The Sun.
London, England, 1839-04-09 00:00:00

CORONERS' INQUESTS.

SINGULAR CASE OF DEATH FROlf ANXIETY OF
MlND.—Yesterday morning, an inquest was held before
Mr. CARTER, the Coroner for the County, in Horse-
monger-lane Gaol, on view of the body of Thomas
Thomas, a prisoner, who died under the melancholy
ciircumstances detailed below.
Henry Weston, a prisoner in the Debtors' side,said
he acted as nurse in the criminal sick ward. The deceased
was admitted on the 31st of March, at that time be
complained of a rupture. The prison Surgeon saw and
prescribed for the deceased on that occasion. On AVed-
nesday, the 3d of April, the deceased was taken to
Union Hall for re-examination, and fully committed for
trial, on a charge of felony. He remained in the prison
until Saturday morning, when he expired about six
o'clock. Every attention was paid to him during his
illness.

By a Juror—He was very low and dejected on his
first coming in, but his spirits became more depressed
when he was fully committed for trial, and used to
complain that his heart would burst. He often ex-
claimed, " Oh, my poor children, what will become of
them !"

Mr. Bennett, the principal turnkey, said, that not
only had the deceased's goods been seized for arrears of
rent, but his children had been taken to the workhouse,
he (the deceased) being unable to support them.
Mr. Mal3olni, the surgeon to the prison, said he bad
no doubt the deceased died from effusion of blood on
the brain ; that, in his mind, caused his death. He
was at first rather in a dejected state ; but when he
was committed for trial, he was quite desponding, and
used to say he would not long survive it.
The evidence having been given, the Jury found a
verdict of Natural Death.
A CORONER DUPED BY AN ANONYMOUS CORRES-
PONDENT.-At six o'clock last evening an inquisition
was taken before a Mr. Higgs, Coroner for the Duchy
of Lancaster, at the Compasses, White Hart-street,
Drury-lane, upon the body of James Miles, aged five
years, whose parents reside at No. 9 in the same
street. The circumstances which led to the inquiry
were of an exciting and scandalous nature, and turned
out utterly destitute of truth. Some person, it ap-
peared, under the signature of " A Neighbour," sent
a letter to Mr. Higgs, containing the disgraceful asser-
tion that the deceased had died in consequence of Mr.
Walker, Sorgeoni of Drury-lane, having administered
large quantities of cold water, although the boy was
labouring at the time under a severe attack of the small
pox. The secret libeller also charged the same medical
man with having accelerated the death of a second child
in the neighbourhood within the last three days, by a
similar course of treatment.
Sarah Miles, the mother of the deceased, stated th.
three weeks since her child had the small pox, and that
Mr. 'Walker attended him, and paid every attention,
but, notwithstanding, palpitation of the heart followed,
and Mr. Walker changed the medicine for her son,
who expired about two o'clock on Sunday week. The
witness addod that this was her seventh child who bad
died from palpitation of the heart ; and, in answer to
the Jury, repeatedly expressed her satisfaction of Mr.
Walker's treatment of the dectased.

Mr. Walker complained in strong terms of the scan-
dalous attempt to injure his professional reputation, and
dccAred it to be his conviction that it was the act of
certain parties with whom he had recently had some
differences.

The Jury expressed themselves indignant at the con-
duct of the writer of the letter, and satisfied with Mr.
Walker's conduct.
The Coroner concurred in the opinion of the Jury,
and severely remarked upon the conduct of the party
who sent the letter.
The Jury returned a verdict of " Natural Death,"
and generally expressed themselves that there was not
the slightest imputation upon Mr. Walker's characto%
Yeerdav art inquest was held before Mr.
ACarter,
Corno,r for Surrey, at the Tartar Inn, Conran, on
view of tire body of Ruth Edwards, a little gV
fourteen months. On Wednesday last the mother of
the deceased had occasion to leave it by itself for a few
minutes, and during her absence the poor child drank
some boiling water from the tea-kettle, which was stand-
ing on the bob. A surgeon was instantly sent for, who
rendered every possible assistanu, but the chit;'. ex; • oi
the sacra , r)1711t. grfat Verilkt " ,-)Irc"(
Death,'

: Printed and Publifflea by MITPDO YOVICG,
112, Stood,
Nn. 112, Strand, Ott The Suh
the county of Aliddlesex.—Tuesday,
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