The Express.
London, England, 1868-03-06 00:00:00

srAnvarrozr REFORM ME WOR4fHOUIR

Yesterday an inquiry was he1;1 by Dr. Lan-
heater, the coroner for the central 0:Melon of Middlesex,
at the Lord Nelson Tavern, Holloway-road, on the bodies
of two boys, named respectively Arthur Tullet,
aged seven, and Frederi* John t, aged five, two of •
family, who died under very palatal eirennurtsooss.
Eliza Toilet, whose appearance was veryidean and neat,
said she was the mother of the deceased boys, and lived
at 15, Clayton-street, Oalodonian-read. The eldest had
never been well from birth, and for the last three months
had been subject to fits, and gradually gut worse. On
Saturday last he complained of being unwell, when she
laid him on the bad. Shortly after he had a fit, and in
a few hours after be died. The second child complained
of a pain in his bead, and was %on the Thursday, when
she gave him some castor-oil. On Saturday he gut worse,
end ooinplained of heat of the body, and she laid aim
down on the bed by the side of his brother, who was then
in another fit, and insensible. All her children in early
age had had tits, but some had grown cut of them. They
were very poor, as her husband a year no had suffered
from a severe illness. Since Christmas Le had been out of
work, and at the present time he was a dying Luau. Two
of their eldest boys were cut sit a ork, and brought in a
little money, leaving as after the rent for their home wee
pita She and her husband also got little odd jobs, but
the whole receipts afforded them little beyond etas ration.
The Coroner—lint finding you were in such • condition,
why did you not apply to the parish for relief
Witness—That was done. We applied to St. Palms'
workhouse, and met with what we did cot like. In reply
to the coroner, she said that on the Friday the diddles
had • little rice for dinner, and afterwards some bread
and oatmeal, and bread in the evening before going to bed,
at half-past seven.
Dr. J. T. Slater, parish surgeon, was next examined,
and deposed to being called to the deceased at four o'clock
in the afternoon of Saturday last. Ile found the elder
boy insensible and convulsed. The younger boy was
simply inscasible, and both died shortly after his attend.
fILICe.
Dr. Edward Ballard, medical officer of health to the
parish of Islington, said he had made a post-sorters exami-
nation of the bodies of the two boys. The eldest was very
puny fur • child of seven years of age, rind was ricketty,
also very much emaciated. The intestines were corn.
pletely empty from one end to the other. 'rho canoe of
death in this ease was convulsions from starvation. The
child Lad been starved fur some time past. The second
child was also ricketty and very small for its age, and
emaciated. The small intestines were entirely empty, but
iu the larger there was something of a fluid or semi-fluid
character. In this case also it was a death from starva-
tion.
The Coroner advised that the father of the deceased
children should be called.
John Tullet said he was the father of the deceased. He
was • whitcamith. When in health he earned from 30a.
to 3fis. • week, but he had been out of work for twelve
months. Sometimes he got • job, and ought earn 10s.
week. He did not see the children until after they were
found dead.
By the Curoner—Have you applied to the pariah, under
your distressed circumstances, for relief'
Witness—l did once, but they would not relieve me
unless the whole of my family, including myself, went into
the workhouse. I felt that I could not break up my
LOlllO, and tried to struggle on.
The Coroner—There must be something wrong in work-
house relief, either ono way or She other.
Mr. Stanwell, the caroner's officer, said the father of
the deoeasee wan a most respectable man, arm .. a., very

sober.
Is answer to the foreman the father of the deceased mid
that work in the stone yard had been offered to him by
the path& at Pd. a day, but he was unable to do it.
Mr. Stanwell Paid from bin knowledge of the father
that if he were put to break stones he would not earn 6d.
a day.
The mother of the deceased said she bad applied for an
order from the relieving officer of St. l'aucras Workhouse,
and was told thst as her husband was a abitemoith he
should not ask for relief, and that was after he had been
out of work for six months, and iIL
Dr. Meter said the room in which the family lived was
moat cleanly. It was poorly furnished, butliterally speak-
ing. you might have taken your food from the boards
of the floor "and everything wearveryclean.
The lamilidy of the house said it was almost heart-
breaking to know the condition of the family who resided
in her house. Under starvation their honour was extreme,
and they only owed one week's rent. She knew they
wanted •• bread," and she had exerted herself to obtain
relief from the religious visitors.
The Coroner said it was a very melancholy cam, and
raised the question as to whether the parish relief was a
misnomer, or one of truth. The preterit came was one
that might have been relieved by the pariah without it.
penalty—stene-breakiog, and not allowed starvation of
children in a Christian land.
A combined verdict of " Death from convulsions by
starvation," and `• Starvation" in the second case, was re.
turned,
The jury were so impressed with the case that a collec-
tion was made, and more than 11. was given Into the hands
of the father of the deceased, who was stated by the
coroner to be entirely unfitted foe further work for his