The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-03-27 00:00:00

The usual weekly meeting of this committee was held
at half past two o'clock yesterday, in the Town Hall, Mr,
Alderman Dover in the chair.
The other members present were—Messrs. Shell, Beck-
with, Robertson Gladstone, M•Guffie, Godfrey, Holden, A.
C. Stewart, Johnson, Anthony, Haydock, and Stitt.
THE NECROPOLIS ENQUIRY.
Mr. Churchwarden Woodruff, Mr. F. Hull, and Mr.
Corkhill waited on the committee to ascertain what action
the committee intended to take in reference to the Necro-
Polls and the parties implicated in the recent painful
disclosures in connection with interments in that cemetery.
Mr. Woodruff said that a public meeting of the friends of
Parties buried in the Necropolis was called for last Monday,
at the Clarendon Rooms, to consider what steps should be
staken for the ultimate management of the cemetery, and
for the punishment of the delinquents in the disgraceful
proceedings recently disclosed. Circumstances, however,
Occurred which rendered it desirable that the meeting
should be postponed, and a notice to that effect was put up,
but so strong was the public feeling in the matter, that the
Parties interested tore down the notice and held the meeting.
Tne result was that a committee was appointed to c Infer
with the Health Committee, with the government Cora-
Missioner, Dr. Holland, and the trustees of the Necropolis,
with the view of carrying the investigation which
had been commenced, to the fullest point. A committee
was appointed, and it was resolved that he (Mr. Woodruff),
arr. Cerkhill, and the legal adviser of the committee,
Mr. Hull, should be present at the meeting of the pro-
Plie`ors, on Thursday; that they should have free access
to all the books and documents, with a view to see to what
extent they had been interfered with, both with regard to
I'r 'ate and family graves, and also that full opportunity
be afforded the committee, and the friends of those
ineere I in the Cemetery, to examine the graves, and
at•rtain to what extent the improper practices had taken
P''ce• The trustees, however, refused to allow them to be
ilte;e.nt at their meeting, and they also refused to admit
the reporters, as requested by the committee, in order that
the public should know all that took place ; but they said
that they would place the books and the ground at the
disposal of the committee for investigation. The pub lie
were well satisfied with the manner in which Mr. M'Gewan
had conducted the enquiry. No man could have done it
to more effect, and too much praise could not be given to
him for his skill in unfolding the shameful proceedings
Which were now known to the world. The committee
were most anxious to strengthen the hands of the
health Committee in the matter; but, looking at the
mYs'ematic deceptions that bad been practised at the
eette..ery, and the revolting disclosures which had been
the
public, he thought they ought not merely to call on
'ie Health Committee to proceed against the parties for
receiving money under false pretences, but also to punish
,the delinquents in these proceedings by every means the
law allowed. He understood that the parties could be
roniched by indictment, and he thought that course should
taken against them. The public would not rest satisfied
with mere penalties. They would not rest satisfied with the
mere censure or dismissal of Mr. Kirkus. They asked the
11ealth Committee to make an example of some person, in
the hope that it would deter others from following the same
career. They called for punishment upon all parties
noplicated, from the grave digger to the truatee. They
would give every assistance to that end, he felt sure that
the community would consider the public money well
le,st
oweel,if it were expended by the Health Committee in
the Punishment of the delinquents in this matter.
Mr. Hull said that he could add little to what had
Ilea from Mr. Woodruff. The opinion generally enter-
tained was that the the Health Committee were the
parties to undertake the public prosecution in this matter,
and they should vigorously carry out the enquiry which
they
had originated.
The Chairman observed that the Health Committee
but they shouldrho take the advice of their Law Clerk as to
en further steps which should be taken. It was also
under the consideration of the government.
ieMr. Woodruff said that the partial closing, or indeed,
" complete closing of the ground, would not satisfy the
Public. The guilty parties should be punished ; and
he hoped that the Health Committee would not wait, or be
b I
ound by the course which the authorities of London might I
There was a systematic violation of the order in
Council—a systematic desecration of graves, and the
Public required something more than a closing of the
ground.
Mr. Hull said that the disclosures showed that the
lead buried in the Necropolis had been treated with
indecency : they also showed that the Rev. Mr. Kirkns
transactions and the general feeling was that not only
i).`,.)uld the burial ground be dealt with for the feture,
fort that while a multitude of people were being tried
Picking pockets and other trifling misdemeanours,
''rsnns should not be allowed to escape who had committed
great acts of atrocity with respect to this burial ground ;
end, 80 far as be could gather, the public feeling would nit
be satisfied unless the persons implicated were dealt with
:1,; ,any other delinquent should be dealt with in due course I
ea'w. The committee thought that the proper party to I
eriginate these proceedings was the Health Committee. A
~,tri'e'ing of the friends of those interred in the Necropolis
7uld probably be held in the Concert Hall on Monday
night, when the determination of the Health Com-
-111"ee would be reported ; and if the Health Committee '
declined to take proceedings, then it would be for the com-
mittee to institute them.
Mr. A. C. Stuart : You want something more than a
tn't.' Penalty extracted from the parties.
, Mr. Hull replied than an offence indictable at common
la,, had been committed in the indecent removal of the
dead buried in the Necropolis, and that was a separate
tlaestion from that which the Government had to determine
as to the closing of the ground. The penalty for the
v
'elation of the order in council (burying more than one
y in a common grave) was £lO, but this was something I
more than the violation of the order in council, and an ens.-
t14,7e for which a penalty of 410 could be no atonement. He
ia! met at every corner of the street by parties interested
as` Lhe matter whc assailed him with bursts of indignation,
answer
if something substantial were not done he could not
for the consequences.
4 r. 4G-owan said that the Health Comittee re
tt!MtMerrnined to push the enquiry to the fullest,m and tottake
ll Proceedings necessary to bring the parties to justice.
n Hull, however, would know that it was impossible for
i
health Committee or anybody else to say at this
rment what proceedings should be
be collected, and the I
taken. That would
eiepend on the evidence which would ealth Committee at present could do no more than promise
thate when they were in a position to judge of the whole
case they would take the proceedings requisite to Yindi-
'7 justice.
'lr. Gladstone observed that at the same time the
matter assumed a much more important character than
cast Perhaps which had been expressed by the Town
erk As he understood the
o deputation, the mere
, position of a fine was a mere bagatelle, as compared
,str the security they required in order to prevent anything
this kind from occurring again ; and acting as they did
heiiielj of those who had had their feelings violated
and wounded it; the quick, one could easily enter into
ecar views. He thouo was the duty of the Health
ti,n-"lnittee, on that ground alon6, to exert themselves
op the utmost, in order to bring condign punishment
tem cheap who had transgressed the law. It was a most
to ,;",ns matter, and he thought the best course would be
to ;11-IPoint a select committee to enquire into and report
‘,,zitt,e board on it.
the'. Stitt said that statements were made in regard to
agqestePs taken by the 'trustees which might tend to
Nsciavate the feeling of indignation which they could
for ty, understand, and it was with a view of saying a word
teas he trustees that he wished to make a remark. The
to On Why the trustees refused to permit the deputation
eoti,,Present at their meeting he could not say ; but he
frosay without breach of confidence that he had heard
bee-' ane who was present at that meeting, that there was
chide cene feeling to place before the committee every
Wisenee they could possibly come at. They had no
by - to conceal anything; but they had boon taken
fleurprise like the whole town in this matter.
neee'r meeting on Wednesday was a preliminary
aeithand at the first opportunity they would consult
vent the committee as to the best means for pre-
also log a recurrence of these transactions. He might '
ei,ini4ate that, when the order in council was issued, a
aati,,t'e Was placed on their books that it was to be
out iZ4 to, and the violation of it had taken place with-
/4. “eir knowledge.
that▪ Shell observed that the deputation should recollect
trail i▪ t was the Health Committee who brought these
eestssantions to light. and he thought the public might
troeotisited that the Health Committee would spare no
°lora e to protect them from the recurrence of such
ttil-ehges, and to vindicate ustice.
e deputation then wijthdrew ; and on the motion of
vil•ii?ladstone, seconded by Mr. Beckwith, the following
ere,i 'nen were appointed as a special committee to
Deal re into and report upon the matter:—Messrs.
ite,eiroo Shell, Gladstone, Stitt, A. C. Stewart, M'Guffie,
n3h and Johnson.
e'l,4lt c."lmunication was read from the Water Committee,
I)lsl,la:fling the report of the water engineer on the corn • •
the
el:a°,l*. Messrs. Phillips and Son, of Lord street, as to
rpf.4!-' lity of the water supplied them. The engineer
Pre, ,led, that the defect had been found in a broken
had Pipe passin through filthy places. The parties
g TO
VEtin `en called on to make it good, and cause for com-
t would not again arise.
'he Go, HEALTH OF THE TOWN.
jepor;
e'l t
_ ,Ilowing reports were read
ad
acting for the Medical Officer of Health,week
hat in thP werk clid'nv Saturday, March 21st, there I
registered 222 deaths, 29 more than in the previous
the e
last 25 less han e average for the correponding wek
nine years. the
Zymotie diseases causeds 32 deaths; of