The Express.
London, England, 1848-01-26 00:00:00

DEATH IN PRISON.-GIVING A FALSE

CHARACTER TO A SERVANT.
Lest evening a long inquiry was gone into by Mr.
Bedford and a jury in the prison, Tothill-fields, Westminster,
as to the death of Mrs. Hannah Thomas, aged 46. The de-
ceand, who was mid to be most respectably connected, lived
at 40, Keppeletreet, Russell-square, and on Friday was
taken before Mr. Henry. at Bow-street, on a charge of
giving a falai character to a man named John Maunsel, who
wee represented to have been two years in her service as
footman. She was fined 201., and, in default of payment,
sentenced to two months' imprisonment.
Ann Penny, one of the wardens of the prison, deposed
that on Saturday morning, after breakfast, deceased was
sect to the work-room to pick oakum. Her dress was taken
from her, and the prison garb substituted.
Ann Stone, a sub-warder, said that the cells were not
heated with pipes, but prisoner had two blankets and a rag.
On Sunday she made no complaint and was locked up as
b..fore. At half-put seven the next (Monday) morning
witness found her lying on the floor with her bed and bed
clothes,. She spoke to her, but she could not or would not
get up. She called Mrs. Anderson, another warder, and she
was raised up, but was apparently unable to stand; they,
however, put her day clothes on. On her return from break-
fast the deceased was sitting in the corner where they Lad
left her, and talking to herself—The Coroner: Did it not
occur to you to send for the surgeon t—Witness replied she
did not, for she thought she was "shamming," as many other
prisoners de. On going to the deceased she appeared deed,
but by order of the matron' who was sent for, she was put
into a warm bath, and the doctor having been apprised of
her illness almost immediately attended, but when taken out
of the bath she was quite dead. She had no notion when
she was put in.
Mr. John Levies, of 5, Great George-street, the surgeon
of the prison, stated that he saw the decased on Saturday,
not on account of any illness she complained of suffering,
but that she wished him to intercede with the magistrate to
revoke her sentence. She spoke of the disgrace of being
there, and cried very much. He saw her the next day, but
she made no complaint. On Monday morning he was sent
for at half-past eight, but on his arrival at the prison at 9 she
was dead.—the Coroner : It has been said by the witnesses
that the cells are not warmed by artificial means I—Mr.
Lavin: Yes, that is so; but I consider them warm
enough : the temperature is from 45 to 50. The
cells are warm enough not to injure health. I never
found such to occur. Mr. Lavin then stated that he had
opened the body, and found about a pint of venous blood in
the cavity of the cheat, which had come from the lungs, and
fully accounted for the death.—The Coroner : The witnesses
state that the deceased was found lying on the floor with her
bed clothes; that they thought she was "shamming."
There seems to be too much discretion left with the warden.
—Mr. Lavin remarked they had no business to exercise it.
It was foe him alone to judge.
Lieut. Tracey. the governor, concurred. The jury would,
however, scarcely credit the tricks that were attempted by
prisoners, and some of the old officers thought they could
detect their impositions, but they had no right to endeavour
to do so,

After some further di.cusaion the jury returned a Ter-
diet that the deceased died from natural causes.

PHOSCCOTIONs.—The several pollee-courts ill the
metropolis have received the following directions on the
subject of prosecutions for all serious offence' within their re-
spective diericts :
Whitehall, Dec. 30, 1817.--Gentlemen,—Souns instooes kav m.
Gently occurred of prisoners charged with serlaneelliness Wog Man
mined for trial, and of public inconvenience experisassi tram vial of
directions to counsel to prosecute, I am divested by Ilswelney Sir
George Grey to desire that for the future, in all serious owes of men.
mitten, when the party injured is not bound over, or is usable to pro-
secute, you will transmit as early as possible, fur the informadon of
the Pacretary of State, copies of all depositions team by yea therein,
that the same may be convidered, and directions riven ior peewee-
time.-1 am, in, S. M. PsiLLirrs.
SOCIETY OP GUARDIANS FOR THE PROTECTION
OP TRADIS.—An extraordinary meeting of this society was
held yesterday. for the purpose of taking into consideration
the state of the law with regard to lending goods upon hire,
and to take measures to promote the appointment of a public
prosecutor, the lessening of expenses in criminal proeeed-
s, and the more efficient punishment of swindlers and
bill-stealers. Mr. Alderman Farebrother took the chair ;
and • very long discussion took place upon the state of the
law which permits goods lent upon hire to tenants to be
seised by the landlords for rent. Several cases of hardship were
given by Messrs. Collard and Collard, pianoforte manufac-
turers, and Messrs. Chappell, music-sellers, of Bond-street, in
reply to which it was urged, in the course of the debate, that
the parties let out goods knowing the liability, and that they
charged, therefore, a higher rent or commission upon
their use. The sense of the meeting seemed to be against
any interference, as not likely to produce any practical re-
sults ; and • motion to refer the subject to a committee was
lost. On the other subjects upon the notice paper being in-
troduced by Mr. Barber, who spoke warmly in faveur of the
efforts made by Mr. Gray to secure the conviction of the
swindlers who hod robbed him, it was, after much considera-
tion, resolved that a public meeting should be called, for the
purpose of considerink them, es well as the necessity for
amending the law relating to the lending of goods on -hire.
This resolution being arrived at the meeting separated.
ROTAL FREE HOSPITAL. The annual general
meeting of the governors and subscribers of this institution
was held last evening, at the Hospital, in Gray's-inn-lane,
Mr. William Pritchard, the high bailiff of Southwark, in the
chair.—The report stated that the receipts for the year 1847,
amounted to 3,4471. 12s. 64., exceeding those for 1846 by the
sum of 8151.3 s 11d. The expenditure, irrespective of the
amount paid towards the liquidation of the debt, had been
2,4211. 17s. 9d., of which about 9001. was left unpaid. The
number of patients relieved during the year was 22,021 ;
Making a$ the total relieved since the foundation in 1828,
263,746. The debt of the hospital at Christmas, 1846, was
5,3271. Bs. Bd., of which there had been paid off during the
past year, 3,027 11.. 7d., leaving a balance still owing at
Christmas last of 2,2991. 17s. Id. It was stated there were
recent legacies, which would aeon be available, amounting
in the whole to 1,0001. The committee hoped, before many
months had elapsed, to see the hospital entirely free from
debt; and they would gladly witneus the re-opening of the
two large ward. now closed in consequence of the depression
brought about in the funds of the institution by so large a
portion of the debt having been paid off.—The report was
adopted, and the committee for the ensuing year having been
elected, together with Mr. John Masterman, M.P., as trea-
surer, thanks were voted to the chairman, and the meeting
separated.
MONOPOLY OF PRACTICE IN THE PALACE COURT.
—A meeting of gentlemen belonging to the legal prof, salon
took plus last evening at the Gray's-inn Coffee-house, Hol-
born, to take measures for the abolition of the Palace Court,
or to Out an end to the monopoly which exists in its practise.
Mr. Herbert, of Staple-inn, presided. At seven o'clock,
scarcely half • dozen gentlemen having arrived, Mr. Clark,
the gentleman who h.d originated the proceedings, said he
had received a letter from one of the counsel engaged in the
cause now pending, called "The Queen o. the Lord Mayor
of London." He was not at liberty to state the name of the
gentleman, but he thought his communication might have
some influence on their proceedings. The writer, after
calling attention to the difficulties attending the abolition of
the Palace Court, in the way of iapense, &c., stated that the
case of " The Queen v. the Lord Mayor of London," in a
great degree involved the question of opening all inferior
courts generally to the proteseion. The Court of Queen's
Bench had decided the question in the affirmative;
but a writ of error upon the judgment bad been
already partly argued. It might, therefore, be a
question for the meeting whether the closing of
the Palace Court, with its heavy attendant expenses, was
advisable, when it might appear that the monopoly of which
they complained was at an end. The writer did not mean
to say that the two questions were erectly the some, but he
considered them to be too similar to one another to be
treated differently. Mr. Claik then went on to say that the
question on which he wished to obtain the series of the
meeting was, whether or not they would wait the decision
as recommended. He proposed • resolution, by which the
meeting agreed to postpone proceedings until the decision
was given. Some conversation ensued, arising out of the
remarks of Mr. Abrahams, who considered it best to pro-
ceed at once to buainess ; but the result was, the adoption
of Mr. Clark's motion, and also of another, appointing a
committee, consisting of Mr. Herbert, Mr. Clark, and Mr.
Abrahams, to inquire into the nature and constitution of the
Palace Court, and report thereon to a subsequent meeting.
The proceedings then terminated.
LNQUEST, YESTERDAY. ALLEGED MATRICIDE.—
By Mr. W. Baker, at the Cooper's Arms, Golden-lane,
respecting the death of Mary Leary, aged 60 yearn, whose
death was alleged to have been caused by injuries she had
received from her daughter, Julia Leary, aged 30 years. The
deceased was principally supported by her daughter, and
lived in a miserable apartment in Little Chespside, St.
Lake's. They were both very dissipated characters, were
frequently intoxicated, and repeatedly quarrelled. On Fri-
day morning Julia went home very drunk and struck her
mother with • poker. About two :o'clock the following
nasealm she was found in bed quite dead.—lnspecter
Ibuyeeteek said the daughter was a most desperate woman,
soft Ina frequently been in custody for disorderly madam
Ism wogs shies she was charged with throwing a female
helm MEW, who received a fracture of both legs, She
1111111Noraded several times, and after the female had left
deo WIWI she refused to press the antra and Leary was