The Sun.
London, England, 1865-08-26 00:00:00

Death from Destitution.

Yesterday an inquest was held by Dr. Lankester
at Ilatipstead on view of the body of Charles Dear
Smart, aged 41 years. The deceased had formerly
been in business as a clothier in the Strand, and had
been churchwarden of the parish of St. Clement
Danes.

Charles Gill, New-end, Hampstead, said that on
Monday morning, at 6 o'clock, while on Hampstead-
heath, he found the deceased man crouched up under
a furze bush. It had been raining all night, and the
man lay in a pool of water. Witness said to him,
" Get up; look at the state you are in." He crawled
out of the hole in which he lay, and witness left him
to go after some donkeys. Upon returning in an
hour he found the man still lying on the wet grass.
A police-constable then came up. The deceased had
evidently been lying where he was found the whole
night, but he said to the constable, "I have only
just come here. I have lived in Whitechapel two
years." The police procured a stretcher, and carried
him to the workhouse, for he was unable to walk.

Dr. W. H. Cook, surgeon to the Hampstead
Workhouse, said that the deceased was brought in
there on Monday morning between 7 and 8 o'clock.
He was in a sinking state for want of food. He was
placed in a warm bath and then he revived a little,
and nourishment was given to him. He said he
was a master tailor and that he had been in a large
way of business, but that he had failed and fell
into great distress. He also said that he had
always been a sober, steady man. He died the next
day. The cause of his death was chronic disease of
the kidneys, aggravated by exposure to the cold and
wet and by want of food. Want of food and priva-
tions had certainly acceleraled his death.

Mr. Elliot, master of the Hampstead Workhouse,
said the deceased stated to him that he had been
turned out of his lodgings at Whitechapel, and that
he then made up his mind not to apply for parish
relief, for he was asked to do that, or to beg, but to
hold out as long as he could by wandering about.
Inspector James Webb said that he had ascer-
tained from Mr. Wadey, the deceased's late land-
lord, at 19, North-street, Whitechapel, that the
deceased had been churchwarden in the year 1852
in the parish of St. Clement Danes. He was then
in a large way of business in that parish. While he
was in office he had the superintendence of the
erection of a platform in the Strand for the purpose
of enabling parishioners to witness the funeral pro-
cession of the Duke of Wellington. Within the last
three weeks the deceased had written a letter to Mr.
Wadey, of which the following was an extract :
" I have nothing to eat ; I am starving. I have
nowhere to live in, and I do not know what to do.
I have not even a penny to pay for the postage stamp
for this letter. I cannot last long, I hope you are
getting on better thanl am." The letter was written
and directed in pencil on tea paper, and it was
marked 2d. for non-postage. Until the deceased
had been turned out of his lodging he used to get
his living by writing tickets for the shops. He was
miserably clad, and was shockingly emaciated.
George Jales said the deceased had been turned
out of his lodgings six weeks ago, in consequence,
as Mr. Wadey said, of his filthy habits and condi-
tion. He had no relatives in England, and since
that time had been wandering about.
Dr. Cook said the deceased must have been deli-
rious for some time before he was discovered on the
heath. He was delirious for a portion of the time
that he was in the workhouse.
Verdict—" That Charles Dear Smart was found
dying on Hampstead-heath, and that he died in
Hampstead Workhouse from the mortal effects of
disease of the kidneys, and that his death was
accelerated by want of food and exposure to the
cold."

SINGULAR ACCIDENT AT A ROLLING MILLS.—On
Tuesday a singular accident occurred to a man
named John Jones, residing at California, Hartlepool.
Jones, who worked at the Hartlepool rolling mills, volun-
teered to assist George Campbell, the steam hammer driver,
in fastening some screws on the top of the hammer. Both
parties got on to the upper part of the hammer, which is
a monster one. Campbell was getting down, and it is
supposed in his descent he caught the " catch," and thus
set on the steam. The hammer rose to the top of the
framework twice before the steam was shut off, and the
poor fellow was jammed into's space of about 18 inches.
His head and knees were severely cut, and his shoulder
much injured, and he is also sufferingly intensely from
internal injuries. When ho was taken down he was quite
insensible, and it was thought impossible he could sur-
vive ; but last night more favourable opinions were enter-
tained. •