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

The Weather and the 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 with water. 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 snowball. 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-
tion 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 neglect
and ill-treatment in the infirmary of that establishment.
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 workhouse 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 affected with 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. Ho 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.

fly the Coroner—Deceased had some extras. Two days
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,—l 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. The
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 MAGEE."
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.
Mime witness washed him there was a clean shirt for
deceased to put on, but he 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 Elson said she was head nurse of St. Giles's

Workhouse infirmary. Deceased, George Gibson, came into
the infirmary in January. Saw him there every day after
he came in. He never complained to witness of anything.
He once refused to change his shirt. He was very dirty in
his habits, and used to swear at the nurses and other pa-
tients. He was removed out of No. 47 ward on Thursday,
after the visit of a police-officer. He was moved by order
of Mr. Bennett, the surgeon, and died on the Friday'
was
was then ordered wine, eggs, brandy, and porter. lie
removed on the Thursday from No. 47 ward too o. 4k
ward, an upstairs ward, where he died about four loc
on the Friday.
At this stitge of the proceedings it was arranged to ad-
journ the investigation, and the body was
directed to be
to
buried without delay, as its condition is truly frightful
contemplate. In addition to its emaciation, the .hair °f
filth,tilde
head, which is very long, is completely matted togethean
swarming with vermin, the nostrils closed uup witarni
the beard one mass of filth and vermin, and vein
in g all over the body, which is covered with sees. Mr f
re
S. Beale, divisional surgeon of the D division of P°lfee'„,3
Paddington, has made a post mortem examination, P.-
although his evidence has not been officially taken befo
the coroner, it will correspond with the foregoing
tion, his opinion being that the condition of the body e°-
dences old standing disease, arising from want of nutritio:
and poorness of blood, death having been occasioned fr°l
effusion of blood on the brain, arising front that oanse' in
The inquiry has created a great amount of excitement
the district.

Melancholy Death of Two Brother'

---
Two brothers, named Joseph and John
aged 19 and 16 years, the sons of Mr. 13°'rII
—ii;
builder, of the Vines, Droitwich, were drooled 0
the pool of Westwood, the seat of Sir J. rakillgt43„;
Bart., on Sunday afternoon. The two young To.
met their deaths under circumstances of a mot ' 40
lancholy nature. With a number of other Ply
they went to the park at Westwood on Sul,
ice
afternoon, and commenced skating on some of "
which lay between the centre and the shore. rilbe'
pool is a large sheet of water, of some 80 or 90 aarre:
in extent, near to Westwood House, and the e,_11..t.
of it had been frozen over for about a coupled cin-,
and consequently was unsafe for skaters on Sunatjol/ •
However, several lads and youths ventured on
,e,
new ice, and amongst them was the younger Bow:ii,
The ice gave way with him as he made a tarty/100
his skates, and he sank in deep water'_. of
„
rising his cries for help he caught the ea,
people who were around, and his brother inirCt_...,•ng
ately rushed in to the rescue. While endeaSou'io
to liberate his brother from the perilous posit,i°llos
which he was placed the ice on which Josel'astecl
standing proved unstable, and he wasp reciP.-000g
into the water, and for some moments both:, Y-00
men struggled together. Joseph eventuami
edge
ceeded in getting a portion of his body on the but
of the ice, and then he called loudly for Dl' tol
the spectators seemed to be terrified, and no ePei.eitils.
means were taken to rescue the drowning Y° pear
Eventually a boat was procured, and carried a:de
as possible to the spot, and then a hole was r°
Who
the ice with axes, and a man named Gillman' to
was secured by a rope, succeeded in raising ore
as
young men with a boat hook, but not beLall
hour and a half had elapsed, and consequen7o
hopes of saving their lives had fled. A° °toe,
possible they were conveyed to their father's "00a
at Droitwich, a distance of a mile and a half'lie
Dr. Bennett, of the Droitwich Lunatic •Arireseer
Dr. Roden, the Mayor of Droitwich, and Pr• but
tried every means known to restore animationoo
their efforts were useless. The deceased Ici just
were highly respected, and the elder lad har ssrs•
finished his apprenticeship as a draper, With die
Edkins, draper of Droitwich. An inquest
pensed with.