The Express.
London, England, 1850-01-09 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOK OP THE MEMEL&

SIR,—I have read, will no small surprise, in your
account of the Reform Meeting at the London Tavern, the
followinz sentence, in the upon of what I said there : "If
we had an ad .quate reform, could it be supposed that such
an abomination as the established church would still be left
in existence ?" The words I tired were, "Such an abomina-
tion as the reel Masticsl courts," as reported correc•ly in the
Morning Chronicle. I shculd be sorry to be supposed by
your readers to have spoken in terms of vituperation of the
established church, for which. though not of its commusion,
I feel much respect. Yours, ac.,
RICHARD TAYLOR.
P.B. The Morning Post has done me the favour of attri-
buting to ins a second speech, that of Mr. Jonas, in the
character of a socialist.

COAST-GUARD BUILDINGS.—The Board of Customs
have, by a general order, directed that no pers,in be to futere
allowed to occupy any coast-guard buildings without their
sanction being tint obtained, and that in all cases in which
such perusiuion may be granted, the parties, when occupy-
ing the buildings, be charged rent for them at the estab-
lished rate.

TIIE MASSACRE IN BORNEO.—We understand that
the Peace Society and the Aborifine's Prwection sochity,
intend to take up the soil, et of Bir James Brooke's recent
exploits in the Eastern Archipelago. A public meeting is to
be held in the city of London, just before the opening of
Parliament, where not only the Bornean massacre, but the
whole system of heed money, as now practised by the go.
verrment et this country, will be brought under review.
THE REV. JANES SHORE.—The committee ap-
pointed to conduct the case of the Rev. James Shore, on the
prosecution of the Bishop of Exeter have just brought their
labt.urs to a clear, the total amount placed at their disposal
by the public was 6141.2.. 7d. ; of this amount 52.51 168.104.,
including 3101. 16e. 4d., paid to the Bishop of Exeter. Tile
cost of :he proeteeiags in the Court of Arch,* has been ex.
raided, and the balance 881. 6s. X handed over to Mr.
Shore.

TILE WEATHER AND THE FARKE.—Yesterday
the various ornamental waters in the royal parks were
literally cotter(' with skaters and sliders. The members of
the Skating Club mustered in strong numbers on the long
water is Kensington gardens. The ice in some of the puke
is now 3i inches in thickness, and is to!erably firm. Not a
Angle occident worth recording happened, although so many
thou and people were congregated together.
EFTWTS OF FREE TRADE—DIMINUTION OP
BLnikUPTCY.—The tenoning table shows the number of
bankruptcies notified in the London Gasettes during the
month which ended ye terday (Jan. 8), competed with throw
gusted in the corresponding period of last year. From
this it will be seen that the bankruptcies so notified during
the last month of tie first year of Ire* trade are las than ens-
half that of the parallel period the year beam :

Dot. IS, ISO - . 7 Deo. 14,1619.
„ 19
23
26
........ l4 „ 21
1$ „ 23 ».
29 .... S 28
Jan. f, ISO- .......... .......... 16 Jae. I, 100.
1 • ! lb " 4
~ .
........ U ~ 111
'Total 92 Total 42

•
ATTEMPTED MURDER NEAR DRURT-LANE.—Leat
night a case of the me of the knife in passion took place in
the neighbourhood o Drury-lane. Two tailors, one of
them deaf and dumb, had been engaged at work, sod from
some unknown caner Keehn?, the dumb man, exhibited
feelings of anger towards the other, whom name is Levy. A
scuffle ensued beim en them, when Keeling took from one
of has pockets a painter's putty knife, and aimed at Levy's
throat. The knife littered the right side of the jugular
vein, and eau,ed a frightful gash. An alarm was raised,
and after some difficulty Keeling was secured, and taken to
Bow-street adios, when Mr. Henry remanded him. The
prosecutor was conveyed to King's College Hospital, in •
very precarious 'talc.

RAILWAY FACILITIIII.—Th. London and North Wvstern
Railway Coespeey, with the view of giving increased facili-
ties to the graziers of the south and west of Ireland for the
conveyance of fat stock to Lowden and other large taarbiets
is Enslaud, are at mead ',gaged, is minjunctio• with the
City of Dublin Bteam Packet Company and the Irish rail
ways in insanities( a system whereby the sender ma book
his cattle at aloe, tam any station on the Great Southera
and Weaken and Midland Great Waiters to any plain on the
Loudon and North Western Railway. This will be a great
advantage to grasiers, as they will than he enabled to calcu-
late the cost of conveyance from ewe paha to another, and
will says the expense of ems leg the cattle to the aelentea
et Dahlia oft Liverpool.— 'poor.

THE STARVATION CASE AT SOUTHAMPTON.

SOUTHAMPTON, TUletneT.—Lord Courtenay, the
militant poor law commissioner, came down, yesterday, to
open an (Acid enquiry on the part of the poor law commis-
clone's, into the nrcunistenees attendant upon the death of
Elisabeth Biggs, the female pauper, whose death on
the 23d alt , ening" from neglect of some of the parish
officials, has excited such a sensation in thl neighbourhood.
The amain ummenced at 10 o'clock this morning, in
the grand jury chamber of the Guildholl. M 4 Leigh, soli-
citor, appeared to watch the proornodings on the part a the
gaardtans, and Mr. 3, Sharp, jun., on behalf of Siousionds.
The evidence taken was generally the same as that taken
before the 0070601 (which we hove already published). and
we therefore only give the mete prominent points of the
evidence given to-day, that the &snot the use may be pro-
perly andersthod.
Aare Biggs, sister of the deemed, stated that her sister,
who was fir 'demoted in pregamey, had been ailing for
about three motatise, and had bees attended by Mr. Cooper,
one of the parish surgeons. The demised bad received a
shilling and a loaf per week from the board of guardians.
Oa Friday afternoon the 21st ult., she went with her sister
to Mr. Cooper, to ask for some relief, and be gays her a
paper to take to Bimmoods, the relieving officer. Witness
did not go with her to the pout house. She saw her again in
fliamelureet, about nine o'clock the same evades, when
she showed her a paper, which was an order for a night's
lodging at • lodging-house kept by a M. Bowjohn. She
left her sister there, and on the following afternoon she saw
her sgun in Simnel-street, shivering with cold, and her
child with her. They both went to the workh .use, and
asked for her admission. The porter at the gate (an old
man named Vellum) told her he could not admit her with-
' out an order from the doctor, and referred her to Mr. Du-
, autoy (member of the parish surgeons, who resides near the
house). They went there, and saw a lad, who said they had no
thing to do with the house. On leaving Mr. D tore house,
she took her sister to a Mrs. Davie's, sad took • night's lodging
for her. Her sister was very w. apparently getting worse
and worse. On the following (Sunday) morning she found
her sister van' ill, and she died about four or five in the
aiumoen. Mr. Cooper was sent for in the morning, and
arrived shortly before 'bet died. In the course of a long
erces-examinauon, by several parties, the witness said she
had beard her serer occasionally say that she bad not food
enough, but she always got what she seed for of Mr.
Cooper or the Board of (}aardiaus. Durand sometime.
did a little needlework to get victuals. Deceased never
asked for mere relief beyond what she had from Mr.
Cooper or the Board. She sever received a halfpenny from
the gather of bet child. Mr. Cooper had attended witness
and her brother during the cholera, and she always found
him very attentive and regular in his attendance.
Mr. Francis Cooper, surgeon, was next examined. The
town Is divided into four medical districts, one surgeon being
appointed for each. The practice is, for each to take the
attendance of the house in turn for three months. Oa Fri-
day,
the 21st ult , the deceased and her sister came to my
house; she said she was very ill, and scarcely able to get
there. He had attended her occasionally for the last two or
three months. For about a month she had been suffering
from influenza. He asked her why she did not send for
him, as she war so ill, and told her to take a seat.
In reply to hie question, she said she had had nothing
for three or tour days but a little bread and
water. She was suffering from weakness and ex-
haustion. He told her to remain still, and he would
gin her an order to Simmonds for instant admission into the
house. He wrote an ceder at his desk, and gave it either to
her or her sister ; and desired her sister to take the child,
and assist her cl:wn to the workhouse as welt as she could.
He also told her to tell either Simmoods or the muter
that she was to be taken into the workhouse without a
moment's delay. The order was as follows:—" Mr. Sim.
monds,—Please admit the bean, Elizabeth Biggs, who is
in want of tool, and without means, into the poorhouse im-
mediately—Francis Cooper." This was a case of urgency,
and therefore he stated in the order why she should be ad•
milted immediately. Sae gave her name as Elizabeth Biggs. I
He had previously known her as Elizabeth Harris. He
wrote the order in the name of Biggs. She was unknown
at the poorhouse by the name of Biggs. She had never
personally ',peered at the board on relief days,; applica-
tions were made by her brother, George Biggs, and the was
known as Elizabeth Harris. About heti-past two on
the Sunday afternoon a boy came for him. lie
was engaged in an operation at the time, which he
could not leave at the moment. Ile sent the bey for a bottle,
and on his return he said his sister was worse. It could
not have been more than half an hour atter the boy first
came to his house before he saw her. She was then in the
arms of death. Till then he did not know but what she was
in the house. He asked how it was she was not there, and
her sister said toey would not admit her. He made a post-
mortem examioation of the body (the general appearances of
which were described by Mr. Cooper). She was pregnant.
From the result. of the examination, he bad no doubt what-
ever teat her death was produced by want of food tun ex-
posure to mid. Suppeeinir that, on the Friday when his
order was given, she had been placed under medical treat
ment, and received stimulants and food, with warmth, he
thought her life would have been saved. She had received
a shilling arid a to if weekly, but on the Monday preceding
her death, in cone quence of an anonymous letter being re-
ceived, stating 'het deceased was in pos.ession of 30a. a week,
it was reduced to ed. and a loaf, till inquiries were made.
If she had made use of the W. and the loaf, and not been
subjected to ezpo.ure to the cold, she would not have died
from actual twee:ion. He acquiesced in the reduction,
under the understanding that the inquiries into the truth of
the statement would be immediately made. He heard no-
thing more or the matter.
Lord Courtenay said that he now wished to ask one or
two questions on the general question of the mode of admi-
nistering relief.
In answer to hi. lordship, Mr. Cooper said that the medi-
cal officers hare power,, under the general regulations of the
board, to give general relief in the intervals daring the
n.eetings of the board; and this relief may go en till the
medical man aces the necessity to stop it. He may order
breed, or anythioF el-e that may be necessary. He sends a
note to the relieving officer, who files it, and gives the party
a printed form, to go to the shop appointed fur the purpose.
These orders are almost always complied with, and non-
compliance would be an exception. He believed it was the
wish of the board that such orders as he gave in this case
should always be fully and promptly complied with. He
was always present at the board whilst the pauper* in his
district, under hi• care, were being relieved on Mondays;
and he believed the otber medical guideline' were alas, but
he could only gown fur himself. He did not remain during
the adjudicoi it. of cares not requiring medic 1 relief.
Louisa Byl. s was ;seat called, and as her evidence was not
given before the unmet., mad is of great importance, we give
her statement more in detail. San said that on the afternoon
of Friday, the 21st ate was with other women wait.ng
for relict, an the deocised came into the waitiog.room with
her chill. She got up and let the deceased tit down by the
fire. The caild was crying with cold area hunger. Witness
went and got eon• bread fry it from the woman is the kit-
chen. Teo woman appeared to be very ill. Whilst waiting
at the board ruin aoor she saw a paper io deceased's hand
Witness &thou her what it was, and the said it was an ender
from Dr Cooper. She took it and looked at it, and saw it
was an order Iron Dr. Cooper to admit her into
the ponrheuse. She could make out the words.
" Admit' and " Bergs," and Dr. Cooper's name at
the bottom; the paper was blotted. She gave the
paper bock to rue ueceued, who then went into the board-
room. The door was open a little way, add when tint de-
ceased went Oro the room the witness heard Mr. Simi:monde
say, " West is it that you're got here I" Sn. could not
distinctly hear the reply given by the deceased. He then
tithed bur where she lived, and she said she had been living
at Murray's, but they had turned her out, and she had no-
where to ea te. He asked her where her hushand was, and
she said she ha.'n't got one. He then said (apparently
alluding to the child in her arms), " How came you by that
in your arms?" Witness hued no reply made by deceased
He tola her, " fnere is nothing but the tramp-hoese for
you tooi.u, tiro to-marrow morning you must take 'cur-
self off." hoe tau came out of the room. There was no
one else in the t oatd-room, except Mr. Higgins (the theta
militants-leek, eihra removed from his situation). She
said Mr. Simevads hod gived her nothing, but told her to
go to toe name. house. She went down the yard
towards the tramp-h,use, ant witneve saw ne more
of her. Wi,ne.s .heat went into the board-room herself, and
there was nu one is the raom but Sanmonds and Higgins.
flimmonde was very much in liquor, and not capable of
attending to her erplicaton. He kept her waiting a long
time in the room, 'teeny three quarters of an hour. The boy
at the gate sunwards told her the woman was gone into the
tremp-bosee.
Elisabeth who was in company with the preceding
witness, g -ye end, nee eoLfirmatory of that given by Mrs.
. . _ .

At fire o'clock Lord Courtenay adjourned the inquiry till
ten o'clock nt x.1001'116011 (this day.)
This case has exc-tssi groat interest in the town, and the
result of the it q.ii,y D. fore the guar iar.s has Ikon an
almost entire charge of the officials. The board meet on
Thursday to e'en• a relinviog rffi4er in room in Siannor ds,
who stsi.us uotonsisted on the charge of manslaughter, and a
porter or g.iseko,so.' in piece of the man Yellen', who has
tempormil3 Oiled the office, he being too old and Imbecile
for the ptrfrrinsnee of its duties. Next west they will elect
a clerk, the late holder of the office being removed for
neglect of duty, and the new officer, at an incr..avd salary,
will have to engage all netessary aristancs, itistes4 of the
board app,•inttug 111 A assistant clink as heretofore. The late
1140.1 a llUl c:.:k -a, 11,:en discharged for drunkenness and
neglect of duty.
This evening (Tuesday) the guardians meet to discuses
motion, 01 which notice has ben given, to cony& r the
propriety of bringing the town under the New Poor Law,
Souttiguip_ou hesusg, at present, a local act (or the regula-
tion of tne war.

ATTEMPT AT SUICIDE. —On Monday afternoon
051 of thi is MAILS 01 the Marylebone Almshouses, named
Newcomb-, attempted to kill herself by cultic( her tared
with a ream. One of the other inmates upon enteric,/ the
room of deceased, die:amid a razor case amt a prayer book
on the table, and upon searching for her &scoured her in
the wash Lou- wt..' a date wound in bee throat. A surgeon
was callea in, v 0.,, without loss of time, sewed the wound
up, but she rem•itai in • precarious state.

. •
FIZZ AT TON/MIDGE SCHOOL.-011 Saturday
last a the br.lte out iu one ut the dorsi cries of Toobriitite
&boot, by wb.ii% Ora or four of the rooms here bees quite
destroys'', sod wreral others Wand, though not to an .y
great 'stout. The tire was got under in about two
noun. o thaw who afterwards visited the spot, it
appeared qu piosideatasi that the awned did not extend
their ravages much more widely. timidly the boys were
all mute home for their Christmas holidays, dad the toady.
although most seriously alarmed. ramped as other Mem-
mimeo or Wary.