The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-08-27 00:00:00

CHILD KILLED BY BEER.

A Mr. Heaps, a salesman of this town, base small brew- I
house in a retired part of Headingley, where he had some
bricklayers employed on Saturday last. In a dwelling ad-
joining the above, a tanner, of the name of Richard Archer,
who works in Mr. Shipley's tan yard, at a short distance.
resides, and bad, until the circumstance we are about to re-
late, a family consisting of a wife and two children. One
of the latter is an infant ; the other, a fine boy about six
years old, went into the brewhouse on Saturday, while the
bricklayers were there, and they having some beer to drink,
gave the child about a pint of it. In the course of the
evening the boy became unwell, and about twelve o'clock
on Saturday night his illness assumed the most alarming
symptoms. Medical assistance was then obtained, but
every effort to save his life proved vain, and he expired on
Sunday morning. The child was previously healthy, and
his sudden death, from no assignable cause but drinking a
larger quantity of beer than certainly ought to have been
given him, naturally excited great astonishment in the
village, and a coroner's inquest NILS accordingly sum-
moned on Monday, and the circumstances of the case mi-
nutely examined. Mr. Metcalf, surgeon, of this town, Mr.
Moxton and two other medical gentlemen, attended. The
body which in the mean time had become much disco-
loured, was oprn:d by Mr. Metcalf, and the appearances
carefully noted, after which, several witnesses were ex-
amined by the corener's jury. In the course of the in-
quiry, some of the evidence given by the professional
gentlemen went to express a doubt that the child had
been poisoned, but nothing positive could then be eli-
cited, as to the means which might have produced that re-
sult. The only thing which the deceased was known to have
taken, was the beer, and without submitting it to a careful
analysis, it was impossible to say, whether or not it con-
tained any deleterious ingredients. The inquest, in conse-
quence, was adjourned till yesterday, to give time for a
careful decomposition of the liquor: but owing to the ab-
sence of one of the medical gentlemen from town, the fur-
ther prosecution of the investigation was postponed to this
day. Part of the bruin, with the stomach and some of the
intestines, were removed by the surgeons, who also have
had a small quantity of the beer, and of the sediment in
the vessel where it stood, under examination. It is, in-
deed, but justice to Mr. Heaps to state, that he evinced
not only the greatest trouble and anxiety at the fatal event,'
but also showed the sincerest desire to have the matter
fully sifted, and the beer most scrupulously analysed.
The opinion of the medical persons, we understand, differ
much as to the cause of the child's death ; one or two as-
serting that it may be ascribable to the agency of poison,
without being able to say that any thing of that nature
can be detected in the beer. The difficulty of ascertaining
whether the liquid contained such an ingredient is men-
tioned by others, who affirm, that however impregnated
with et getable poisons, it would be impossible, by analy-
sis, to discover their existence. The subject is one which
already has created a deep interest, and which cannot, for
the satisfaction of all parties, be too patiently investigated.
As the coroner's jury have not yet come to a decision, we
have, of course, given a mere detail of facts and rumours,
without venturing an opinion upon the delicate question
which it is now their exclusive province to decide. Mr.
Heaps makes the beer at Headingley which lie retails in
Leeds. What the child drank is sold at four pence per
pint, had been brewed from two quarters of malt, with 16
pounds of hops, and was what is termed the " first com-
ing off.“—Leeds Intelligence,.

MARKETS.

tFrom the Landon Vew Price Curren:l

FRIDAY, AWL 26.
SUGAR.—The Sugar market has been exceedingly heavy all
this week ; but as the holders do not press wales, very little alter-
' whin to the currency can be generally stated • where sales however
have been effected, a reduction of 6d. a Is. irft cwt. bas been sub-
mitted to. The Refined market has been heavy till this forenoon,
when the inquiries appeared to revive considerably ; brown lumps
are to be purchased in tome instances at fiGs., but only small parcels
offer at that price; fine goods are heavy, and may be quoted 2s.
lower than the late extreme prices.—Molasses are 31s. In Foreign
Sugars on purchases by private contract are lately reported. By
public sale thin afternoon, 265 bags Bengal Sugar; good white
sold 375. a 395. ; 1011 cheeta Harannah Sugar were also brought
forward ; the yellow was taken in 3134. a 39e.; the white sold at
533. a 545.
COFFEE.—The public sales this week have gone off' heavily,
and generally at a reduction of Is. a 2s. ; St. Domingo Gls. a 1121.
There were two public sales this forenoon, but nearly the whole of ,
the Coffee has been taken in, affording no criterion of the prices ;
the market is, however, very heavy; St. Domingo nominally tile.
a 625.

COTTON.—The sales of Cotton during the present week are I
about !SOO bags, chiefly East India descriptions for exportation.
Bengal' Gad. a Ged.; Surat' 6id. a %d.
RUM, BRANDY, and HOLLANDS.—The Runt market in
heavy, but the prices cannot be quoted lower: proof Leeward' I
can be purchased freely at 25., but there is very little doing.
Brandy is without variation ; small parcels housed, of last year
and this, being sold at is. Id. a Ss. 2d. The nearest quotation of
Geneva is Is. I Id.

LOOWOOD.—There is more business doing in Logwood ; Ja.
tunics in bond, 71. a 71. 10r.

TEA—The only alteration is in Twankay, which is a shade 1
higher than our quotations.
SPICES.—AII East India Spices with the exception of Nut-
megs, are neglected. Purchases of Nutmegs were yesterday re.
ported at lis. I Id. a Gs. • there are buyers of light Pepper at 51d.
At a late hour today Nutmegs were again advancing; one sale at
6s. ld. • the quotation 6s. a 6s. &I. By public sale on 'l'uerilty,
1011bsis Pimento; the good quality sold at 100. a Wile.
FRUlT.—There are still some export orders for Red Smyrna
Relates remaining unexecuted, as tits holders are demanding higher
:telt sad hut a ver small proportion being in the imponers'
stock at the present time is much less than for some
feud , and holds out tither i favourable prospect for the
• df 'eta appstiekhing Raton, The last cargo of Ceps.
itlottrb.

PRICE OF TALLOW' SOAP, &c. per 1121.
Town Tallow -42 a Od Yellow Soap . 721 NI
Yellow Russia . 39s 6d Mottled - 803 Od
White ditto - —s Od Curd . 114 s Od
Soap ditto - —a Od Graves 2os Id
Melting Stuff -31 s Od Good Dregs . Is Od
Rough Ditto -20 s (Id