The Express.
London, England, 1863-12-25 00:00:00

SUICIDE PROM RELIGIOUS MANIA.

Yseterday morning Mr. H. Maas Waltbew
deputy coroner. held an inquiry at the Alma Taves% Aboat
street, New North-road, remproglieg the death of NM
Sophia Moos, sgsd 40 years, w emonidied wad& soder
oozy melancholy turcumstauces. Miss S. amok 41. Alma-
street, said that her sister molded with her, aid had bees
for some time past much depressed is spirits. She wee sot
in good health, but was eider medical treetamat Om
Monday teat she said to witosse that she felt • great ia.
dinettes to make as with herself. She was a parson of a
serials timperameat and very religiose. She (the wit-
s's') told her to pray against the temptation. At three
o'clock witless west out, telling deceased that she would
be back very moos. Ina few milieus she returned, and
cow deceased apparently standing in her room with her
face turned towards the bedpost. As she did not answer
when spoken to witness west up to her, sad sew ales was
hanging by a cord which was round her seek. Whom
immediately cut her doers. Dr. Anodes was pawing, sad
whams called him in. Deceased appeared to be alive, but
she died directly. Mr. Waller, coroner's officer, produced a
sheeted paper cia which deceased, just previous to her death,
had written a 'mg religious statement commencing, 'Oh
Lord, I believe ; help thou my unbelief. They shall
came to thee in weeping and 'application, sad all for sia."
Tba (Moser said that the document was that of a
parses labouring wider some religious mania. It did sot
mattes the cause of the suicide, but it appeared that the
motive was some (storied shortoomiop in religious duties.
Mrs. Elias Markham said that the deceased bad boos very
desponding far some time past. Whams was called in es
Masday last, sad food bar tyke as the bed with a mad
twided tightly rotted Mr neck. Wilson removed it. The
deemed was is indepeodeat eirewnsissess. Dr. Amides
rid that the deceased had bees appireetly deed 80020 time
when be mew her. There was a very deep mark of cods
round the neck, sod death bad resulted from st
lzatoZ. The jury returned a verdict that thrr lett:
sided" while is a state of naseend Naiad.

DRAMATIC F.IITIRTAIIIMIMIT.—Art amateur per-
formance has jest been given at the St. James's Theatre,
by the member, of the Tottenham-hoses Dramatic Society.
The programme eomprised the Overt comedy of Jar
Bull, and the faros of Raising the Wing Preterionl
assistance was obtained for the feruale elearecten, these
being sustained b kn. Hoary Maretoo, Miss Marie Hein
demon, Miss Ada sad Wee Lavine. Mr. J. G. Shore
(by persinice of . Feebler) nadertock the duties of
stage Maseger, aad s prologue was prepared for the marks
by Mr. George PeA. Amor the professionals Mir Ada
Dyes perMedarly distinguished herself, and amen the i.e.
tarn Mr. W. Bacon and Mr. A. Wilkie. The other amateur
Csribyers were Mews. H. Limner, H. W. Tillsoo, R.
, H. Mcdelepheas (who also spoke the prologue), T.
J. King, K. Miller, G. Riley, Torokinsoo, S. Simmons, and
J. S. aeurrward. Mr. John Grieves gave an admirable
solo es the cornet-a-piston, Mr. W. Saunders sustaining the
harp obligate. The esterminment was honoured by berg
fully and farionably attended. sod all the member, of the
firm (Mears. J. Shoolbred sod Co.) were present. It re
, a emenseed that the proceeds would be given I. the Fatly
Moles Association.

The following minute of the Poor-law Board on
this saki& has jest been published :
" The Poor-law Board have resew* obieleed from the
esemel ineeropolitasi unions and parishes Mena showing
the ed.& of accommodation provided for &Wilde Tag:sate
end wagerers, and the numbers who either remind or who
wore mimed a sight's lodging during the lint week of each
of the menehs of January, March, May, sad August, 1863.
It appears from those returns that, is the swept., &eon-
toodatiou is provided is the several metropolitan work-
houses for 997 such yentas. But the sooomatectstios is
very unequally dietribated. In some unions sal parishes
the provision appeals to be sufficient ; in others, however, it
is amallestly inadequate; and the board have teases to
Pappas that in the latter cases a serious aid unequal
berth's is, in consequence, mat upon those neighbouring
unities and parishes which have incurred the exposes of pro-
vidag the requisite wards. The Mention of the board
(as the guardians are aware) has on several
previous occasions been directed to this im-
portant subject ; and some years ago the legislature,
by the Act 7 sad 8 Viet.' c. 101, sanctioned a scheme for
meeting district asylums for the reception of the wandering
sad marl poor of the metropolis. ()wag to various ceases,
the chief of which was a want of co-operation on the part
of several of the boarda of guardians, that scheme, after an
titercommittee of the House of 0011111110116. was
Is 1808 the Poor-law Board, by a clash,
again refined to the defects in the mode of seleglarateriag
rebel to vegraate and bowsaw poor in the metropolitan
district, sad endeavoured to induce the boards of guardians,
I by united action, to exercise the powers conferred upon
them by the statute already referred to. Sines that time
the guardians, in a few iOlllOOOll, have provided additional
acomateedation, but throughout the district generally the
inme defects contume to prevail. The Poor-law Board
therefore consider it necesiary at this period, when the
water is rapidly approaching, to named those who are in-
trusted with the direction and administration of relief, of the
rem and =Mot of the obligations which the law has im-
posed apes them. It is a fundamental principle of the
poor-law that every destitute person, without refereoce to
the question of settlement or residence, is primarily
entitled to relief where be is actually destitute,
and it is the duty of the guardians to see that
all amesary and reesgoieble arrangements are made
foe aliening to every such person the requisite
relief—whether in food, clothing, medical atteadaoce, or
lodges& To meet these requirements, the parochial au-
thorities are empowered to rides all asemeary sums by local
taxatios. With respect to the vagrant sad housslees
poor, it is obviate that the hied of Masi requited, is the
aightat least, is sot se much food and clothing as laden*.
It is eszeneseary to remark that to provide lodging for
every applasset indiscriminately is this rem metropolis
would eniesarage vagrancy and imposture of the waist de-
scription, sad perpetuate all those evils which were pointed
out by the board, m their minute of the 4th August, 180.
But the obligation epos the guardians and their officers to
afford the requisite relief to .11 redly destitute applicants
is nevertbelem imperative, sad cassia be evaded. The sent
ocesideration, therefore, which arises, is with respect to the
meaner in which relief can be provided with the knit liabi-
lity to abate. In every union or pariah sot comprised is a
union there should be, sober in the workhouse or se.-
where, proper and sufficient wards, according to the speck'
circumstances of the locality, for destitute wayfarers and
wanderer; and meats, such as the law oceetempiates and
the Poor-law Board have frequestly suggested, should be
provided with the view of natiog the red coaditiee of each
applicant. In unions sad parishes where the existing
wards sad workhouse accommodatios may be insufficient,
the board consider that it is the duty of the
guardians to make such further arreagemeista, whether
permanent or temporary, as will ensure for every
wanderer and wayfarer actually destitute. and app =
there for food and shelter, sufficient progenies and
for the night. The general duties of them ohm °diem
who are responsible for the actual sdnosisirsike of relief
may be briefly explained. The master of a workhouse, or
is nee of his absence or inability to act, the metre* is re-
quired to admit every applicant who may appear to him or
her to reclaim relief through say sudden or urgent neces-
sity, although such applicant has not obtained as order of
admission either from the guardians, relieving officer, or
overseer. If the master and matron should be both absent
from the workhouse or incapable of performing their duties,
at the same time, it is the duty of the potter to admit and
Omani the receiving ward any pence who may apply at
the workhouse for relief under similar circumstances. The
board have decided that the meter of a workhouse within
the metropolitan district may properly admit, under the
above regulations, any person who may be brought there by
• police °Gettable, sad described as having been found
abroad in • state of destitution, the presumption being that
the applicant has been guilty of no °fleece that would
authorise his detention in custody. It is the duty of
the relieving officer also, in every cam of sudden or
urgent necemity, to relieve every destitute applicant,
either by offering admission to the workhouse,
or providing, so far as practicable, all such neceaseries
as may be actually requisite, without refugees to the time
of application or to the place where the pauper has last
slept. The board are desirous of impressing upon boards of
guardians the importance of giving special directions to the
master and matron of the workhouse and also to the porter
that, whenever the workhouse or vagrant wards are full,
they should be extremely careful to inform all applicants
for admission of the residence of the relieving officer in
order that the requisite relief may be supplied by him.
Printed tickets with the name and residence of the reliev-
ing officer Amid be provided and delivered in such
eases by the master, matron, or porter to every
applicant. If the applications are likely to be
very numerous, and to Mariam with the ordinary
duties of the relieving officer, or to require marl atteginr:
from him in the eight, an amutant !nay* 0.41/ should
be appointed to 41100. N.ses sitiusively. In antral
piria of the couslty ionmgemeots have been made with the
polies to undertake the duties of assistant relieving officer
of vagrants, and the board are assured that the adoption of
this plan has been atttended with very beneficial
results. It will be seen, from what has been
already stated, that under the existing law. if
properly and judiciously applied, sufficient arrangements
may be made for affording relief to every destitute person
without incurring the risk of encouraging vagrancy. The
Poor-law Board having thus pointed out the requiremeuta
of the existing law, and the beet means of discharging the
obligations which it imposes, trust that they may rely sport
the guard-sine and their oftioers to give practical effect to
this minute. " C. P. Vmurss, President.
"Poor-law Board, Whiteeall, Dec. 21."