for hie text the 16th verse of the let chapter
of St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans—" I am not ashamed
of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto
salvation." He adverted to the infidel speculations which
were so unblushingly put forward in various quarters, and
warned those who were engaged in missionary work against
any doubts relative to those Christian verities which had
remained unscathed amidst all the tionvalsions of the
world. He spoke in hopeful terms of the society's opera-
tions in Ind* Africa, and various parte of the world. and
expressed his deep regret that the society's income for the
last year had fallen short of that of the previoos year by
5,000/. Unless that amooot were supplemented the opera-
tions of the society must be severely crippled. His grace
also spoke of the efforts being made to spread Christianity
in the Island of Madagascar, where penecutioo of the
Christian faith was in former times so rampant. His grace
made an earnest appeal on behalf of the feuds of the
society, and it was liberally responded to.