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-Equare,West Hackney, have been plunged
into a state of the greatest destitution through the
failure of the school, and that recently an execution
was put into the house, when all the furniture and
effects were carried away. On Saturday week one
of the children, Macaulay 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. IL Walthew, 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. Mrs. M. Brewer, 45, De Beauvoir-square,
deposed that deceased was her child. About three
a weeks ago he was taken with a cold. Oa Saturday
week she noticed a change come over him, and
Y
she was about to send ifor a doctor when
WO2 taken with a fit and died soon after. w he
had had a family of 12 children, five of whom were
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 put in and
everything removed. Dr. Kitchen said he was called
in when deceased was dying. Death resulted from
water being effused on thelungs,ngs,
from the effects of
want of food and of exposure. The child's lying as
h© found him, in a room
Without a fire, and when
reduced to the last stage, from 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
time to save deceased's life. Sarah
-i
Hubbard, 41, Beauvoir-square,
family
an. Ar.
hadt beeni:for some time past in great trouble
and w
schoolmaster. Josiah Brewer said that ho was a
He took the house last Christmas,
and had about 12 scholars. He had only a few
shillings a week—not more than 10s. to keep five
children with. When the execution was put in the
school was upset. He did all he could for deceased
None of the family had bedding or clothing. Mr.
Williams, coroner's officer, said that he found the
fai.bi:y 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 ho 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 aliet
not have been sacrificed. The jury returned a ver-
dict of " Doath from effusion on the lungs,
Caused
by want of food," adding " that the parents shoved
neglect in not calling in medical aid fur the deceased
before his death." The coroner, the jury, and the
ltvv. S. Finch, the incumbent of the
district,
o 13:r ,c, for
raitshede
a subscription, which amounted t
unrortunate family.