The Sun.
London, England, 1863-11-02 00:00:00

STARVATION OF A FAMILY.

Another shocking case of death from starvation
has taken place in the East-end. It appears that
a respectable family, carrying on a school at 45, De
Beauvoir- squa.re,West Hackney, have been plunged
into a state of the greatest destitution through the
failure of the school, and that recently an execution
tyros put into the house, when all the furniture and
effects were carried away. On Saturday week one
of the children, Alacanlay Josiah Brewer, aged 12
years, was found by Dr. Kitchen lying without
covering in a room without furniture and without
fire, and dying from, apparently, the want of food
and comfort. Death soon after put an end to his
sufferings. Mr. H. R. IValthew, deputy coroner,
held an inquest upon the body on Friday night, at
the Waggon and Horses Tavern, De Beauvoir-
square, and so great was the sensation which the
sufferings of the family had made in the neighbour-
hood that not only was the court crowded, but
several hundred persons gathered in the street out-
side. Airs. al. Brewer, 45, De Beauvoir-square,
deposed that deceased was her child. About three
weeks ago he was taken with a cold. Od Saturday
week she noticed a change come over him, and
she was about to send , for a doctor when he
woe taken with a fit and died soon after. Witness
had had a family of 12 children, five of whom were
living with her. The eldest of the latter was 18
years old, and had assisted in teaching in the school.
They had taken the school last December, but it had
failed. A month ago an execution was ut in and
everything removed. Dr. Kitchen said he was called
in when deceased was dying. Death resulted from
water being effused on the lungs,
from the effects of
want of food and of exposure.
Th child'selying as
a
he found him, in
a roomi without a fire, and when
ge from
a
reduced to the last a t privation, was suffi-
cient to cause death. The family were miserably
poor, and were on that account unable to call in a
medical man in time
Beauvoir-square,
to save deceased's life. Sarah
Hubbard, 41,
D family had been f said that the
and want. Air. or some time past in great trouble
Josiah Brewer said that he was a
schoolmaster.
Heand took the house last Christmas,
had about 12 scholars.w
shillines aweek—not He had only a few
more than 10s. to keep five
children with. When the execution was put in the
school was upset. He din deceased
all he could for
None of the family had bedding or clothing. Mr.
'
Wlll' lams, coroner's officer, said that he found the
fandy in the house without as much as a chair or
stool to sit upon. Deceased lay on the floor dead,
with the bones almost coming through the skin.
The Coroner said that a more dreadful case of suf-
fering he had never seen. The parents ought to
have applied for relief to the proper quarter, instead
of attempting to conceal their deplorable condition.
If a doctor had been called in before, deceased might
not have been sacrificed. Tne jury returned a. ver-
dict of "Death from effusion on the lungs, caused
by want of food," adding " that the parents showed
neglect in not calling in medical aid for the deceased
before his death." The coroner, the jury,
andthe
Rev. S. Finch, the incumbent of the district, raised
a subscription, which amounted to £4 135.,
for the
unfortunate family.