The Express.
London, England, 1866-09-15 00:00:00

WORCESTER MUSICAL FESTIVAL.

'WORCESTER, FRIDAY.
The last of the secular concerts last night proved, as had
been expected, very suoceseful. Every seat bad been pre-
engaged for some days, and the College Hall was thronged
from floor to gallery with the glitz and fashion of the three
united dioceses—Worcester, Gloucester, and Hereford.
Another disappointment, however, awaited the admirers
of Mr. Sims Reeves, who, although set down for two
songs, did not show at all, nor was any official explanation
made on his behalf as to the cause of his absence, although
it was pretty generally known that he was indisposed.
The fine weather yesterday hardly lasted to midnight,
.. when ae rain and wind returned with increased fury. It
had spent itself, however, before morning, and to-day has
been beautifully fine, with only one or two eying showers.
Before ten o'clock the doors of the cathedral cloisters—the
entrance to thelunreeerved seats—were beseiged by an eager
crowd, who by their early attendance hoped to secure the
few seats from which a view of the orchestra could be ob-
tained. By 11 all these seats were occupied, and before
noon every seat was taken in nave, aisles, choir, and tran-
sept, and the sun shone through the cleristory windows,
down upon the largest congregation that had ever assem-
bled at ease time within the sacred face. The official re-
turns show the exact number of tickets presented to have
been 2,878. This, of course, did not include officials, ste-
wards, and the 400 performers ; so that there could not
have been less than 3,300 persona within the wall. of the
building, and in hearing of the strains of the Messiah.
This oratorio has from time Immemorial closed the
sacred performances at these festivals, and it has never
failed to attract the largest attendance. The cast—if such
a term may be applied—of the oratorio to-day has been
little varied from modern usage. To Mr. Sims Reeves,
' of course, was allotted the opening recitative, and all the
principal tenor soli, and with one slight exception he ful-
filled all his engagements.
• It was four o'clock before the vast crowd bad retired
from the cathedral and the bells rang in honour of the
dose of the sacred portion of the festival of 1866.
The collection at the doors of the cathedral to-day
amounted to 2241. 10a. It may be mentioned ea an inci-
dent of the festival, that on Tuesday a donation was placed
on the plate, held by the Mayor, Mr. T. Southall, by a
lady,. who apparently did not wish to be recognised. On
opening the paper it was found to contain bank notes
for NI.

INHUMANITY AT TAX HACKNEY WORK-

HOUSE.

Yesterday, Mr. J. Humphreys, coroner, held a
protracted inquiry at the Old-Mermaid Tavern, Hackney,
relative to the death of Thomas Nichols, aged seven years.
Mr. Daniels, solicitor, appeared on behalf of Mr. Dris-
coll, master of the Hackney workhouse ; and Mr. Ellis
represented the parish. The case excited great local feel-
ing, and a great number of the guardians and vestrymen of
Hackney were present to hear the proceedings.
Richard Nichols, • rope maker, living at 1, Sillunill-
place, Hackney Wick, said that on Monday morning last
he went to his work, leaving deceased welL On his return
between seven and eight o'clock, he found deceased at-
tacked with cholera. Mrs. Seaport, a neighbour, had
sailed in Mr. Vinall, parish surgeon. He gave an order
for deceased's admission to the workhouse infirmary, and
witness went thither with deceased in a cab, Mr. Jones,
sanitary inspector, going also. (The circumstances of the
refusal to admit the deceased were more accurately de-
tailed by the other witnesses.) After waiting half or
three-quarters of an hour at the workhouse gate, witness
went in the fly to the German Hospital, where the de-
ceased was at once admitted. The doctor there told 'wit-
ness that his other son, who had been admitted that
morning, was dead, but as this one was only recently
attacked he might be saved. He died, however, next
morning.
W. Jones, sub-inspector of sanitary affairs, said that
he had taken some of the Nichols family to Cambridge.
house, a receptacle for healthy people requiring to be
removed from contact with those sick of cholera, and had
returned about nine o'clock on Monday evening, when he
found deceased so ill with cholera that he called in Dr.
Vinall That gentleman gave a written order for deceased's
admission to the workhouse cholera wards. Deceased was
taken in • cab to the workhouse, and witness gave the
doctor's order to the porter, who went away. The matron,
Mrs. Driscoll, came, and positively refused to admit the
deceased. She said that the other case had gone to the
German Hospital, and that one should go there too, and
she would order the fly. Mr. Oxley, assistant to Dr.
Miller, surgeon to the workhouse, was present, and he said
that it was an urgent case, and ought to be immediately
admitted. The matron still refused, and Mr. Oxley went
out and fetched Dr. Summers, one of the out-door sur-
geons, who also said that it was • case for immediate ad-
mission and treatment. Mrs. Driscoll persisted in her re-
fusal. Dr. Summers then went into the porter's lodge,
and wrote out an order for admission, and gave it to her.
Mr. Driscoll then came sod said the fly was in readiness,
and that the child was to be taken to the German Hospi-
tal. Dr. Summers protested, and witness asked the master
if he would take the responsibility. The master said he
would. The child was taken to the hospital, and after
some delay iu rousing the porter, was admitted at 10.20.
By Mr. Ellis—The child sat on the form outside the
porter's lodge at the workhouse, and vomieed several
times. He was very ill, for a nurse of the cholera wards
came and said, " hut a pity." The father's home was a
mile and a half from the hospital, and only half • mile
from the workhouse. .

Mr. J. Vinall, M.R.C.S., and Mr. R. Oxley, combo-
rated the witness Jones. The latter said that the child
was kept on a form in the entrance, • place full of
draughts and open at one end, and at the other was only
closed by the coach gates. The deceased vomited, and was
of a bluish cast. When DT. Summers gave the second
order for deceased's admission, Mrs. Driacoll said the
master would see it when he came—he had always been
master, and he would no doubt be master this time.
When the master came Dr. Summers said, " I wish you
to observe the case, and to remember that the entire re-
sponsibility of the child's life rests with you." Mr.
Driscoll said, " I will do so," and the child was sent away
in the cab. That removal would no doubt accelerate
dasih.
By Mr. Ellis—The nurse said to the matron, that it was
really • cruel thing to keep the deceased out under the
circumataaces, and that he ought to be taken to the iron-
home. The iron-house was kept in readiness for cholera
cases, and some of the beds were then occupied by cholera
patients.
Mr. B. C. Summers, M.R.C.S., deposed that whenhe first
was called to the workhouse gateway by last witness he saw
the matron, arid urged her to take in the child, saying
that it was her duty to act in the master's abeam,. She
said, " That child is not taken in yet." He then remem-
bered he was outside district surgeon, and he wrote out an
order of admission, but neither matron nor master would
admit the child. Tbe refusal of admission and the deten-
tion of the child in the roll and the removal to the hopital
must have accelerated death.
By Mr. Daniels—Witness was not aware that the board
of guardians hail prohibited admissions of choler* cases.
He had sent cholera patients and treated them there him-
self. He heard something of a suggestion from the
Poordaw Board to that effect.
The ease was adjourned for other evidence. The master
of the workhouse has been, it is understood, suspended.

CRYSTAL ?MAC., 03111 SHILLING Dux.—
FRIDAY, SEPT. 14.—Admittiosto on payment, 1,745; ditto
by mar= tiakata, 99L Total visitors, 2,736.