The Sun.
London, England, 1865-02-16 00:00:00

The W

Parks

Yesterday the Serpentine in Hyde Park, which
the previous evening had been quite open, was

coated with a sheet of smooth ice. In the morning
it was not, however, more than half an inch thick,
but towards nine o'clock last night it was an inch in
thickness. The thermometer at the Royal Humane
Society's Receiving-house in Hyde Park during the
night of Tuesday was as low as 16 deg., and at nine
o'clock a.m. yesterday it was no higher than 17.
Even at noon, after the fog had dispersed, and the
sun was shining brightly, the mercury was only 21.
The barometer stood at 29.93 deg. The wind in
the morning was north-east, but in the evening it
veered round to the west. On the Long Water, in
Kensington Gardens, there were yesterday 2,000

persons, including 30 members of the Skating
Club ; two of the latter fell in, but they were able
to extricate themselves, and they went home drip-
ping withwater. About three o'clock in the afternoon
two gentlemen fell through into water seven feet

deep. A number of men employed in sweeping the
ice for the club rushed to the spot and tried to get
them out, but instead of succeeding the ice broke
and they also fell in. The Royal Humane Society's
icemen, however, with their boat succeeded in saving
the whole of them. During the afternoon the ice
broke, and ten persons fell in. Upon one of the
icemen endeavouring to push the lifeboat across the
ice the latter gave way, and the iceman also sank.
A young man named John Harvey, of 8, Padding-
ton-green, managed to lay hold of one of the society's
ropes stretched over the ice, and by that means he
rescued all the ten persons. One of them, named
George Deree, of 2, Middle-street, Brompton, was
nearly exhausted. Charles Daley, of 9, Walmer-
street, Marylebone ; Daniel Dunnige, of 5, Notting-
ham-place, Long-acre ; Jonathan Parker, of 12,
Connaught-terrace, Edgware-road, were taken to
the receiving-house and were attended by Dr.
Christian and Superintendent Williams. Another
person, named Frederick Schlock, of 11, Mont-
pellier-row, Brompton, was also received at the same
house, so that at one time all the beds in the place
were filled. The exertions of Harvey are described

by the society's officers as being most praiseworthy
He in the first instance got up to his middle in
water. It was necessary to attend to him also at
the receiving-house, -where he was put to bed.
Captain E. R. Testing, of the Royal Engineers and
the South Kensington Museum, fell in, but suc-
ceeded in rolling himself upon the ice. One
of the society's men was pushing his boat towards
him, but the ice broke, and the iceman and he
again fell into the water. They were, however, re-
scued. James Lanning, of 2, Lenton-place, Edg-
ware-road, besides being in the water for a conside-
rable time and greatly exhausted, had his hands
terribly cut. He was also attended to by Mr
Williams, who strapped up the wounds. Altogether
50 persons fell in at Kensington during the day.
Yesterday there were about 2,000 sliders and skaters
upon the water in the Regent's Park. At 11 o'clock
James Eger, of 8, North-street, Maida-hill, broke
through the ice, and before he could be rescued he
had been five minutes under water. He was taken
out by the icemen, removed to the tent, and at-
tended to by Dr. Norton. At 5 o'clock Mr. Vincer,
of 4, Stanley-crescent, Westbourne-grove, broke
into deep water and could not be extricated by the
icemen for four or five minutes. At St. James's
Park while 3,000 persons were upon the ice a dis-
orderly mob commenced pelting the icemen and
Park constables with snowballs. A riot ensued,
during which several robberies were committed ; but
Deputy-. Superintendent Perry, sending to Scotland-
yard, procured the services of a strong body of
police, and order was restored. A lad named John
Holland, struck by a snow ball or stone, was found
by Deputy-Superintendent Perry insensible. He
was taken to the society's marquee and was placed
in bed for upwards of an hour. He was attended
by Dr. M'Cann and recovered. Two of the Park
constables, Bartlett and Wicker, and one of the
Humane Society's men were terribly knocked about
by the rabble. During the day 50 persons fell in.
They were attended by the society's officers and Dr.
M'Cann in the marquee.

Alleged Inhuman Treatment of a Sick
Pauper in St. Giles's Workhouse.

Yesterday afternoon Dr. Lankester opened an investiga.

ion at Turnham's Oporto Stores, Broad-street, Bloomsbury

on the body of George Gibson, aged 40, an inmate of St.
Giles's Workhouse, who is alleged to have died from negleci

and ill-treatment in the infirmary of that establishmen

It appears that some days ago Sir Thomas Henry, chief
magistrate at Bow-street, received a letter from Felix John
Magee, a fellow inmate, drawing such a frightful picture of
the negleet and inhumanity to which deceased had been
subjected, that he placed the matter at once in the hands of
Sergeant G. Manners, warrant officer, to investigate, who,
on arriving at the workhotise and seeing deceased, reported
that the statement made in the letter was by no means
exaggerated. The deceased having subsequently died, the
letter was handed to the coroner.
Mr. Poland appeared on behalf of the authorities.
Felix John Magee said he was an inmate of St. Giles's
Workhouse, and knew deceased, who was in the infirmary.
He slept a part of the time in the same bed with Gibson.
Understood he was affectedwith scurvy. He attended to him
when he wanted it. Witness once washed him with soap
and water, for which he seemed very grateful, and gave wit-
ness twopence for doing so. Deceased has meat every day,
about four ounces. He had four ounces of bread and half

a pint of milk for breakfast. That was at about 8 o'clock.
He had nothing between that and dinner at 12 o'clock. At

4 o'clock he had tea—four ounces of bread, and tea with
milk and sugar. The tea was very weak. He had nothing
after 4 o'clock till next morning at breakfast, unless he
saved from other meals.

By the Coroner—Deceased had some extras. Two dap
previous to his death he had a pint of beer ordered each day.
The doctor came into the ward every day, but he was not
ordered any extra diet besides the two pints of beer per day.
He had medicine—how often he could not say. There were
about eleven or thirteen in the ward, and one nurse to the
ward—a female nurse. Was a fortnight in the ward with
Gibson, and deceased was sometimes taken out of bed to
the fire. Had known him lie in bed five days and nights
without having his bed made. Witness wrote a letter to Sir
Thomas Henry, the magistrate of Bow-street, complaining
of deceased's treatment, and he was then moved out of the
ward. There was no bed-pan or any conveniences allowed,
and the other patients had to assist him.
The letter which the witness had addressed to Sir Thos.
Henry was here produced and identified by witness. He
said he wrote it last Wednesday week at the request of de-
ceased. The letter was read, and was as follows :
" Sir, —I wish to bring under your notice the case of a
pauper named George Gibson, at present an inmate of
St. Giles's Workhouse, 47 ward. His disease is scurvy, and
through weakness he has been unable to wait on himself,
and therefore has been inhumanly neglected. On Sunday
morning he asked me to wash his face, and he would give
me twopence. I took it, for it enabled me to write. I washed
him, and such a sight of suffering may I never see again. He
was covered from the crown of the head to the soles of the
feet with scabs and sores. He has sores on the back, and
his legs are in a shocking state from neglect. I have never
seen them dressed since I have been in the ward, and I can
say on oath that they have not, and so will others. Tho
bed he lies on was not made for five nights. It is an iron
bedstead, with wood laths for the bottom, with no mattress,
in a dark corner of the underground ward, and it is only
through a part of the day that you can discern his features.
On Sunday when I washed him I took out of his head half
a pint of scabs. His hair is unusually long, and was matted
from constantly lying in bed, and his hand was, as it were,
enamelled with his own soil—it was an eighth of an inch
thick on the palm of his hand and fingers, for I see no
night-stool and bed-pan in this ward. Sir, I hope you will
send an officer as soon as you can, for should he die the
ends of justice would be evaded. If the officer keeps the
object of his visit a secret, I will be able to get the under-
nurse and helper to own to it themselves. He is now
delirious, and cannot last long, and if he dies the proof of
guilt will be removed.—l remain your servant,
" FELIX JOHN MACIEE."
Evidence continued—Deceased complained of his treat-

ment, and witness complained to Mr:Craig, the assistant
surgeon, as Mr. Bennett the surgeon was away ill, on leave.
By Mr. Poland—The surgeon used to come round every
day. The deceased has complained of being sore. Never
heard deceased refuse to be moved. A barber came to shave
him, but the place was so dark he could not see to do so.
Deceased never refused to be shaved. He wanted to have
his hair cut, and offered to pay twopence to have it done.
At the time witness washed him there was a clean shirt for
deceased to put on, but ho did not have it on. Never com-
plained to the doctor himself about Gibson's state, because
once he did so, and no attention was paid to what he said.
The Coroner said it would be necessary io examine Mr.
Craig.
Mr. Poland said that was impossible to-day, as he was
unfortunately laid up with typhus fever.
The Coroner said it would be necessary to adjourn the
inquiry, and therefore he would only take the evidence of
the nurse of the ward to prove the death.
Elizabeth Bison said she was head nurse of St. Giles's