The Sun.
London, England, 1862-05-12 00:00:00

DEATH FROM DESTITtjTION.

On Saturday morning, at 10, the adjourned inves-
tigation into the circumstances connected with the
death of Mr. Thos. Russell, formerly a performer at
Astloy's, who expired in the streets through desti-
tution on the morning of thel lthinst., was resumed
at the Duke's Head Tavern, High-street, White-
chapel, by Mr. H. Raffles Walthew, the deputy
coroner for East Middlesex.
From the evidence adduced on the previous occa-
sion, it appeared that deceased had been for some
time out of an engagemeet, owing to ill-health, and
had fell into a state of extreme poverty, and that
at lecgth, being reduced to such a condition of
weakness from want of food that he could scarcely
stand, he applied to the Whitechapel union for a
loaf of bread. In reply he was told that whatever
he got he should work for, and upon his stating
that he was totally unable to do so he was sent
before Mr. Charnpney, the union surgeon, who cer-
tified that he was fit for work, and he received
nothing. He returned heartbroken to his wife, and
said, "I must die, I have got no strength to work,
and they will not give me a morsel of bread to eat."
Since then he was frequently for days without a
meal, and on the morning of the Ist of
May he was seen lying on the pavement in Cone
mercial-street, where, Mrs. Rut-sell said, he had
fallen from exhaustion end want, and died while
being carried to the hospital. Dr. Edmund proved
that death had been caused by consumption,
accelerated by want of the necessaries of life, and
said that for a long time past deceased must have
been quite incapable of any kind of labour.
Mrs. Esther was recalled.
The Coroner—You have made a charge of cruelty
against the parish authorities. Was not the time
at which he went to those authorities five months
ago ?—Yes, sir.
Was he then in a dying state ?—He was not dying
but drooping,
Was he told to go into the stoneyard P—No, but
into the oakum room.
Mr. A. Champneys, the divisional surgeon to the
union, was then examined, and said that he had
attended deceased for some years. In November
last he came to witness with a note from Mr. Fin-
i lator, the relieving officer, inquiring if he was fit
for work, and' in reply to that witness wrote " that
he was not fit to pick oakum." Mr. Finlator has
that certificate at present in his possession.
By the Coroner—He had seen Mr. Finlator since
last Saturday. He had frequently given orders for
comforts and food to be given to him.
Mrs. Russell distinctly denied this, and said that
it was to herself they were ordered when ill once.
Mr. J. Finlator, relieving officer, said that on
the Bth November deceased came for relief, and got
two pounds of bread, and entered his name to go
before the board, which he did, and was ordered to
work. He was not then under a doctor. He left
the room, and did not come baek to witness until
the 18th. Witness sent him to Mr. Champneys to
see if he was able to work, and the latter certified
that he was incapable of picking oakum. The board
saw that, and ordered him eight pounds of bread
per week foe two weeks. He got subsequently
another eight pounds of bread, and was ordered by
the board to go before Mr. Champneys, and witness
did not see him again.
The Coroner—At the time the board ordered him
" work," deceased was actually under treatment by
Mr. Champneys for consumption.
Witness—Not at that particular time.
Coroner—Did you order him to go into the
oakum room ?
Witness—He had come 30 or 40 times for neces-
saries for his wife, and I said to him "You are get-
ting a great deal of relief. Can you not go into
the room and pick oakum for it P" It was not
laborious work.
The Coroner—Yet, though ho was certified to be
unequal to laborious work, he never, by your own
showing, received anything but dry bread.
Mrs. Russeil was recalled, and stated that her
husband went on four or five occasions to the union,
and got a 41b loaf. Mr. Harris, the assistant reliev-
ing officer, called once and saw her at work upon
two shirts for which she was paid lAd., and he re-
ported that she had full employment and needed no
relief.
The Coroner having summed up, the jury re-
turned the following verdict, "That deceased died
from natural causes, and that the jury recommended
to the board of guardians that in future a more
' • generous diet should be given to the . poor who
' Ibrought1brought from the parish surgeon a certificate that
they were unable even to pick oakum."