The Sun.
London, England, 1837-08-12 00:00:00

CORONER'S INQUEST.

Yesterday evening an inquiry, which lasted several hours,
and did not terminate until late at night, took place in the
Board-room of Islington workhouse, before Mr. Stirling and
a most respectable jury, on ♦iew of the body of Benjamin
Broadway, aged 18, a parish apprentice, whose death was
occasioned by starvation and the ill-treatment of his master,
under circumstances of the most heart-rending and unpa-
ralleled atrocity.
The case has already been before the public. On the
14th of July application was made by some of the relatives
of the deceased to the parish officers of Islington, by whom
the unfortunate youth was apprenticed out, representing
that his (deceased's) master, a Mr. William Smith, opti-
cian, of Monyer-street, Hoxton, had shut him up in a room,
kept him without food, aid otherwise ill-treated him. The
result of the application was, that Messrs. Ashley and
Chadwick, the overseers of the parish, went to Smith's
house, and there found the wretched lad in the most deplo-
rable state of starvation and filth. Subsequently, on the
case being brought before the Hatton-garden magistrates, a
warrant was procured for the master's apprehension ; but
before such could be served he absconded. The deceased
was removed to Islington workhouse, where he continued
until his death. .

The jury, being sworn, proceeded to the most painful
part of their duty—that of viewing the body of the de-
ceased. It presented a most appalling and affecting specta-
cle, being reduced to a mere skeleton. Every person pre-
sent was deeply affected at the shocking sight.
On the return of the jury to the inquest room the fol-
lowing evidence was adduced touching the dreadful oc-
currence :

Mr. Robert Harrington, assistant to Mr. Brooks, sur-
geon, of No. 1, Regent-place, City-road, deposed that, on
the 14th of last July, two gentlemen connected with paro-
chial affairs of Islington, called upon him, and requested his
attendance upon the deceased. Witness went to a house
in Monyer-street, Horton, and there found the deceased
laying on the floor of a back room. He was in a most de-
plorable state of emaciation and filth, and perfectly insensi-
ble. Witness applied stimulants, and in a short time the
poor lad partly recovered his senses. He ate what was
given him in the most voracious manner. Witness never
saw a hungry dog take any food more voraciously. His
(deceased's) person was frightfully emaciated. He was in
so weakly a condition that he could scarcely masticate the
food that was given him. Witness advised his immediate
removal to the workhouse.

By the Jury—l consider that the deceased's death was
caused by starvation and general neglect. I did not ob-
serve marks of external violence on his person. I have seen
the body of the deceased since his death, and when I first
saw "him he was nearly as emaciated as the corpse at present
presents.

By the Coroner—The deceased complained to me that
he had been starved and ill-used by his master, and that
he was worked from early in the morning until late at night.
The house where I was called to see the deceased by
Messrs. Ashley and Chadwick appeared to me to be a mi-
serable habitation. I did not see the boy's master. His
(Smith's) wife and child were the only persons in the
house.

Mr. Robert Semple, parish surgeon of Islington, de-
posed that he attended upon the deceased on his being
brought to the workhouse in the parish chair. Witness
was greatly shocked at the appearance of the unfortunate
lad. He was in a state of frightful emaciation, and filthy
in the extreme. His intellects appeared to be greatly im-
paired by the miseries he had undergone. He (deceased)
was suffering from a low, debilitated fever, brought on un-
doubtedly from the want of the common necessaries of life.
Witness had the person of the wretched youth thoroughly
cleansed, and warm clean clothing put on him. He had
wine, broth, sago, arrow-row, and every other kind of
nourishing article, all of which he ate greedily. For the
first fortnight after his being brought to the house his
system slightly rallied, but subsequently he sank rapidly,
and died on the previous day. Witness was decidedly of.
opinion that the lad's death vas caused from the want of
the common necessaries of life.

By the Coroner—The deceased complained to me of
being cruelly ill-used, and kept without food by his master
for days together. The constitution of the lad was too far
broken by the usage he had received for the care and nou-
rishing articles afforded him at the workhouse being of
any service to him.

Mr. John Ashley, one of the overseers of Islington pa-
rish, deposed that on the 14th of last month a married sis-
ter of the deceased's applied to him and Mr. Chadwick,
the other overseer, for their interference en behalf of her
brother, whom she represented as laying in an insensible
and dying state at his (deceased's) master's, in conse-
quence of starvation and ill-usage. In consequence of
such application witness and Mr. Chadwick went to Smith's
house, and there found the wretched youth in the situa-
tion described by Mr. Harrington, the first witness. A
warrant was subsequently obtained at Hatton garden
against Smith, but he fled from his residence, and, not-
withstanding a reward of 201. was offered by the parish for
his apprehension, he has not been heard of since.
By the Jury—The deceased was apprenticed to Smith
about three' years back, at which time he (Smith) was
living in Britannia-row, Islington, and was in a good way
of business as an optician. A premium of 31. was given to
Smith at the time of binding the deceased.
In answer to an inquiry made by the Coroner, Mr.
Ashley said that Smith was not distressed in circumstances.
Messrs. Chadwick arid Luckett, other officers of the pa-