The Express.
London, England, 1851-01-07 00:00:00

to the death JiMomes Wiilism Browe,-1;787137C:i11117i;
inmate in the Lunatic Asylum, Peckham !louse, Peckham.

Mr. Low attended for the Commissioners of Lunacy, and
Mr. Bennet for the guardians of Clerkenwell.
Mr. Carter having sworn a jury, Mr. Low, sub sheriff
for the county, stated that he appeared on behalf of the
COniIIiN:JUVIS of Laascy, and that he was prepared t 3
take every step necem ,ry for furthering the ens ju,ke.
Mr. Bennet, assio•out clerk to the Bard ot O.,ardiana of
Clerkenwell parish, stated that be attended with a similar
object.
The superintendent of the infirmary was examined—l
knew the deceased. He was in the asylum as a lunatic
patient. I have known him for five or six menthe. I was
present at his death, which took place in the infirmary where
lam an attendant. He came there about tour days More
he died, about the 26th or 27th of December. He never had
been under charge before, except for a night occasionally.
Coroner—Why did he come under your are ?
Witness—On account a the treatment.
_

Coroner—Now, don't talk of whiiT•l-you beard.
Wan...A—Well, he was in bed when I ease and took
thaw of him.. . . . .

A Juror—Yea had not charge of the icfirmery pre-
vieu►ly ?
Witness—No. He was under the care of the medical at-
tendant, Mr. Burt.m. Ile survived about four <lsm 1 was
up with him three nights, another person one, end he died
on the following morning. I make no metnur.indum, but
it is my duty to report the death to the domor. I did so
immediately the death occurred.
The witness here seemed confused about his deter, aril
a juror asked why he noun not state the dime or death
exact?

b.
Witness—Why, we tate so little notice of days in thorn
he asylum) that I regime some time to count.
Coroner—Why, an deaths ao common there ?
Witness (quickly) —N o, sir. It was on Wednesday night,
but two other deaths occurring on the same night cantuttd
me. I attended him for three nights, and another 'tenon,
named Shepherd, was always sitting at his bedsi 'a. Ho
was a complete lunatic, fail of faunas, and Mooted there
were boards in ht. body all the time. He bad Ste, but ro-

ceived co injury while under my hands. He p.tientt
did not complain. Nothing occurred to him while under my
care to cause his death. I cannot say whether the arm was
broken. All I beard of it was, that one patient raid homey
Hill do it, and *nether said he did it himself. One ot
thaw patient* woe named Donnelly, the other Attwood.
Thomas Stevens examined—l am in the service of Mr.
Arriwrong. I knew the deceased ; I knew him trim April
last. He was a patient, and a very bad one. lie never
would take his food without forcing at ell times. I fcd
him myself for two months. I had at all tiaus a great
ditSculty in getting him to take it. We used to stand oval
him aril feed him with a spoon. He used to clench his
teeth, and we were sometimes obliged to torte them open.
We used to foree them open with a spoor, but w. to not
allowed to ose any other means. He has hod two very
severe fihr. He had the first tit on Sunday, toe next on
Monday. One side wee constantly twitching.
A Juror—Paralysis ? Which side was it ?
Witness—The si-e opposite the aim.
Coroner—We don't want to know that. Which side
Witness—The right side.
Cothaer—W hat was the nature of the injury ?
Witness—lt was a sever* bruise. The arm was epite
black. I dressed it under the inspection of the doctors,
Mr. Dickenson and another medical attennant. They were
b sib most attentive. I don't know how the bruise army,
except by hearsay. I only know what the patients say.
Coroner—We cannot take that of course.

Witness—A. man named Hill found it oat, and reporftd
it. When I came to want him I found the body bruieeil.
Nothing was &no to him while I was ever Lim. 0., Ban-
day he had • fit which !sated semo hours. I rent for the
doctor, and he attended. His irate of mind was very bad.
He fancied he was made entirely of boards, and need to
pull open his 'Dirt to show the boards in his chest. Ile :was
a decided lunatic. He had another fit on Tuesday.
appeared to me to be paralysis. His right side was aa
affected and his right cheek quivered for hours. He never
spoke after Sundae. I raw hem kit on Wednesday, and did
not thick he was dying. I laid him out.
Coroner—D:d you discover any injury on his perm ?
Witness—There was a blackness on his shoulder and arms.
Ha had extra (coil most of his tune, mutton diva, porter,
Occ., bemuse his habit of resistance had made him very weak.
Coroner—The body appean much attenuated, how do you
account for ft ?

Wilness—From hia habit of refusing his fool. Two or
three bad charge of him during his residence, but Hill had
charge of him in the infirmary. Ile was nadir his care
about six weeks. I did not attend on him in the infirmary
until after his smelliest, when I was sent to attend on Lim
by day,
Coroner—ln what state did you find him ?
Watnesa—l found him in bad, Dr. Hill having called ma
up. Nothin,f happer.ed to him while I was in a•tendanto
(except the al. I do not know from what tba blafkneu
arose. Ido nit know that the &ceased had soy coniplairt
except frum lunacy. I never knew him him a tit before
Sunday.

C Jr.:inn—Da you knew whether he received any hurt ?
Witness-1 don't know, but I board he did. lia was sTnt
up to the infirmary wi.h soave instep. He wee anst.ya weck
from refuting food, but he could walk. I have had no cos-
sssssssss with Hill. Hs wee at once shifted .ut of the
in drmary. . .

The coroner eked when Hill was' and wu informed be
wu in custody. Tile eoruner said baabottld not have bean
committed until beard before bum

Mr. Law said that if the guardians had not committed
him, he should hove demanded that course himself. The
commission, re had taken a great deal of trouble with the
case, and bad examined witnesees on oath presious to toe
man's death. They considered it a very grave cue, and
had refused bail.
Mr. J. T. Burton examined—ls surgeon and apothecary
in the asylum. Knew the deceased ; had known him since
the 30th of Merck. On Friday, 27th December, ray atten-
tion was drawn to the state of his left arm, by the attendant
of the ward, Samuel Hill. It was very mach serallen, in-
flamed, ant braised, about the shoulder and upper arm. and
on examicing is clouly I found it, fractured close up to the
joint I sent kr Kr. Fidler, the visiting surgeon, and he
applied the prop., treatment. At that time the patient was
very sullen, and would answer no questions. I then loft tae
ward, having done what was necessary far the man. I had
previously nguested Mr. Arran:ono( to see the man. I
teen met Dr. Ludt, the late superintendent, and requested
him also to tee toe man. Ahaut an hour alter 1 took a
stat,meot from the patient himself as to what happened.
Coroner.—l cancot take a statement from a lunatic in a
matter affecting a man'. life.
Several Jur..rs.—We should lake to hear the statement,
and judge for ourselves.
Coroner.—At present we'll omit that statement ; I think
it more advisable. Go on with your evidence.
Witness.—Tee man gradually Income exhausted until be
died. I saw Lim three or four times a day. Ile end at six
on the morning of the 2nd inst. His body exhioited no *thin
injury but that on the shoulder, extending over the arm and
the upper part of the chest in front and the blade bone be-
hind. Mr. Fidler also saw him, and Mr. Dickenson, the
assistant surgeon. Iwu called on at eleven o'clock to see
him in a fit. I found him with convulsions affecting the side
of his face and the right arm.
Coroner—To whet do you ettrilinte that fit ?
Witness—lie was a man likely to have fits at any time. I
attribute it to the previous state of the brain. I raw Cana
again on Tuesday, end was told he had had a fit. 11, was
unconscious, and had been so since Sunday.
Coroner—Want, in your judgment, had given rise to the
injury yen found him to have sustained ?
Witness—Vi-lence from another.
Coroner—Might it not have resulted from a fel; ?
Witnese—l think not. I am satisfied they were from
external violence. If they had happened from a fall
I think the condition of the soft parts would have
been different. I was not present when he died, but
saw him five minutes after. He bad been in the
infirmary for a month, under treatment for a alight Weer
on the antic. It was en open ulcer. He had no other
his food. He was never
tempt feebleness. I sate:bated that state to general
suasion was necessary. Ile nave a good deal trouble in
fPolLeairtissitakan ad iht", tohambiyt konf orwefulescligneg, but a great deal of per-
that way, bat no other. Ido not think his attenuation

iree• feel; food being withheld from him, but frOreE7l—E:

inclination to take it. He was usually en the extra
diet. I had some conversation respecting him wish tne
attendant, Hill, on the morning of the 27th, when the in-
jury was discovered. I asked him how long the arm ro.d
been bad ; he mil he had only discovered it that morning;
that his patient had been previously complaining ot having
i boards n his shoulder, and that ho was always taikiag
nonsense of that sort; and therefore he (H. 11) thought
nothing of it. I said he must have bad a fall or some vio-
lence, and UM said he knew nothing about it. I asked bim
no more questions at that time or lime. I have nothing fur-
ther to state.

A Juror—Da you think the man was ever sufliciantly
rational to have any reliance placed on hie statements ?
Coroner—That question has been answered alseedy.
Mr. Law—Nl, sir, I have been waiting for that question.
Coroner—Well, I have another question. Was any per-
sonal coercion nectasary with this man ?
Witness—Me had been in the habit of atrippiag himself,
and the muffs were placed on his bands. To my knowledge
no personal coercion was necessary.
Coroner—When were the commissioners mode arqsaiend
with the accident ?—On S.turclay it was plated. The guar-
dians were informed on Monday.
Mr. Bennet said the overseen did not bear of it until the
patient was unconeciotts. _ _

Mr. Bennet-1n point of fact, if be had recovered would
we have had any information at all ? The wanes, was un-
derstood to answer in the negative.
The Caoner intimated that he cenlit go no further with
the eau then, and its further investigation was accordingly
adjourned anvil 10 o'clock on Tuesday next.

SHOCKING ACCIDENT. On Christmas night, $
dreadful occurrence took place within air mites of li.➢rush.
Bridget Haugh deemed barrel( in man's clothe, and, having
blackened her face, want to her fath. r.M.law's house to
have some diversion. Her brother-in-I.m was takinr cared
the house, as his father was not at }vine • be bad • loaded
gon in his 1 aid, sad when he saw at he thou4ht the man
blackened, he presented the gun at his a:stir in-law anditeed,
and lodged the contents of it between her shoulders. Sky
died at once. There we an isq4est hold on her b.xlv, and
the verdict returned was manslaughter against Michael
Haugh, demesed's betta-in-laar.—Lisecrick &emitter.

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