The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-07-20 00:00:00

CORoNER s INQUEST.

FATAL ACCIDENT, CAUSED BY NFOLECT.--A COltleesta:
quisition was yesterday, evening held before T. &TEUTON, Eig.,
the Board-room of St. Bartholomew's Hospital, on the body of l>o.
minick Fitzgerald, who met his death on illonday morning, whit,
carrying a very heavy load over the steps which lead from Saw,
place to Swan-passage, near St. Bartholomew's-close.
The evidence adduced went to prove that the steps in questyt,
had for a long period been in a most shameful state of dilapidation,
and that several very serious accidents had occurred in consequence,
a representation of which was requested to be made by the Jury to
the parochial authorities.
The Coe °ZEE said, it was the duty of the surveyor of the tame,
ments to see that the place was kept in a proper State of repair;
but he would take cure that the wish of the Jury should be emu_
plied with.
dir. Morgan, the house-surgeon, was then called, and 411,1
described the state in which the deceased was brought into the box.
pital, added that he did all in his poser to afford assistance, but
he breathed his last in abort five minutes. He could not say sib,
ther there were any external marks of violence on the body, not
having examined it.
CORONER—Did you not consider It your duty to do so ?
Mr. Morgan—No, Sir; I ant ready now to open the body, and
should have done so this afternoon, but the Bradlee rtjurcd to let
me have the keys of the place where it was deposited.
CORONER—Cannot you state whether the heavy load faliingoci
the chest of the deceased caused his death ?
Mr. Morgan—No, I cannot, as I did not open the body. ex-
pected that -I should have had to have done so.
Several of the Jurors here expressed themselves very dissatisfied
at the manner in which Mr. Morgan gave his evidence.
Mr.' Morgan defended himself, and seing our Reporter la the
room, said, lie hoped it would not go abroad that he had not ukt
every diligence in his power.
The ConoriEß said, no doubt existed of that,' but the Jury felt
that they had not been treated with becoming decency, and ore
Juryman in particular felt himself insulted at the manner in whim
he had been answered.
. . . _

ed
I do not see that there is any
mnmleylinit:hiantwasof.the case.
Mt. Morgan disclaimed any intention of so doing.
I(4eaccroaoxl
RjEouttsr—oi.r.3:Tß aertiesi,sseialdh,Ga
et
Gentlemen,
ttalcoei
necessity in this case of having the body, opened. I think the ()al
verdict you can come to is " Accidental Death."
The Jury consulted for a few moments, and the foreman gave in
a verdict—" That the deceased came by his death by accidental!y
falling down the steps in question, occasioned by the particularly
dilapidated state in which they were."
Several gentlemen seeing our Reporter leaving the roomettireated
• strong wish that this case might be made public, and given as
fully as possible.
Repor.er—Gentlemen, I have but one duty to perform, and that
I shall honestly perform. I have only to state correctly what hat
taken place, and I shall not cause one pang unmeritedly to the
feelings of any one.
The verdict was then recorded, and the Jury left the room.

[There appears nothing in this report to call for repro.
hension of the conduct of Mr. Morgan. An ignorant beadltt
opposes his authority to the better judgment of his supe-
riors, and an cqually, though less excusably, ignorant Co. roner's Jury sanction the act which the eadle, in his
ignorance, had done. Fellows of this stamp arc found too
often interposing their misplaced rower and vulgar pre.
judices in the way of medical science. To maintain that a
surgeon ought tb pronounce professional opinion upon the
cause of death, without having been allowed to ettinina
the body, is worthy of llogberry himself.
-