The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-03-19 00:00:00

a time, which were moved from other graves. When filling
up common graves, if there was room left they should fill it up
with fragments of bones and coffins.
Mr. Lace observed that it was done for decency sake.
The Commissioner replied that the less said about decency
in this matter the better.

Mr. Lace said that in consequence of tho statements of this
witness he should ask for an adjournment to havo the cemetery
examined.

Smith : You had better not, sir.
Mr. Lace argued that this observation showed the animus of
the witness, and called on the Commissioner to take it down.

Smith's examination continued : I remember the grave
7,535. I remember taking a body out of it in 1850, The
coffin was in a good state. It was said to be the body of a
lady. When we got the coffin on the flags, and it was moved
about, it burst, and the liquid from the body flowed about.
It was very offensive. The body was then taken
to the common -grave ground, and buried in a
common grave. She must have been removed a
second time, for that ground has been "cleaned ouc" for
private graves. We commenced to clean it out in 1851, and
continued it regularly through 1852 and 1854, but not so
much since 1854. It is occasionally done at the present time.
the ground " cleaned out" was sold as private graves. [rhe
grnve 7,535 was resold in 1850 to another party. The
ground about V-'s monument is the site of the old corn
men graves. Since 1351 about 300 common graves were
broken up for private graves. I ant sure that during the last
three years fifty common graves were broken up. When we
broke into the ground about V-'s monument, most of tho
bodies were decomposed ; but many of the coffins were sound
and whole, and the bodies in them, to all appearance, whole.
We broke up these coffins.
Mr. Lace : Broke them up!
Smith : Yes, how else could we throw them up on the
bank. We had to break them.

Mr. Lace : I wish he had given this information some time
ago, and we would have been saved this disgusting enquiry.
Mr. M'Gowan : It will come out that he has given this
information.

The Commissioner If so, there can be nothing more
important. I suppose you also found portions of grave clothes
in the coffins.

Smith : Oh, yes, frequently ; and money also.
The Commissioner : Money ! Bow is that P
Mr. M'Gowan : It is the custom with a certain sect to place
money in the hand of the deceased, and so bury them.
_ _

Smith's examination continued We removed five or six
bodies from each of the common graves. [ the register was
referred to, and twenty bodies were counted as having been
interred in grave 6,085, now a private grave. In one page of
the registry Idler° were entries of eighteen common graves,
containing several bodies, and of these fourteen were entered as
having been converted into private graves.]
Mr. Crews (of the Coroner's Court): I bought V-'s
grave ; I paid £1 for it. I knew I was buying what the
undertakers call the " top of a grave," and I told the friends
so. They would not go to the expense of £6 for a private
grave. Ido not know of M- G having been buried
there. I remember burying B-; I bought a top grave
for him. By the top grave we mean that that is to be the last
body placed in the ground. If B- were buried over
I should bo surprised. It was not done with my
Sanction. The top graves I buried in were not more than
three feet' deep. If B- were buried in grave,
V-'s body must have been removed.
Smith was recalled, and positively said that there were
twelve bodies in V-'s grave, and that V---'s body was in
the middle.

Mr, Crews : 'What depth was the grave when V- was
buried ?

Smith : It was from seven to nino feet.
Mr. Crews positively denied that this was the case.
The enquiry was then adjourned, at half past five o'clock,
eleven o'clock this day.