The Sun.
London, England, 1864-09-02 00:00:00

WEST FLANDERS.

It is stated that the Royal assent has been given to the
aareement made between the West Flanders Kailwsys Com-
pany and the Societe Anonyme de Construction de Tubize,
for the leasing of the former lines.

Frightful Sufferings of a Respectable
Family.

An inquiry was held by Mr J. Humphreys, East Middle-
sex coroner, at the Earl Vincent Tavern, Philpot_street,
Commercial-road, on Wednesday night, respecting the
death, under very painful circumstances, of Miss Lucretia
Jafreys, aged 24 years, the daughter of a well-known paper
manufacturer. . . .

The jury proceeded to No. 5, Stonor-street, Philpot-street,
to view the body of the deceased. The family occupied a
small shop (not used as a shop), and a room behind it. Upon
entering the shop the sister of the deceased was seen lying
on a parish bed on the floor. She was in a state of great
exhaustion and looked as if she were dying. She said to the
coroner, "It is overwork has reduced me to this state."
Tne sole furniture in the room consisted of a box sad a

broken chair, which had been lent by a neighbour. As the
jury passed through the back room where the dead body of
her sister lay she raised herself and looked after them with
an expression of agony painful to witness. The back room
contained a parish coffin in which lay the emaciated body of
the deceased. The place was otherwise empty. It was
stated that when Mr l3adenhurst, the relieving officer, en-
tered the place on Sunday last, the deceased was found lying
on the floor in a corner of the back room, dead, and her
sister was dying, to all appearance, on a piece of oilcloth in

the shop.
The first witness examined was
Mr Henry Jeffreys, who appeared ill and trembling, and
said—l now reside at No. 5, Stonor-street. I was a bleacher
and paper manufacturer in a large way of business. We
came from Maidstone to London. The family consisted of my
wife. two daughters, and two sons. I had studied chemistry
in France, as a guide to the arts, sciences, and manufac-
tures, Since the circumstances of the family became
altered I contributed to their support by selling chemical
bottles, but it was necessary for my daughters to as-
sist. They worked for a slopseller near Bedford-square,
whose name I have forgotten. They were paid 2s a dozen
for making flannel shirts, and for blue and white ones
they got 2s 6d a dozen. Lucretia has made four shirts
in
one day. By working very hard she made about two dozen
in a week. My eldest daughter, who is ill, could only earn
one-third as much, as she could not work so quick. One
of my sons got ill, and I tried to do his share (in selling
bottles) as well as my own, and I got ill. My other son,
who had to take a situation at a wool stapler's, met with an
accident. A bale of wool fell on him, and we lost his guinea
a week. Both my daughters then became illfrom overwork
and anxiety. The altered position of the family preyed upon
their minds, The earnings of the family for the last eight
weeks were nil. We pawned and sold everything to keep
body and soul together. The clergyman of the parish gave
us 4s and I borrowed 2s, which was all we did borrow. We
determined to apply to no one, but to struggle through any-
and pass through the storm rather than trouble any
thing
one. We felt certain that within a few weeks we should
receive a sum of money sufficient to supply all our wants.
Coroner —Did the deceased die for want of food?
Witness—No, I think it was her mind that did it. We
sold everything to get food.
Coroner—But had she sufficient of a proper kind of food ?
Witness—No, she had not. She refused on Wednesday
last to allow a doctor to be brought in, saying she did not
want to be practised on by doctors ; but I think her real
rczson was she was afraid to let any gentleman see us in
the awful state in which we were. She said, "Father, if
you bring one I will make away with myself." I was
afraid she might do so, as an aunt of hers had three years
ago, while ill, secreted a silver spoon in the bed and choked
herself with it in the absence of her friends. I removed all
the poisons and chemicals out of my
daughter's reach,
On Sunday I saw she was dying, and I went for a parish
doctor. I thought I had only to go for one and he would
come, as the person was dying, but I had to go to
Ithree places before I could get an order. As
it became so late (I was out for several hours), I went
back to see how she was getting on. I found her dead.
Since her death the neighbours and the relieving r fficer
have been very kind. We only came into that house on
Friday last. The rent is 4s 6d, but I do not know where
it is to come from. Before that we were in Philpot-street,
and the rows and threats of the landlord about a month's
rent that we owed, and his continually saying he would
bring the brokers and take all we had got (we had, in fact,
nothing, for we were obliged to sell everything for food),
had a dreadful effect upon my daughter.
Mrs Jane Clarke, 5, Norfolk-street, said that the family
were in a dreadful state of privation. They slept on the bare
boards at night. They had no bed. Witness gave them a
chair and a bit of oilcloth. Witness lent them 2d on Friday
night.
Mr Stephens said that the sister of the deceased was in
a very dangerous condition, but nothing could induce her to
go into the workhouse infirmary.
Dr Robinson, parish surgeon, said that he was called to
the deceased and found her dead. The body was much
emaciated. The post mortem examination showed that there
was effusion into the ventricles of the brain and into the
chest. There was only a little fluid in the stomach, She
would have required nourishing food, bedding, clothing, and
warmth, and the want of those necessaries was the acce-
lerating cause of her death. Witness was now attending
the other daughter, and ho could not get her to go into the
workhouse.
The Coroner, in summing up, said that the case was the
most distressing one that had ever come before him. It was
no doubt to be regretted that Mr Jeffreys had not earlier
applied for medical and other aid, but the omission to do so
was the result of an error of judgment on the part of a
gentleman naturally unwilling to succumb to a reverse of
fortune.
The jury returned the following verdict :
" That Lucretia Jeffreys was found dead on the floor of a
certain room from the mortal effects of effusion of serum
into the brain and chest, and that her said death was accele-
rated by fatigue from overwork, by absence of stimulating
ncuriahment and of clothing and other necessaries ; and the
jury express their regret that through an error of judg-